Peptic Ulcer

Peptic ulcer disease is a common disorder that affects millions of individuals each year, with a major impact on health care cost. Peptic ulcer is an erosion in the mucosa and can occur in any area that is exposed to gastric acid and pepsin, including the lower esophagus, stomach and duodenum. This erosion leaves the underlying layers of cells unprotected and exposed to gastric juices. If a peptic ulcer is located in the stomach it is called a gastric ulcer.
Normal gastric and duodenal mucosa is protected from the digestive actions of acid and pepsin by the secretion of mucus, the production of bicarbonate, the removal of excess acid by normal blood flow, and the rapid renewal and repair of epithelial cell injury. When protective factors are impaired or dimished, acid and pepsin can damage the mucosal lining.

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Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose, the sugar primarily found in milk and dairy product. Lactose intolerance has been recognized for many years as a common problem in many children and most adults throughout the world. Lactose intolerance is caused by the decreased production or absence of the enzyme lactase (beta D galactosidase). Lactose has an important role in human nutrition. It appears to enhance the absorption of several minerals, including calcium, magnesium, and zinc. It also promote the colonic growth of Bifidobacterium and is the sources of galactose, which is an essential nutrient for the formation of cerebral galactolipids.

Common symtoms of lactose intolerance which may range from mild to severe include nausea, cramps, bloating, flatulence, diarrhea. These symptoms of latose intolerance begin about 30 minutes to 2 hours after eating or drinking foods containing lactose. The severity lactose intolerance symptoms depends on many factors, including the amount of lactose a person can tolerate and a person's age, ethnicity, and digestion rate.

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