Humans have been facing diseases and other health complications since the beginning. Some of them are common and some rare. Food allergy and intolerance is an example of the common ones.

Having an allergy or intolerance is very common but many people get confused between these two. The main reason for this is because symptoms are almost identical however food intolerance does not trigger severe allergic reactions and does not involve the immune system. Intolerance is often not detectable through an allergy test.

Even for doctors these concepts sometimes get difficult to understand. Food intolerance can cause migraines, rashes, and also stomach-related issues. For better treatment, you must consult a specialist. You can not get rid of this problem but can diagnose it earlier and stay away from the food you are allergic to.

Causes Of Allergies:

Allergies are very common these days and there are many reasons behind some of them.

Inheritance:

Having a family history related to allergies can increase the risk by 40% of having an allergy. This risk can even increase up to 80% if there are multiple family members with food allergy.

It is possible that you can get the allergy even if there is no family member with the same problem but the risk is significantly low.

This risk also increases if one of your siblings is facing a food-related allergy.

If you have any family history then you must let your doctor know about it for early diagnoses.

Immune System Response:

Sometimes our immune system overreacts to harmless substances like dust, food, animals, and molds which cause the allergy.

These substances are generally known as allergens.

So the allergy is just the reaction of our immune system which can not be treated with diagnoses and medication.

Cause of Food Intolerance:

Just like allergies, many things cause food intolerance as well. Some of them are as follows.

Digestion problem:

Food intolerance also occurs when your digestion system is unable to digest certain kinds of food. It is because of the lack of enzymes that are responsible for digesting certain chemicals like fructose and lactose. Foods that cause the problem in most cases are dairy products, Food colors and preservatives, and wheat-based products.

Psychological Factors:

In many cases, it is observed that just the thought of food can make you sick. The main reason is not yet discovered but it is a cause of food intolerance.

For example, some of the food that a Chinese person can eat, makes an American sick just by the thought.

Use of Preservatives:

These days food travels thousands of miles to reach the consumer’s plates. To keep them fresh many techniques are used, one of them is the use of preservatives. These preservatives can also cause food intolerance. One solution is to maintain the temperature with the most reliable meat thermometer and refrigeration. By this, we can decrease the number of preservatives required and let the people enjoy the food they love but can not eat.

Symptoms of food allergy and intolerance:

There is a very small difference between food allergy and intolerance. That is the reason that most people misjudge their symptoms.

Usually, symptoms of food allergy start to appear soon after eating but for intolerance, the symptoms start to appear 12 to 24 hours after the intake.

Food intolerance can occur because of the amount of the food which means that you will not experience any problem until you eat more than a certain threshold. This limit can vary from person to person.

There can be other reasons for the allergy and intolerance so you must consult your doctor for better advice.

Symptoms of food intolerance:

There is a long list of the symptoms that you can experience if you are food intolerant. These symptoms can vary from person to person. For better diagnoses visit you, doctor.

Tremor

You may feel involuntary movement in your muscles which can cause shaky hands but you can also experience it in your arms, head, vocal cord, torso, and legs.

Sweating

Unusual sweating can also be a symptom of food intolerance. you may feel it long after the meal.

Palpitations:

You may feel palpitations which means the unpleasant feeling of your heartbeat. You may feel like your heart skipped or stopped beating. These symptoms can be linked to food intolerance. There can be other causes for it too. You need to consult your physician if you are feeling such a thing.

Diarrhea:

You can experience Diarrhoea which is one of the leading symptoms of food intolerance. It is a watery bowel movement generally more than 2 times a day. If you are experiencing this symptom then drink lots of water and visit your doctor.

Headache:

If you experience a headache or migraine after eating any food then you can link it to the possible food intolerance. It can occur after a few hours of eating. If it is getting consistent with certain food then you must consult your doctor and start the treatment.

Symptoms of food allergy:

Just like food intolerance, many symptoms are associated with the allergy. There are many common symptoms but can vary from person to person so for better diagnoses visit your doctor.

Itching:

You may feel itching on your body soon after you eat any food. It can also turn into swelling and burning around the mouth as well. if it gets bad visit your nearest hospital.

Swelling:

Swelling around the eyes and face can be linked directly to food allergies. It can get worse if the throat starts to swell as well because it can cause a problem in breathing. Visit your doctor if you are feeling this symptom for treatment.

Skin Rash:

Rashes can also be the symptoms of the food allergy but they can also be caused by other skin-related issues. you must visit your doctor for a better diagnosis.

Breathing Difficulties:

Breathing difficulties can be caused by the allergy because of swelling in the throat or triggering asthma.

You must immediately visit your nearest hospital if you are facing this problem.