25 Signs That Indicate One Might Have A Food Intolerance

21. Caffeine sends your system into overdrive

We all know caffeine is a stimulant. That’s probably why it’s one of the world’s most popular beverages. But caffeine is not everybody’s cup of tea.

Being caffeine intolerant is possible. How your body reacts to caffeine differs from person to person, and one of the primary reasons for that comes down to your genes.

Doctors offer genetic testing for caffeine sensitivity. If, for example, your body metabolizes caffeine slowly, you might experience significant discomfort if you drink a strong cup of coffee. Symptoms can include sweating, increase in blood pressure, and digestive distress.

With regular consumption, there is an increased risk of heart disease. So, if your system goes into overdrive if you consume something with caffeine in it, try choosing herbal teas that are naturally caffeine-free.

22.You always feel exhausted in spite of sleeping well

If you are still exhausted, mentally/emotionally and physically, you might suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome. This disorder involves severe, long-term fatigue that negatively impacts on the person’s ability to function in everyday life. Between 1-4 million Americans suffer from the condition. Less than 20% are diagnosed. The trouble is that the scientific community does not fully understand the causes of chronic fatigue syndrome.

That said, food intolerance has been a suspect for a long time. Some believe food intolerance is a trigger for the disorder. It can combine with other triggers such as genetics, stress and inflammation.

There is no list of specific foods related to chronic fatigue syndrome. And to make matters worse, foods that might give you a temporary “‘lift” might be the very ones that cause the fatigue a day later.

23. You run to the bathroom all day

If you avoid certain events or places because the bathrooms aren’t great, you might be suffering from food intolerance. This kind of thinking is relatively common in someone with strong food intolerance. The first symptom to strike after ingesting the offending ingredient comes in the form of digestive distress.

Rushing to the bathroom several times a day is common in people with food intolerances. Symptoms include bloating and gas, diarrhea, abdominal pain, all symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

One of the culprits responsible for this condition is FODMAP foods. FODMAP is short for Fermentable oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols. This is a collection of short-chain carbohydrate molecules that the body cannot absorb well.

If you have gastrointestinal symptoms, FODMAPs can bring on diarrhea or constipation, wind, bloating and abdominal pain. A low FODMAP diet has proved successful in relieving gastrointestinal symptoms in a majority of IBS sufferers.

24. Enzyme deficiencies

If we don’t have the right digestive enzymes in the right quantities, we might develop a food intolerance. After we have chewed our food, digestive enzymes break down the larger food particles into smaller molecules. This process begins taking place in the mouth while we are chewing our food. It then continues in the stomach, where stomach acids and enzymes act upon the smaller pieces of food.

It continues in the small intestine, where tiny pieces of food pass through the gut lining and enter the bloodstream. The food we eat contains three macro-nutrients: proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Milk contains all three. The enzyme lactase is not present in people who are lactose intolerant, so milk sugars (lactose) can’t be absorbed. This produces gas, cramping, diarrhea, constipation and bloating.

25. Itchy skin

A familiar sensation many people feel when they eat food they’re intolerant to is itchy skin. This can also be a sign of many other conditions, such as eczema or hormonal changes. To differentiate different types of itches, you have to check how does your skin respond to scratching.

If the itch feels like it’s under the skin, food intolerance might be the cause of your problems. The important thing is to stay calm and not panic.

Be sure to alert your doctor if you can’t get rid of the itch. Before you do anything, it’s important to know that scratching too much won’t make matters any more comfortable. Control yourself and be sure not to injure yourself.

A mild or cold shower can reinvigorate you and allow other sensations to overshadow the itching feeling. Wait for a day or two and think about what could have possibly caused the itch. Experiment and conclude.