If you ever begin to feel sick after eating certain foods, pay close attention to your body, the symptoms and your reaction. You might have a food allergy, or food intolerance. Knowing the difference between the two can be life-changing, and help you better manage your food intake.
Food intolerance is when you experience difficulties digesting certain foods. More than three million cases of food intolerance happen in the U.S. every year, but it’s not life threatening. Symptoms usually show up within a few hours and can include bloating, nausea, headaches, abdominal pain, diarrhea or reflux.
It can be difficult to diagnose food intolerances, so speak to your doctor about the symptoms you are experiencing. You may need to eliminate certain foods from your diet to determine the culprit of your sickness.
Food intolerance and sensitivities can be moderate, or severe. Monitoring how your body responds to various foods will make you more aware of what’s going on within you. Following is a list of foods that you may need to reconsider in your diet.
While food intolerances impact the digestive system, food allergies are caused by your immune system. The immune system relies on nutrient-dense whole foods to perform at its best. When the immune system erroneously identifies certain foods as harmful to you, it causes an adverse response in your body.
The symptoms typically appear within a few minutes to two hours, and can include difficulty breathing, dizziness, a loss of consciousness, hives, swelling of the throat and abdominal cramps.
If you experience any of these symptoms after eating, it’s important to avoid the food that you just consumed and contact a doctor to accurately assess your situation. There is no cure for food allergies so early recognition and food management are key to preventing adverse consequences.
Pay attention to your body and respond accordingly. Food allergies can be life-threatening, and can lead to an allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Each year, thousands of people are hospitalized or sent to the emergency room due to anaphylaxis, and an estimated 150 people die of it annually.
Speak to your doctor if you think you have a food intolerance or food allergy, because it may be difficult for you to distinguish the two.
Charlene Rhinehart is an award-winning speaker, certified public accountant and career coach. She helps others live their best lives as a blogger at Wealthy Women Daily, is the founder of the Career Goddess Academy and host of the “CEO Unlimited Podcast.” She is also the best-selling author of Dividends Are a Queen’s Best Friend, available at Amazon.com.
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