Not all stomachs are created equal. Some people feel nauseated after having a glass of milk, while others might develop hives from the consumption of one small peanut. Feeling sick or having other negative symptoms after eating a certain food is likely either due to a food allergy or a food intolerance, but how do you know which one?
While the very general effect of both terms is similar (that you don’t feel good after eating a particular food), the terms actually have quite distinct sources, symptoms, and solutions.
A food allergy is a true allergic reaction that involves the body’s immune system. Typically, this reaction occurs when the bodily mistakenly recognizes a particular protein of a food as harmful. This can happen when a protein is difficult for the body to digest, and it is tagged. This tag tricks the body into thinking it is under attack, which causes the immune system to respond. It releases chemicals that trigger allergic symptoms, such as histamine.
While some symptoms are similar to those caused by a food intolerance, other symptoms sound more familiar to those of a “typical” allergic reaction: rashes or hives, swelling (especially of the tongue or throat), asthma, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and the most dangerous symptom, anaphylaxis, which impairs breathing and can result in death.
An allergy can be confirmed using skin or blood tests. Unfortunately, even with that knowledge, there is no simple cure. Sometimes, desensitization can be achieved (as is also done for bee sting allergies as well) to the extent that the food can be consumed without a full allergic reaction;however, the typical “treatment” for a food allergy is simply avoidance of the food. Depending on the severity of an allergy, it might be advisable for the person to develop a plan in case of accidental ingestion. An epi-pen, a portable container of epinephrine that is self-injectable, which can reverse the allergic reaction, might be carried by the person.
Some people use the term “allergy” to refer to what is actually a food intolerance. The most common type of food intolerance is lactose intolerance. Those with lactose intolerance lack an enzyme called lactase that is needed to digest lactose, the sugar in milk. There is also lactose sensitivity. Persons with lactose sensitivity only produce enough lactase to digest a limited amount of lactose. Being unable to digest the particular component of the food is what causes the adverse symptoms: gas, bloating, nausea, and/or abdominal pain. Intolerance cannot be diagnosed with a simple test.
The typical treatment is avoidance, but there are some other solutions such as taking supplements that help your body with the digestion process.
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