What is a Food Intolerance?

Sometimes our bodies cannot tolerate the foods we eat. This is known as food intolerance. When people consume foods that they're sensitive to, such as dairy products for lactose intolerant individuals, their bodies have a negative physical reaction. The effects show up every time the food is consumed. If large quantities of the food are ingested, symptoms can be severe.

Food intolerance is sometimes mistaken for food allergies. But food allergies cause the person's immune system to sit up and take notice. Food intolerance doesn't involve the immune system. Neither is it linked to contaminated or spoiled foods; those cause food poisoning, not intolerance. Additionally, food intolerance describes only the adverse physical reaction to the ingestion of certain foods. It does not address psychological reactions to food.

The Causes of Food Intolerance Food intolerance is caused by the inability to digest certain types of food, usually due to insufficient amounts of the chemicals or enzymes needed to digest a particular food. More can be found at www.foodintolerancenews.com Lactose intolerance is very common. People who suffer from this condition don't have enough of the enzyme called lactase'. Therefore, their bodies can't break down the lactose, or milk sugar, in dairy products. Common symptoms of lactose intolerance include intestinal distress, gas, bloating, and bowel irregularities.

Other people can't process alcohol because they don't have enough of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase'. They can become ill if they consume even a single alcoholic beverage.

The additives, flavor enhancers, and preservatives in processed foods are another common source of food intolerance. MSGs, caffeine, benzoates, and aspartame cause pain and fatigue in sensitive individuals. Sometimes enzyme deficiencies can cause toxins to build in the system. Enzyme deficiencies can also stimulate the production of histamines. The human body normally produces histamines in response to allergens. In such cases, food intolerance can masquerade as an allergic reaction. Who Suffers from Food Intolerance?

If your parents have food intolerances, chances are good that you'll have them too. Ethnicity plays a role, too. Only 10 of their population.

Newborns tend to produce more lactase, so they can digest lactose easier than adults and older children. The symptoms of lactose intolerance can appear in children as young as two, but many people develop it later in life. Gastroenteritis sometimes causes a dip in lactase levels, bringing on a temporary intolerance to dairy products. Children face a high risk of lactose intolerance following gastroenteritis.

Half of all Asians are affected by alcohol intolerance.

What are the Symptoms of Food Intolerance?

The symptoms of food intolerance center on the digestive system. Sufferers may experience stomach pain, bloating, nausea, or loose stools. These symptoms are seldom life-threatening, but they can make a person miserable. They can manifest anywhere from a few hours to a few days after the food is consumed.

Food intolerance symptoms can become quite severe if a large quantity of the food has been consumed. People with a slight enzyme deficiency typically don't experience symptoms as acutely as people with a larger deficit. Alcohol intolerance causes redness of the face, nausea, irregular heartbeat, headaches, and dizziness.

How is a Diagnosis Made?

Trial and error is the simplest way to test for food intolerance. This is done by removing one food from the diet for a while and monitoring symptoms for improvement. If symptoms decrease, the food is then reintroduced. A return of symptoms will reveal whether or not that food was the culprit. Further tests are used to diagnose lactose intolerance. For example, your physician might recommend a test to measure the amount of hydrogen in your breath; a stool acidity test; or a blood glucose test to determine how well the patient digests milk sugar.

How is Food Intolerance Treated?

Food intolerance is usually controlled by removing the troublesome food from the person's diet. For instance, lactose intolerant individuals can replace regular milk with soy milk.

If the intolerance is mild to moderate, the affected person can try eating only very limited amounts of the food in question. Mild lactose intolerance can be managed through the use of lactase enzyme supplements. If foods are removed from one's diet, they should be replaced with nutritious alternatives. It's crucial to avoid malnutrition, especially in growing children. If you have questions about suitable food replacements, speak with your nutrition specialist.

Kimberly Buchanan has been involved in the health and fitness industry for over 10 years. 2 years ago some serious health challenges forced her to look at all potential reasons. After many tests she found that a food intolerance was causing all the problems. Kimberly now helps people to solve their food intolerance and allergy problems.