You know how it feels. You’ve eaten something that just doesn’t agree with you. Maybe you have a rash or a headache, or you’re experiencing bloating or a stomachache. In your mind, you run down everything you ate recently and try to figure out what could have caused the problem. Next, you need to figure it out: Was it just a bad reaction or is it an allergy?

Intolerances

Many people have intolerances to certain foods, and these conditions result in uncomfortable reactions. Here are some common problematic foods:

• Dairy: Have you heard of being lactose intolerant? This condition describes you if you don’t have enough lactase to efficiently digest the lactose found in milk and other dairy products. Affecting one in every ten people, lactose intolerance leads to gas, bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

• Additives: When foods are produced, certain ingredients may be added to provide color or flavor. Among these are monosodium glutamate (MSG), dyes, and sulfites. MSG enhances flavor but can cause you to have headaches, experience chest pain, and become overheated. Some dyes can cause hives, which can make you think you’re having an allergic reaction. Sulfites are added to some foods as preservatives and they occur naturally in wine. If you have asthma, you may be unable to tolerate sulfites because they give off a gas that can irritate your lungs.

• Gluten: If you have celiac disease, you will have a bad reaction to gluten, a key component of wheat and other grains. The result is fatigue, gas, bloating, diarrhea, weight loss, and nausea.

If you experience any of these intolerances, you should take steps to remove the suspicious food from your diet. Talk to your doctor if you’re unsure about the symptoms.

Allergies

If you are allergic to a food, the resulting symptoms are usually different. For instance, many allergic reactions are marked by severe abdominal pain, itching, or difficulty breathing. Anaphylaxis is a sudden allergic reaction that lowers your blood pressure, dilates your blood vessels, and causes hives and swelling, often around your face and throat. The swelling makes it hard for you to breathe, so this is a medical emergency.

Here are some foods that can commonly cause allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis:

• Peanuts
• Tree nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews
• Shellfish, especially lobster and shrimp
• Eggs
• Dairy products
• Soy

If you suspect that you have a food allergy, don’t hesitate to be tested. It’s important that you pinpoint what your trigger foods are and eliminate them from your diet. Some allergic reactions can be annoying, while others can be deadly.

To learn more about allergies and how to control them, contact Plantation General Hospital. Visit us online or call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-866-442-2362. Serving the people of Plantation and Central Broward County, we’re here to answer all your questions.

Sources:
Plantation General Hospital
Kids Health

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