Food intolerances or sensitivities are a problem for a lot of people. Unlike allergies, you can grow into and out of food intolerances. Food intolerance symptoms are not caused by the immune system as are allergic reactions. They are usually milder and are the body’s reaction to foods that you cannot break down and digest properly. These effects are sometimes felt as headaches, general irritation, loss of sleep, and an upset stomach. Food intolerance is a very annoying experience for you.

Allergies on the other hand, are caused by the body’s immune system reacting to a normal substance by producing excess antigens. These antigens can cause severe pathologic reactions and symptoms. A food allergy occurs when you come in contact to a particular food that you are sensitive to with an almost immediate and severe allergic reaction as a consequence. Food intolerance symptoms take longer to develop and may not occur for hours or even days after contact with the food in question.

Symptoms of food intolerance and allergies can take a bewildering variety of forms. They often include swelling of the lips, throat, and other areas. Skin rashes can result from a food intolerance as well as breathing difficulties. Digestive distress such as vomiting, pain, and diarrhea are also common to people suffering with food intolerances. Symptoms of a food allergy vary greatly and are often mistaken for a food allergy.

Food intolerance symptoms rarely occur right after eating the food but usually take hours or even days to become apparent. This makes the offending food sometimes very difficult to determine. Unlike allergies, which seem to stay with you for life, food intolerances are quickly cured by removing the particular food that caused the problem from you diet.

Only by removing the food item from your diet can you be sure of reducing and eliminating your food intolerance problem. The common test is a form of an elimination diet carried out under a doctor’s supervision. This will enable your doctor to find and eliminate the problem food. By making small changes to your diet, sometimes wonder results occur. Many people have experienced relief from a whole range of chronic and unexplained health problems by dealing with a food intolerance problem.

By: Lee S Mcpherron

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