Intolerances

17 Mar 2014

You get that bloating feeling, you may feel a bit sweaty, you may get some palpitations and your stomach may start to gurgle. It’s probably worth checking out, you may have an intolerance to something you’re eating.

Be careful when you’re talking about food intolerances. Many people mistake them for an allergy. But there are differences.

Allergies cause an immune system reaction, affecting organs in the body. It can cause a range of symptoms and can definitely be life-threatening at times.

In stark contrast, food intolerance symptoms are mostly limited to digestive problems.

Generally, a food intolerance is caused by an absence of an enzyme needed to fully digest a good.

And don’t think that just because you haven’t sufferance an intolerance until now, you’re in the clear.

Intolerances can develop as you get older too.

The most common intolerances are lactose, gluten and fructose.

Lactose intolerance

Lactose intolerance occurs when the body doesn’t have enough of the enzyme lactase, which helps the body absorb lactose properly. Intolerance to lactose generally means you cannot stomach milk products.

Symptoms include stomach pains, bloating and diarrhoea.

When managing lactose intolerance, it’s most important to listen to your body first and foremost. Some people can stomach a little bit of lactose while others cannot digest any. If you can stomach lactose in small doses, it’s best to spread them across the day rather than have it all in one hit. Let your body digest fully.

Gluten intolerance

Gluten intolerance is caused by the body having an adverse reaction to gluten. There are a broad number of disorders included under the ‘gluten intolerance’ umbrella, including coeliac disease.

Symptoms include bloating, muscular disturbance, joint or bone pain and diarrhoea. Migraine headaches have also been linked to a form of gluten intolerance as has a feeling of dizziness.

Gluten is most commonly associated with wheat products, however there are a lot of other general household foods that contain the protein including some meat products, some dairy products, oats, pasta and some condiments.

Fructose intolerance

Fructose is the sugar found in plants. It occurs naturally in honey, some fruits and most root vegetables. People who are intolerant to fructose tend to suffer from the same symptoms as the other major intolerances – bloating, diarrhoea, constipation and stomach pain.

Foods that are particularly high in fructose include apples, pears, honey, dried fruit, grapes and watermelon among others.

When determining whether you have an intolerance to something, always consult your doctor. Talk openly and honestly about your symptoms and whether they increase when you eat certain foods, and never be embarrassed – your doctor needs to understand everything in order to properly diagnose.