Food Intolerance Doesn't Have To Rule Your Life

Does drinking a glass of milk cause you stomach to hurt? Have you eaten something, and later felt nauseous? Are there specific foods or beverages that cause you to feel sick? Many people share these symptoms with you. There is a condition called food intolerance, and millions suffer from it. You too may have this condition.

When your body is unable to digest specific types of food, this is called food intolerance. Milk is the most common food to cause a food intolerance. In about 10% of Americans, milk is poorly digested. Food intolerances can manifest at any point in your life, they can even be present at birth. Food intolerances can be temporary or permanent.

What are the symptoms of food allergies?There are many but the most common ones are abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, headache, fatigues, gas and throat pain. No two people with the same intolerance experience the same symptoms. These can lead to poor health in the long term if not diagnosed and treated properly.

Food allergies can include all of the above listed symptoms and could also include things like skin hives, itching, swelling, vomiting, wheezing, swollen lips and swelling of the throat. Food allergy symptoms are swift and severe and occur as you are eating the food to which you are allergic. Food allergies can be life-threatening, so if you have symptoms of food allergies, you need to seek immediate medical treatment.

The difference between intolerance and allergy is a small one, and sometimes they are tough to tell apart. You may want to have allergy testing done by an allergist if you are uncertain, to determine which substances you are allergic to and which ones your body simply cannot tolerate. Managing food intolerance starts by ruling out the effects of allergies.

Once you've figured out that you are sensitive to a certain food, how do you go about managing your intolerance? First of all, remove the offending food from your diet. Be sure to avoid hidden ingredients in processed foods that may trigger your intolerance. After you have completely eliminated the food that makes you ill, you will probably feel much better.

If your symptoms are caused by dairy products, then you might be lactose intolerant. Fortunately, it is extremely unlikely that you will have to remove all dairy based foods from your diet. Most lactose intolerant people can eat small amounts of at least some kinds of dairy products. For example, many people who can not drink milk can still eat hard cheeses or yogurts with no ill effect. Try having a completely dairy free diet for two weeks, and then adding different dairy products back to your diet one at a time to determine what you can safely eat.

Are there specific foods or beverages that cause you to feel sick? Many people share these symptoms with you. There is a condition called food intolerance, and millions suffer from it. There are many but the most common ones are abdominal discomfort, headache, fatigues and throat pain. No two people with the same intolerance experience the same symptoms. Food allergy symptoms occur as you are eating the food to which you are allergic. Food allergies can be life threatening, so if you have symptoms of food allergies, you need to seek immediate medical treatment and allergy testing.

- Robert Harrison