Things You Should Know and Do if You Have a Food Intolerance

November 22, 2009 by mbelcher · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS 
Things You Should Know and Do if You Have a Food Intolerance

Do you think you might have a food intolerance? Well, you wouldn’t be alone.  There are claims that anywhere between 40% and 70% of the population suffer from at least one food intolerance. 

The symptoms can be rather vague: intestinal upset, fatigue, headaches, and some reactions that seem more allergic than anything else.   They can also show up hours or even days after consuming the problem food, making it very difficult to identify the cause of your ailments.  To be sure of what you’re dealing with, seek the help of a physician.  Let your doctor know what your body is experiencing.  He or she can then refer you to a nutritionist or other food intolerance specialist to ensure that you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs.

Wheat and lactose intolerance are common complaints. There are special tests that can be used to determine whether a person suffers from these conditions. If wheat intolerance is detected, you should also be checked for celiac disease, or gluten intolerance, since gluten is a wheat protein.

Of course, any intolerance will require adjustments in the way you eat. Be sure to inform your friends and family of your diagnosis so they can plan meals appropriately. Caretakers and schools should be informed if a child is found to have a food intolerance.

What changes can you make to ensure that you or your loved ones are safe from problem foods and substances? First, become a great food label reader! Every country in the European Union is required to display certain nutritional facts on prepackaged food labels. These foods must be clearly marked if they contain certain ingredients in concentrations higher than 10 mg/kg or liter. These ingredients are tree nuts, peanuts, seafood, milk, eggs, fish, gluten, soya, celery, sesame seeds, mustard, sulphites, and lupin.

It’s best to check the ingredients of everything you purchase prepackaged. Please note that foods which are not prepackaged, like most deli or bakery items, aren’t subject to the same labeling requirements. If your intolerance is severe, you should avoid foods that might be exposed to other foods you’re susceptible to during preparation.

You can also look for supermarket lists or specialty stores that sell foods which are free from certain problematic ingredients. Wheat, gluten, and dairy-free alternatives are becoming easier to find as there is more awareness about these intolerances. And some of them are really delicious!

Of course, you could always go online to look for the foods you need.  It’s easy to find nutritional information that way. Just be sure to check the labels as well, since recipes can change without warning.   The web is also a great source for recipes that are “free from” whatever it is you need to avoid.   Honestly, it doesn’t have to be difficult!

Find more information about food intolerances, allergies, and home tests at http://www.foodintolerancenews.com



By: Kimberly Buchanan

About the Author:

Kimberly Buchanan has been interested and involved in various aspects of the health industry for over 10 years. She has personal experience with food intolerances and allergies as well as experience helping others discover the cause of and cure for their own intolerances, allergies, and other health related ailments (eg vitamin deficiency, weight gain).



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Food Intolerance

November 20, 2009 by mbelcher · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS 
Food intolerance is the body’s altered or abnormal reaction to certain kinds of foods. It can be defined as a condition when a particular immune reaction occurs in the body in response to consuming a particular food or food ingredient. However, the symptoms of food intolerance are very similar to any sensitivity including headache, swelling, urticaria, vomiting and diarrhea, etc. As such it becomes very difficult to determine what kinds of food or food products are responsible for causing such food intolerances. Due to this limited information, we often land up consuming the wrong medicines or go in for the wrong treatments, which only leads to making the situation worse. This problem can be solved through a number websites available today, with all the information on Food Intolerance.

These websites offer all the information and insight on the various kinds of food intolerances that take place due to certain kinds of food products. They carry reliable and practical advice on healthy eating, understanding food labels and kinds of foods that can have an adverse affect our health. They offer expert advice on dietary issues and provide free information to individuals, companies and organizations. They also provide you with all the information on the various symptoms and the likely treatments for your food intolerance problem. You can also take certain tests offered by these websites which can help in accurately and safely determine the cause of your food intolerance problem. Most of these tests are completely safe procedure and totally painless and can be used to test anyone from babies to the elderly. These tests are carried out by certified professionals in this field and through well equipped laboratories that are specialized in conducting these tests. Most of these websites have affiliations with such laboratories. These sites seek to help you make healthier choices, whether you are choosing what to eat or shopping for food.

Many of these websites also offer many therapies including yoga, vibrational medicine, herbs and natural nutrition. They help in inspiring, empowering and encouraging growth and health. They also contain all the latest news and in-depth information from government agencies providing information on food standards, including agency policy and research. It also has detailed information and guidance for people of different ages affected by food intolerance problems. They also provide you with certain diets in order to help you to lessen or completely overcome your sensitivity to certain food types. They also carry a number of recipes particularly focusing on food intolerance problems.

Many of the websites have Online Symptom Assessment for determining if certain food categories are contributing to the way you feel and the various types of symptoms that you are experiencing, thus giving an accurate record of what you eat and how you feel. This way you can evaluate and eliminate foods that do not suite your body’s immune and further identify food habits that can be eliminated to limit or regularly turn any problem food.

You can even join forums or blogs on these sites and connect to people with similar kinds of problems. This way you can exchange information on the different treatments for food intolerance and even get advices on the same.



By: natisha

About the Author:

For over 20 years, the ALCAT Test has provided both patients as well as healthcare professionals with a tool to successfully overcome a wide variety of conditions which result from food intolerance and chemical sensitivity.



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How To Create An IBS Food Plan To Cure IBS Symptoms

July 31, 2009 by mbelcher · 1 Comment
Filed under: Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS 
Part of fighting IBS is eating the right food for IBS and excluding those that are not good for your condition. There are certain IBS food which promotes overall proper digestion. These IBS food are the ones you should include in your diet.

So which kinds of food are safe for you?

Fiber-Rich Foods and Plenty of Fluids

You can find fibers in grains particularly bran, cereals, fruits, whole-grain breads and vegetables. Similarly there are those that are rich in soluble fibers like peas, beans and oats that were also known to help avoid constipation and diarrhea.

You should always read food labels especially when purchasing cereals and breads. Make sure that they are made from whole-grain or whole-wheat. Similarly for meat dishes you can include fibers including kidney beans, oatmeal, bran pinto beans, black-eyed peas and kidney beans. If you will buy ready to eat cereals see to it that it has at least five grams of fibers.

Of course it is important to always drink lots of fluids. If you can consume the recommended eight glasses of liquid per day then so much the better. In terms of fluids you drink water and fruit juices.

To avoid eating more try to eat your food slowly to digest the food well. Try to enjoy your food. And also refrain from drinking caffeinated and alcoholic beverages since they may cause diarrhea.

IBS Food To Avoid

If there are foods that are safe, there are certain foods and drinks to avoid. Eliminate these foods from your diet:

- High fat

- Alcohol

- Caffeine

- Red meat

- Dairy

- Carbonated

As mentioned, include in your diet the right food groups for you and avoid the ones that trigger your condition. Be sure to follow your diet every day.



By: Juana Cruz

About the Author:

Learn more about a proper IBS food plan by visiting IBS Treatments, a comprehensive information source on IBS. Additionally, read our review on Great Taste, No Pain, to help treat your condition.



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