Vitality News Health Articles

Do you feel inconvenient after eating certain type of food? Do you avoid drinking a glass of milk as it makes you feel uncomfortable? Are you always scared of eating those foods that upset your stomach some time in the past? If your answer is yes then you could also be one of those people who are suffering from food intolerance.

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.

Don not confuse these symptoms with those caused by food allergies. Allergies can cause all of the aforementioned symptoms, plus itching, skin hives, vomiting, swollen lips and throat, and wheezing. These reactions start immediately after the offending food is consumed, and can be serious or even life-threatening. Call for medical help immediately if you suffer these symptoms after eating.

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.

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 dairy is the food that causes you pain, you may find it difficult to completely remove it from your diet. The good news is that most people who are lactose intolerant can eat some forms of dairy without feeling sick. Try taking a two-week dairy-free period to let your system heal, and then slowly start trying different dairy products. Most people who can’t drink milk can still eat hard cheese or yogurts, so you may be able to keep some dairy in your diet.

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.

- Robert Harrison