Lactose Intolerance is a rather common digestive issue that 40 million adults in America deal with daily. Although there is a high percentage of people that deal with this issue, many don't know how to treat them. I like to think of lactose intolerance like diabetes; instead of your body not producing enough insulin, it doesn't produce enough lactase. These are some common issues that people with lactose intolerance deal with.

1. The expense of it all

Regular gallon of milk: about $3 1/2 gallon of Almond milk: about $4.

2. People who don't understand that dairy is your worst enemy

"A little dairy won't hurt!"

Yes, yes it will. Spending the whole rest of the day sick is not worth the little bit of dairy that would be consumed.

3. Remembering the days when you could eat a whole bowl of ice cream and not have a problem

Oh, I am so jealous of my younger dairy-eating self.

4. Coffee shops that charge extra for dairy alternatives

I understand why you do it, I'm just not that excited about it.

5. Ordering something and then realizing it isn't dairy-free

Oh, this salad doesn't say it comes with cheese so I should be fine... I was so wrong.

6. "Non-dairy Creamers" that actually contain dairy

LIARS! (it says it doesn't contain lactose, but I don't trust it).

7, Coffee shops that don't carry dairy-free creamer or milk alternatives

I AM LOOKING AT YOU DUNKIN' DONUTS!! Again, 40 MILLION Americans are lactose intolerant.

8. People who think your needed lifestyle is just you trying to be a snob, or trendy

No, I'm not buying dairy-free anything because I'm trying to be trendy, I actually need it.

9. The cost of Lactase pills

Why does the medication I need cost so much!

10. People who don't actually believe that lactose intolerance is a real thing.

People like this actually exist, and it's really annoying. These people believe that lactose intolerance is actually caused by some other digestive thing.

11. Restaurants that put dairy in EVERYTHING

Do you not even consider us? Do you not even know that we exist?

12. Foods that secretly have dairy in them

Why do random foods that don't need to have dairy in them, have dairy in them?? Even some medications have lactose in them!

13. BUT, the best feeling in the world is when a food you think has dairy in it, actually doesn't

THANK YOU!!!

For all those people who don't have lactose intolerance, these are just some of the issues we deal with constantly. Being dairy free is a minefield, and it is such a struggle; almost everything has dairy in it these days. Please consider us the next time you make a menu, or cook something for a potluck. Not everything needs to have dairy in it.