Food Intolerance: Symptoms and Definition

For those who suffer a food intolerance, they may find that it affects every aspect of their life. However, those who do not know that they have a food intolerance, it can mean that their lives can be quite painful without fully understanding why this is happening.

Food Intolerance Definition

When a person has food intolerance, they are going to find that their bodies cannot digest this food which is categorized as a non-immune response to eating that food. It is important to note that this is not a food allergy...when the digestive system cannot tolerate certain foods, this is going to be a food intolerance.

Food Intolerance Symptoms

The symptoms of food intolerance can vary from person to person, depending upon that individual's body. These symptoms may include:

• Bloating
• Migraine
• Headache
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Simply feeling bad
• Stomach ache
• Irritable bowel
• Hives

It is important to note that these symptoms are not going to be immediate after eating a food that you have an intolerance for. Many people find that it can be hours or even the next day when they start to feel these symptoms.

How to Test for Food Intolerance

There are several ways in which a food intolerance can be tested. For example, some people go to their doctor and have a blood test done in order to determine what markers they have for food allergies or intolerance. In addition, there are those who test by eating that food to determine if they are having a food intolerance.

There are even at home tests that many people are doing in order to determine if they have a sensitivity to certain food which could lead them to have a food intolerance. However, these are relatively new tests that are on the market and may not be as comprehensive as what you think.

When you do test for food intolerance, be sure that once you have the results, that you are looking at how to integrate these into your daily life. This may mean going on a diet that is free of this food and looking for other alternatives to get the dietary nutrients that you need in your life. However, it can be done. There are those who suffer with food intolerance for the bulk majority of their life, and they still maintain a healthy and happy life.