There are plenty of things you need to know about food allergies versus food intolerance. Some people mistakenly believe they're suffering from a food allergy because they've had a reaction after eating a certain food. However, it could actually be food intolerance, which is a totally different condition.
Food Intolerance
Food intolerance is a digestive system response. This can occur when something in a particular food irritates your digestive system and is unable to properly digest or breakdown the food. Being lactose intolerant is one of the most commonly known issues. This includes milk, as well as most dairy products. Typical symptoms you may notice with food intolerance are headaches, heartburn, irritability, nausea, bloating, cramps and possibly vomiting.
As a person who has food intolerance, your body lacks enzymes, a chemical that helps digest proteins found in food. Foods with added ingredients are another form of food intolerance. Although some of the added chemicals are meant to protect food against bacteria, they are not easily broken down digestively.
Some of these additives, which provide enhanced flavor or eye catching color, include dyes and monosodium glutamate better known as MSG. MSG is a well-known trigger for headaches for many people although this has never been fully proven.
Even so, if you suffer with migraines your doctor may advise you to read food labels closely and to steer away from any product containing this MSG.
While many foods have natural chemicals already in them, it doesn't always make them a reliable food. Salicylates are one such chemical and aspirin is a compound of salicylate. If you cannot tolerate aspirin, you may have trouble eating certain fruits, vegetables or nuts. You might also discover intolerance to coffee, wine and beer.
Seeking a doctor's advice is always important even though there is no real test for food intolerance. Your doctor might advise you to keep a food diary, or pay close attention to what you eat on a daily basis. Foods eaten every day or eaten in large quantity will trigger symptoms of food intolerance.
If you are lactose intolerant, but have cream in your coffee in the morning or a simple glass of milk, you may not experience any side effects. However, if you are a heavy coffee drinker who uses cream regularly or you are used to having several glasses of milk daily, you will most likely experience the uncomfortable side effects if you are lactose intolerant.
Offending foods do not have to be eliminated entirely from your diet if you have food intolerance. By keeping a food diary you can track what you eat or drink daily. Have it one day, but omit it the next day or so. Within a couple of weeks, you should be able to narrow down the main food offenders.
Food Allergies
Food allergies are an immune system response which occur when your body mistakes an ingredient in food, usually protein, as a harmful invader. Many people are surprised they have a sudden food allergy.
Simply put, by eating something once your body decides not to accept it so it begins building a defense system by making antibodies. Eat it again; food allergy symptoms develop when the antibodies and the food begin to battle one another. The first attacker is most likely histamine.
Well-known food allergies are peanuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds, milk, wheat, fish (mostly shellfish), eggs, and soy products. Other food allergies which might be surprising to you are fruits, especially melon, watermelon and even oranges.
Symptoms of food allergies may range from mild to acute. Once released, histamine is a very strong chemical that can optimize the lungs, skin, stomach and heart. In someone who has acute food allergies, histamine could be life threatening.
Histamine can be released in any part of the body. If it is released in the skin you may feel the sudden urge to scratch. Hives or rash may appear. Histamine can also be released in the stomach and intestines which can cause moderate to extreme pain, nausea, cramping and or diarrhea.
If the histamine is released in the ears, nose or throat, the first symptom is itchiness, especially in the ears and throat. A sudden onslaught of sneezing and runny nose after eating or the desire to clear your throat is a side effect of food allergies. Mouth sores may suddenly appear.
Histamine released in the throat can also develop into more serious symptoms including the inability to swallow, shortness of breath and or chest pain. Acute symptoms can cause airways to the lungs to tighten and more severely, anaphylaxis. You may experience a combination of these symptoms if you have severe food allergies.
Testing for food allergies can be controversial. Some people may have quick or sudden symptoms, therefore, some tests may cause more harm than good. The skin prick test for example requires a small amount of the allergen to be inserted underneath the skin. Those who have severe allergies may have an acute reaction while the test is taking place.
Determining a possible severe allergic response in any individual as mild, moderate or severe, is difficult as they may have a greater risk of having severe reactions at any time.
Prevention of food allergies means eliminating the offending or trigger foods from your diet. If your allergic symptoms are mild to moderate, you may on occasion eat a food with little or no side effects. If your symptoms are more serious you will be advised to strictly avoid the trigger foods.
This may seem impossible to do and have a healthy balanced diet. Working with a doctor and a dietitian can help you eat healthy and safely. A registered dietician can suggest several cookbooks with recipes you normally make but give you substitute ingredients you can safely eat.
You should always let those around you know how severe your food allergies are -- family and co-workers especially. Family gatherings can be enjoyable if you know what you're eating is safe. Likewise, potlucks at work. Your co-workers need to understand your food limitations.
Your trigger foods may not always be noticeable. You may not know you're about to have an allergic reaction. For these times, you should always carry an epinephrine injection kit or epi-pen, especially if you are prone to severe or acute reactions. While the epi-pen will relieve the symptoms, you should still have someone take you to the emergency room.
Even if your reaction is mild to moderate, carrying anti-histamine will help with the itchiness and stave off a rash.
Knowing your limitations with food intolerance or food allergies is always your best bet. Learn to recognize the onset of symptoms so you can quickly take action if you innocently digest a trigger food.
Food intolerance or food allergies symptoms, once realized, will always be a part of your life. Listen to your doctor, learn about your symptoms, and take good care of your body.