NOTE: This entry contains personal and probably tmi, (too much information). Beware…

For the last 3 months I have had intestinal problems. These problems have ranged from profuse to stuck, if you know what I mean. With a father who had a colostomy for 30 years prior to departing assumed it was cancer, and figured I have done my time, and am ready.

Eventually I acquiesced and made an appointment at a big box gastric practice which is the only game in town. Took 6 weeks for the appointment but found the young physician pleasant. We mainly spoke of my then upcoming EU adventure, and I received some medical info to boot.

The diagnosis: lactose intolerance, which happens in aging. Enzymes either shut down or stop, and avoidance of dairy is key. Dairy means butter, cheese, milk products, however, dairy is in just about everything from granola bars to processed frozen foods. My life has been altered forever, and while not cancer it is a concern requiring planning, and thought.

Crazy as it sounds I always enjoyed reading food labels, but now it is a necessity. Ordering food in a restaurant is a dilemma. The folks in the EU have been extremely helpful especially in Switzerland where everything is cheese. Restaurant staff seem to know even better than I what foods to order, and their culinary creativity in maneuvering this angst has been enlightening.

If only we could only act globally in this way.

Maybe we all should get lactose intolerance now as we’ll only get it eventually.

It would certainly change the world.

Wonder if cows get lactose intolerance?