Food Sensitivities, Food Intolerances & Food Allergies. What’s the difference?
We all find ourselves eating things we know we shouldn’t. Things that might cause us to feel bloated, abdominal pain, headaches, itchy skin…the list is quite long of the possible symptoms of food allergies, sensitives or intolerances. Even me, I love wheat but it doesn’t love me and I do eat wheat from time to time and then at Christmas time I eat it much more than I should. There are just too many seasonal items that I look forward to and love so I’ve been eating wheat almost every day for a month but now it’s time to stop. I have no guilt and I don’t regret it, for the most part, but it is time to stop. So, if you’re like me and you know what it is that you should not be eating and overindulged on it anyway, don’t feel guilty. Don’t be filled with regret. Let’s just get on with it and clean out those cupboards and fridges asap and starting eating the stuff our bodies do like and need. Don’t know if you are allergic, sensitive or intolerant to a particle food? Well, let’s see if I can’t decode this for you.
The basic difference
Food allergies are immune system responses to, most commonly, the protein content in foods causing your immune system to go into defense mode which is a protective response by the body. These reactions require only a small amount of the protein to trigger an attack. Attacks usually start within minutes but can also be delayed for hours after the food has been consumed. The most severe reactions are anaphylaxis which can be life threaten within minutes and require an EpiPen for an injection of epinephrine. For the most part, if you are allergic to certain foods, you really just need to stop eating. Medical testing is the easiest way to find out if you suspect you have food allergies. Food intolerances or sensitivities, however, are a digestion issue. Your digestive tract cannot digest or breakdown the foods you have eaten and it often requires larger amounts of these foods or frequent consumption of these foods to cause any issues. It’s also more difficult to determine conclusively. There are some tests available that can determine food sensitivities.
So you think you have a food intolerance or sensitivity
First, food intolerance and sensitivity are essentially interchangeable terms and are sometimes more difficult to determine than food allergies. Symptoms of sensitives or intolerances can be subtle, seemingly hard to pinpoint but if you can try to recall the last time you had a reaction and what you were eating around that time, you can sometimes figure out what was the cause. A food diary is a very helpful tool in tracking your food intake so you can discover any possible foods that are causing grief. From there you can try an elimination approach to finding out for sure. Simply stop eating that particular food for a period of time, I would say at least a week and see if your symptoms subside or disappear. If they do, add that food back into your diet and see if the symptoms come back. It could be tedious and could take a couple of months and several attempts to find out exactly which food it is you shouldn’t be eating but in the long run, it will be worth it. You’ll feel better overall but you’ll also be able to pick and choose when you eat these foods and when not to. For me, I’ve figured out that I can have wheat but only once every 4-5 days without issues or symptoms so I just work around it and plan my food intake to accommodate this. If I know a party is coming up, I’ll avoid wheat for the 4 days before and this way I can enjoy myself at the party without worrying about any symptoms occurring. It might feel like you are missing out a first but over time these feelings will subside because you’ll feel better overall and you’ll be at peace knowing what’s cause you any issues. It will all be worth it. Oh, one more thing and this is important! Don’t eat second rate quality foods that you’re intolerant to or sensitive to. Go Big! If you’re going to eat something that might cause you some pain, don’t you think it should be the best possible thing you can get your hands on? Go Big! Get the best things you can find. Exactly what you really want. Enjoy every bite. “Lick the bowl clean” if you will. Eating something second rate will just leave you wanting more and unsatisfied. You’ll thank me for this. Focus on what you’re eating. Be present. Enjoy every bite. You’ll feel satisfied and not deprived…trust me, you will.
More Reading from Bits & Bites:
How I relieve my symptoms when I over indulge in wheat-based foods
More Info:
8 Most Common Food Intolerances
