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 the body cannot properly digest a certain food, we call this a 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 intolerance last for life, while others may occur sporadically.
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.
It is important to note that these symptoms overlap with those of food allergies. Do not confuse the two. Symptoms of food allergies may also include hives, itching, swelling, vomiting, wheezing and swelling of the throat or lips, and usually occur right after eating the food. The medical consequences can be serious, so seek medical treatment immediately if you experience them.
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'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 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.
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