Interesting Articles

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 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.

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.

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'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. 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.