Food Intolerance: What You Need To Know

2007-10-22 Word Count: 434 Category: Nutrition

Do you always seem to have a stomach ache after having a glass of milk? Do you always regret eating a certain type of food after you spend the next few hours feeling ill? Do you avoid entire food groups because you're afraid of the stomach distress those foods will cause? You could be living with food intolerance, a condition shared by millions of people.
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.
Do you have any symptoms of food intolerance? Not everyone will have the same types of problems, but some signs of the condition can include abdominal discomfort, scratchy throat, nausea, bloating, and diarrhea. This malady is no fun whatsoever and may indicate that years of sickness and suffering may be ahead.
These symptoms should not be confused with the symptoms of food allergies, which can include all of the above and may also include skin hives, itching, and swelling, vomiting, wheezing, swollen lips, and swelling of the throat. These reactions will occur immediately after eating the offending food and may be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, seek medical treatment immediately because they may be life-threatening.
An initial step in the management of food intolerance is to be certain you do not have an allergy to a food instead, and this can be a bit tricky. Visit a physician, preferably an allergist for allergy test for the suspect foods. If testing is negative, you have ruled out food allergy and can be reasonably sure it is intolerance.
Once you know that you are intolerant to specific foods, how do you adjust your nutrition? You will first need to remove that item from your diet. Make sure to avoid items that have your intolerance hidden, as it can still trigger your sensitivities. You should feel a lot better once the food has been eliminated from your diet.
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.

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Food intolerance (www.foodintolerancetestbristol.co.uk/) is a condition and millions suffer from it. When the body cannot properly digest a certain food, this is intolerance to food. Some people are born with intolerances to certain foods; others may develop it later in life. Food allergies cause abdominal discomfort (www.foodintolerancetestbristol.co.uk/food_intolerances.html), such as: pain, diarrhea, nausea.