Food Intolerance Doesn't Have To Rule Your Life
Do you have a food intolerance? Food intolerances are conditions that are shared by millions of people. They can make it seem like you always have a stomach ache after drinking milk. Food intolerances can cause you to be sorry you ate certain foods, as you spend next several hours feeling ill. You may even find that you avoid entire food groups because of the stomach aches. If this sounds like you, you may have a food intolerance.
When your body is not able to digest some particular type of food it is termed as food intolerance. Nearly 10% of Americans are intolerant to milk. It can be found in infants also who are intolerant to milk or some other food substance since birth. Or it can develop at any age. Food intolerance has been found to be permanent in some cases. But generally it comes and goes depending on the day.
Is there a way to see if you suffer from food intolerance? Symptoms vary from person to person, as two people with the same intolerance can experience different symptoms. The common ones include headaches, nausea, abdominal discomfort, fatigue, gas, diarrhea, and sore throat. The symptoms are usually extremely unpleasant and can possibly lead to ill health and long-term suffering on the person's part.
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.
If you are not able to decide whether you are allergic to something or are intolerant to particular food then it is best to seek an advice of an allergist. He will do the allergy testing and tell you if you are allergic to some substance. Although these tests cannot figure out the foods to which your body is intolerant. But if you are assured that you are not allergic to something than you can concentrate on your food intlerance.
Now that you have come to know that your body is intolerant to certain food you need to be cautious of your food intake. The very first thing is to totally remove this specific food from your diet chart. You also need to read the ingredients of processed foods before consuming them. The idea is to completely shun the offending food if you want to feel good and healthy.
There is good news for people who have discomfort from dairy products, even though it is hard for many to eradicate from their diets. Few people are completely lactose intolerant and will be able to east certain dairy products without pain or symptoms. Some forms that are well-tolerated are hard cheeses and yogurt, but to really see what is possible, take about 14 days with no dairy at all, and then slowly try one type at a time to see what is possible to keep dairy in some form part of what you eat.
Does drinking milk cause abdominal discomfort? Have you eaten something, and later felt nauseous? Are there specific foods or beverages that make you sick? Many people share these symptoms with you. Millions suffer from food intolerance. Some people are born with intolerances to certain foods, and others may develop intolerances much later in life. Lactose intolerance, a problem handling the sugar in milk, is very common in about 10% of the US population, and it can be congenital or may develop with aging. Some intolerances last for life, while others may occur sporadically. Food allergies can cause the same problems, so allergy testing may be in order.
Published October 16th, 2007