7 Tips for Living Better and Eating Well with a Food Intolerance

July 3, 2022

by Cathe Friedrich

If you have food sensitivities or intolerances (they’re the same thing), you know the feeling. You experience gas, bloating, diarrhea, or experience a headache after eating certain foods. You’ve visited your healthcare provider, and everything checked out. That’s good news! But what next? If you experience these symptoms frequently, you could have a food sensitivity. Estimates are that up to one in five people has a food intolerance.

Food Sensitivities and Food Allergies Aren’t the Same

People often confuse food sensitivities and food allergies. Though they have many similarities, there are also differences. Allergies are triggered by an immune response to a protein in food. Symptoms usually come on suddenly and can be life-threatening. The manifestations could include hives, swelling of the mouth or throat, difficulty breathing, or even anaphylaxis (a life-threatening reaction). An allergy may develop after eating a specific food for the first time, or over time if you’re exposed to it over time. Food allergies often show up during childhood but can also appear during adulthood.

An immune response does not trigger food sensitivities. They often come from problems digesting a particular food or foods due to a lack of certain enzymes. For example, people with lactose intolerance, lack an enzyme that breaks down lactose. Symptoms of food sensitivity or intolerance include:

Digestive issues like gas and bloating
Headaches
Fatigue
Joint pain and muscle aches
Skin rashes or eczema

The symptoms of food intolerance are often delayed, unlike the sudden onset of food allergy symptoms. Symptoms of food intolerances may not show up for up to 6-72 hours after eating a trigger food while food allergy triggers symptoms within minutes.

Food sensitivities are real, and they can affect the way you live your life every day. However, there are things you can do to live better with food sensitivities — even if they don’t go away entirely. Here are some strategies for dealing with food sensitivities.

Early Diagnosis Helps

First, get an accurate diagnosis so you can better target your approach. You also want to rule out conditions such as gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, which are more serious causes of digestive symptoms. For example, you might think you have food allergies but have another condition like irritable bowel syndrome.

Identifying specific foods that trigger symptoms is important

If you feel worse when eating certain foods (like dairy), this could indicate lactose intolerance. Tracking your symptoms is important because it will help you determine what types of symptoms develop and which foods trigger them, so you can avoid those foods.

The best way to do this is to keep a food journal. Write down what you eat, including snacks, and your symptoms, so you can see which foods cause symptoms. Another approach is to do an elimination diet. You can find instructions on how to do this online, but it involves eliminating all potential trigger foods and gradually adding them back in as you monitor your symptoms.

Accurate diagnosis takes time.

Accurate diagnosis takes time. The average person waits two years before identifying a food sensitivity. During this period, you could deal with the symptoms of a food sensitivity without knowing what’s causing it. But once you know the trigger foods, you can adjust your diet. It might seem nothing is happening when you make dietary changes, but it can take time. The process can also be frustrating because it might not seem like you’re making progress but give it a few weeks to see if your symptoms improve.

Know the proper way to keep a food journal

As mentioned, by keeping a food journal, you can better understand which foods cause problems for you. Doing so is simple: Write it down every time you eat or drink something. Document what you eat at each meal or snack, along with tracking your symptoms. Include everything — even things like coffee and tea — because you can be sensitive to almost any food or beverage.

If possible, take a picture of what you eat and drink, and place it in your food journal. Also include any medications or supplements that you take, as well as symptoms or flare-ups that occur after eating certain foods. You may also want to keep track of other factors, such as how much sleep you get each night or how much you exercise each week.

Learn to read food labels

Learning to read food labels is one of the most important things you can do if you have food sensitivities. Label reading will help you avoid ingredients that cause reactions and identify foods safe for you to eat. Look for words like “gluten-free” or “wheat-free,” which indicate a product contains no wheat or barley; “dairy-free” or “lactose-free,” which indicate there is no milk in the product (and may also suggest other nonanimal ingredients such as eggs); and “egg-free,” which indicates there are no eggs in the product. Know how to identify items you’re sensitive to on an ingredient list.

Make a list of safe foods

To make things easier, create a list of safe foods. This can be as simple as writing down what you know to be safe. Look for a recipe book that tells you how to prepare your favorite meals without the ingredients that cause problems for you. You can find specialized recipe books for food intolerances, like gluten-free or lactose-free recipes.

Have strategies for eating well when you travel.

Eating out is more challenging with food sensitivities. That’s why the best approach is to prepare your own meals. When you eat out, speak to a chef. They may have experience with food sensitivities and preferences, or you can ask for suggestions on what’s safe to eat on the menu.

Ask your server about ingredients in dishes. Also, ask questions about cross-contamination and preparation methods — and make sure they answer them before ordering. Do not rely on allergy information printed on menus. This information may not reflect actual practices at restaurants due to a lack of knowledge and training of cooks, chefs, and servers.

If there’s a buffet, don’t go! Buffets are difficult because they’re often not well-regulated. Cross-contamination can occur between dishes when foods are mixed in serving bowls before they hit the table. Buffet desserts are also notorious sources of cross-contamination. Since there is no way to control what ingredients go into them and where they come from, these desserts tend to contain traces of wheat flour, dairy products (like cheesecake), or other common allergens (like peanuts).

Also, avoid convenience stores because they may sell items containing ingredients that you’re sensitive to. Plan for meals and snacks, especially when you’re traveling or on vacation. You can still travel but be smart about it.

Conclusion

You don’t have to let your food sensitivities stop you from living a full, happy life. It’s not easy, but it’s doable if you’re willing to put in the extra effort and planning.

References:

“The 8 Most Common Food Intolerances – Healthline.” 25 Jan. 2018, .healthline.com/nutrition/common-food-intolerances.
“Food Intolerance: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Options.” https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21688-food-intolerance.
“Food allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity: What’s the difference, and ….” 30 Jan. 2020, .health.harvard.edu/blog/food-allergy-intolerance-or-sensitivity-whats-the-difference-and-why-does-it-matter-2020013018736.
“The 8 Most Common Food Intolerances – Healthline.” 25 Jan. 2018, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/common-food-intolerances.