Having a food intolerance can be difficult. Food intolerances affect your digestive system and cause problems in the long run if you leave them untreated. Although intolerances to certain foods can be tedious and inconvenient to live with, in most cases, they can be managed efficiently.
From changing your diet or simply cutting out certain foods from your everyday diet, there are plenty of alternatives available on the market today. Symptoms of food intolerances can be easy to spot, especially if they’re reoccurring.
Intolerances can be easy to recognise once you’re able to recognise the triggers. If you’re interested in finding out more about common types of food intolerances and their symptoms, continue reading.
What is a Food Intolerance?
Food intolerance is ultimately a hypersensitive reaction. Not to be confused with a food allergy, an intolerance displays itself similarly but is often less serious. The easiest way to decipher whether you’re suffering from an allergy or intolerance is by speaking with a doctor.
An intolerance means your body struggles to break down certain foods, which can potentially result in pain, bloating, gas, sickness or diarrhoea. Symptoms can take up to 48 hours to show, which makes it difficult for people to know which food triggered such a reaction.
In worse cases, symptoms can last for days. If you frequently consume foods that you’re intolerant to, it can be hard to pinpoint what’s causing the trouble. Your skin and respiratory system can also be affected by food intolerance – noticing these signs as early as possible can help prevent long-term damage.
Symptoms vary depending on the food intolerance you’re suffering with but often show through a runny nose, diarrhoea, headaches, nausea, fatigue, rashes, bloating, abdominal pain and hot flashes.
The Most Common Food Intolerances
Dairy
Lactose intolerance is very common. 65% of the world’s population struggles with lactose intolerance, suffering from bloating, toilet issues, gas and abdominal pain. Lactose is a type of sugar found in dairy products, broken down by an enzyme called lactase. If your body has a shortage of lactase enzymes, you’ll struggle to digest dairy products such as milk and cheese.
Gluten
There are a few conditions that relate to gluten, including celiac disease and wheat allergy. Gluten refers to the proteins found in barley, wheat and rye. Wheat allergies and celiac disease share similarities, which results in people getting the two mixed up. If you find that you have celiac disease, you’ll be advised to stay clear from foods such as bread, pasta, beer and a selection of sauces including soy sauce.
When you have celiac disease and are exposed to gluten, your immune system attacks the smaller intestine, causing serious damage. Whether you have celiac disease, wheat allergy or general gluten sensitivity, it can be hard to live with. Gluten intolerance symptoms include depression, anxiety, anaemia, fatigue and joint pain.
Caffeine
Caffeine can be found in a variety of beverages – including tea, coffee and energy drinks. Consuming caffeine reduces fatigue and increases alertness. The recommendation of caffeine consumption per day is roughly 400mg for most adults. 400mg is equivalent to around four cups of coffee, but most people drink more.
If you experience a rapid heartbeat, chest pains, restlessness, nervousness, jitters, insomnia and anxiety after consuming caffeine, you could have an intolerance. The best way to avoid these symptoms is by cutting caffeine out of your diet, switching to decaffeinated products or minimising your intake drastically.
Salicylates
Salicylates are natural chemicals produced by plants. Although salicylates have anti-inflammatory properties and have been proven to protect against diseases such as colorectal cancer, there are many people whose bodies are intolerant to them.
Symptoms of salicylate intolerance include asthma, a blocked nose, sinus infections, hives and gut inflammation. Being extremely sensitive to the compounds found in salicylate can develop and cause reactions – even when consumed in small amounts.
Sulfites
Primarily used as preservatives in food and drink, sulfites can also be found naturally in grapes and cheese that’s been aged. There are many people who suffer from sulfite intolerance and those that do usually have other conditions such as asthma. Sulfites can be added to food like dried fruit to help delay browning.
Swelling, coughing, wheezing, flushing, hives and hypotension are a few of the main symptoms people experience when they consume sulfite. Canned vegetables, pickles foods, condiments, apple cider, wine and baked goods are the key examples of food containing sulfite.
How DAM Health Can Help
DAM Health are your friendly GPs on demand. Our team of NHS-trained doctors remain on hand to provide expert advice and get you on the right track in regard to your health. Taking care of your gut health and overall well-being is important – we provide food intolerance tests for both men and women to take in the comfort of their own homes.
We understand the importance of being able to see a doctor efficiently in real-time. It can be tough trying to get an appointment at your local GP, which is why our service is convenient for so many people. Our efficient GP service is the same as visiting your local clinic, without the hassle and annoyance of having to queue for long periods.
Don’t leave your symptoms any longer. Our team are ready to book you in and find the cause of your issues. Food intolerances can be tedious to live with if you’re unaware of what might be causing your gut problems. If you’d like to book an online appointment with us here at DAM Health, feel free to contact us today.