What is Food Intolerance - Its Causes, Symptoms, Impact and Diagnosis

A sensitivity to certain foods causing a disturbance in the digestive system is what we call Food Intolerance. This sensitivity appears in the form of reactions such as diarrhoea, constipation, headaches, skin problems, bloating, and excessive gas. People have different types of food intolerances caused by a variety of foods such as milk, eggs, yoghurt, cheese, butter, wheat, pasta, bakery foods, bread, nuts, cashews, almonds, caffeine, some fruits and vegetables and seafood. 

This intolerance is caused by a lack of specific enzymes in the body that are responsible for digesting these foods. These enzymes are necessary for the body to maintain the digestive system. Other than that, some psychological factors such as depression, stress, and anxiety are also responsible for causing food intolerance. It is important to understand what foods are causing your intolerance and eliminate them from your diet. This can help you to recover and help you to live a healthy life.

Understanding Food Intolerance

Food Intolerance happens when the digestion of certain foods is not happening properly due to a lack of digestive enzymes and other health disorders in the body. It mainly affects the digestive system and causes bloating, diarrhoea, gas, headaches, IBS, abdominal pain, skin rashes, etc. 

There are various causes behind food intolerance such as celiac disease, stress, anxiety, lack of digestive enzymes, and stomach issues such as IBS. Some factors also affect the intolerance such as age, medical history, gut health, and genetics. The causes and factors are discussed below in detail:

What causes Food Intolerance?

Some common causes that can contribute to the development of food intolerance are:

• Poor gut health and issues like irritable bowel syndrome.
• Enzyme deficiency such as lack of an enzyme called lactase helps to digest foods that contain lactase such as milk and other dairy products.
• Diseases such as Celiac are also responsible for causing food intolerance in many people.
• Psychological issues such as anxiety disorder, depression, and stress may also contribute to food intolerance.

Impact of Age on Food Intolerance

• Food Intolerance can happen among individuals of all age groups. Among infants, food intolerance can cause symptoms such as reflux and eczema because of the intake of cow’s milk or formula. It is important to take the paediatrician’s advice while considering the dietary changes in infants.

• Also, it can be a challenge to handle the food choices of kids as they are choosy about food and irresponsible too. It becomes a challenge for parents to maintain a healthy diet for their kids. As they become teenagers, their food choices alter even further because of peer pressure. In such scenarios, it becomes necessary for the parents to educate their children about their food intolerance and maintain their diet accordingly.

• For adults and senior citizens too, food intolerance brings great challenges. As an individual ages, many health complexities arise. In this scenario, it’s important to find a balance in lifestyle to manage food intolerance. It is also essential to have regular checkup routines and to follow the doctor’s advice to prevent serious health disorders.

Difference between Food Intolerance and Food Allergy

Even though food allergy and food intolerance might seem similar they aren’t. Food allergy is a reaction of the immune system after consumption of a specific group of foods. The reactions to food allergies are severe and require immediate medical attention. The symptoms of food allergy may appear in the form of swelling on the face and lips, itching, swelling of the tongue, increased heart rate, etc.

On the other hand, food intolerance is a reaction of the digestive system due to sensitivity after eating certain foods. It does not involve the immune system of a person. The symptoms do not usually occur right after eating a certain food like in food allergy. To manage the problem, the priority is to understand the difference between both and then choose the right treatment.

Types of Food intolerance

• Gluten Intolerance- Foods that cause gluten intolerance are wheat, barley, bread, rye, bakery foods, and pasta. This intolerance is responsible for causing celiac disease in people. Consuming foods with gluten might damage your intestines and can cause other serious health issues.

• Lactose Intolerance – Due to a lack of lactase enzymes, the body is unable to digest dairy products such as milk, cheese, eggs, butter, cottage cheese, etc. Lactose intolerance mainly causes digestion-related problems such as diarrhoea, bloating, and constipation.

• Fructose Intolerance – Fructose intolerance happens when the body is unable to digest a sugar called fructose. Fructose is found in fruits, corn syrup, and fruits. Indigestion of fructose can also cause symptoms such as diarrhoea, gas, bloating, etc.

• Histamine Intolerance- The indigestion of histamine causes health issues such as abdominal issues, headaches, hives, etc. Foods that contain histamine are some fruits, vegetables, seafood such as fish, etc. These foods can trigger the digestive system and affect gut health.

• FODMAP Intolerance- Certain fruits, vegetables, and grains contain high FODMAP and are responsible for causing digestive issues in some individuals. It is important for these individuals to avoid high-FODMAP foods to improve their condition and get their gut health back. 

Symptoms of Food Intolerance

• Digestion – The most common health problem in food intolerance is related to the digestive system. The symptoms of digestive disorder are constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, gas, vomiting, and nausea. With time, the symptoms can get serious if they are left untreated.

• Respiratory – In some cases, the symptoms of food intolerance can appear in the form of respiratory disorders such as sneezing, asthma, and runny nose. It is usually difficult to spot the actual cause behind these symptoms but with proper diagnosis, it can be found that these symptoms are caused due to food intolerance.

• Skin problems- Food Intolerance can also cause reactions on the skin such as rashes, itching, acne, hives, and eczema. It is important to understand and diagnose intolerance with a test or professional advice to eliminate these symptoms and cure intolerance from the root.

How to manage Food Intolerance?

Firstly, it is important to observe the regular symptoms that you are dealing with because of certain food items. To understand this, you need to be mindful of the food that you eat and try to avoid the foods that are difficult for your body to digest. Managing the consumption and following a strict diet routine seems to be a task but goes a long way in terms of a healthy lifestyle. Some important steps to follow to manage this health issue are as follows:

• Following a diet chart – Managing the intake of foods can improve the condition of your intolerance. Also, getting a test done will help you to understand which foods you need to avoid. Eliminating problem foods from your diet can help you improve your gut health.

• Cooking tips and planned meals- If you are suffering from food intolerance, it is better to eat home-cooked food rather than eating out. Homemade meals can be controlled by you in terms of what ingredients to use keeping your intolerance in mind.

• Supplements & Medication – For some people with severe symptoms, taking supplements can help upgrade the recovery process and can also help improve digestive function. Having said that, it is necessary to consult a doctor before taking a supplement or medication for food intolerance.

Diagnosing Food Intolerance

• Keeping a food diary- If you are dealing with food intolerance on a regular basis, it is important to maintain a diary and keep a record of foods that cause intolerance. Then you need to slowly eliminate those foods from your diet and reintroduce them gradually when your symptoms have disappeared.

• Seeking Professional advice – It will not always be possible to just follow a diet routine and improve your health. Sometimes, a doctor’s advice is important if the symptoms are severe or are not going away even after the elimination of trigger foods. The doctor will examine you and may recommend a test or medication based on your symptoms.

• Food Intolerance Test – To clearly understand what foods are causing intolerance and to eliminate them from the diet, a food intolerance test is effective. It measures the levels of IgG antibodies in the body and provides a comprehensive report mentioning the list of trigger foods. The test may help you to get your gut health back to normal by managing your diet effectively.

• Breath test- Breath test is done to measure undigested sugars in the body by analyzing the levels of hydrogen. If a person has lactose and fructose intolerance, a breath test helps to diagnose the same.

Elimination of problem foods and their alternatives

• Foods for lactose Intolerance – There is always an option for choosing alternative foods if you are suffering from intolerance. Some dairy-free alternatives are available for people with lactose intolerance such as soy milk, almond milk, etc.

• Gluten-free foods- Gluten-free bread, rice, and quinoa are some of the common gluten-free options for people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease. These alternatives are easy to incorporate into daily diet for people with gluten intolerance.

• Low-FODMAP Foods- There are various food options which have a low FODMAP and are beneficial for people with FODMAP intolerance. These foods include potatoes, bananas, and carrots. These foods do not cause digestive issues in individuals with FODMAP intolerance.

• Low-Histamine Foods- Balancing your diet by including low-histamine foods is a good way to manage histamine intolerance. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat are some foods that are low in histamine levels.

Path to Recovery

• Understanding your dietary requirements – Managing your diet is the first step towards recovering from food intolerance. Diet can be managed either by keeping a regular check on foods that are causing sensitivity in your gut and stopping their consumption, or by taking a food intolerance test and consulting a doctor. These steps can help you manage the intolerance and improve your gut health.
• Apart from that, you also need to manage the consumption of foods such as junk foods, spicy foods and oily foods as these might contribute to your intolerance and sensitivity. Try to eat home-cooked meals with ingredients that will not trigger your symptoms. Additionally, while travelling or eating out, be mindful of the foods that you order and avoid trigger foods or eat them in less quantity.
• Creating awareness amongst family & friends – If you are living with your family, it’s important that they know about your intolerance so that the meals can be cooked accordingly. Even though it is difficult to prepare different meals for each member, but alternative ingredients can be used until you are in recovery.

Limitations & Complications

Even though making dietary changes can help you curb the symptoms of food intolerance, it can also leave some negative impacts such as:

Making strict dietary changes and choosing alternative options can sometimes cause deficiencies in an individual. There are certain foods that are healthy but cause intolerance to an individual. So, stopping the consumption of these foods results in certain vitamin deficiencies. In this scenario, it is important to consult a doctor to start supplements and probiotics to balance the deficiency.

Managing food intolerance is a tricky business and requires necessary changes on a daily basis. Modifications in the diet, preparation of food, and supplements can alter day-to-day life of an individual dealing with food intolerance. Sometimes, the precautionary diet is hard to maintain and it can result in irregular diet intake and discomfort in various ways. As a result, it hampers the quality of life of an individual causing other health problems.

Usually, individuals with food intolerance have to stop the intake of their favourite foods which is difficult. This could result in psychological trouble for an individual including stress and anxiety. Also, the management of a diet while being around family and friends could make an individual anxious. Hence, it is important to have a support system for an individual dealing with food intolerance.

Success Stories and Real-Life Experiences

Mr Vijay Singh, a chartered accountant in a private company, started experiencing IBS regularly after food consumption. The problem persisted and other symptoms such as bloating and constipation also started occurring. It interfered with his professional and personal life causing him to take appropriate action to regain his health.

First and foremost, he decided to get a food intolerance test to clearly understand his intolerance profile. He found out that he had sensitivities to dietary and gluten foods such as milk, wheat, butter, curd, eggs, and bread. With the help of this clarity, he decided to make the necessary dietary changes and followed his doctor’s advice. He chose alternatives to the trigger foods such as plant-based and healthy foods.

Along with following a diet and medication, he also incorporated regular exercise into his schedule. Slowly and gradually, he started noticing changes in his gut health and overall well-being. Enlightened by this change, he passed on the advice to his colleagues who had been suffering from the same kind of health issues for a long time.

He follows a healthy diet to this day and educates his family and friends on the importance of making necessary changes to combat a health problem. His brave choices reflect the importance of keeping a regular check on health and taking timely measures to maintain good health.

Conclusion

It is important for an individual to understand and manage food intolerance in order to recover and maintain good health. It can be detected on a personal level by maintaining a diary or by consulting a doctor if you are suffering from the symptoms of food intolerance regularly such as diarrhoea, bloating, constipation, stomach ache, nausea, vomiting, and skin rashes. The symptoms of food intolerance can also appear in the form of respiratory problems such as asthma, and sneezing.

If you decide to take a food intolerance test, it can help you to know about the same in depth and make it easily manageable. You can also take the help of a medical professional or a nutritionist to understand the dietary intake and the need for supplements. It is essential to take the supplements only with the advice of a doctor.

Managing food intolerance can become a lot easier if you follow these basic steps. There are precautions and preventions that one needs to take before making a decision with respect to food intolerance. Hence, following the advice of an expert is of utmost importance. Apart from that, one should also take the help of family and friends to live with the necessary changes and combat food intolerance.