Food intolerance

What is food intolerance?

Food intolerance is a digestive system response rather than an immune system response. It occurs when something in food irritates a person’s digestive system or when a person is unable to properly digest, or break down, the food. Intolerance to lactose, which is found in milk and other dairy products, is a common food intolerance.

What are the symptoms of food intolerance?

• Nausea
• Stomach pain
• Gas, cramps or bloating
• Vomiting
• Heartburn
• Diarrhoea
• Headaches
• Irritability or nervousness
• Mouth ulcers
• Weight gain
• Brain fog
• Poor concentration

How can you tell the difference between an allergy and intolerance to food?

Food allergies can be triggered by even a small amount of the food and occur every time the food is consumed. People with food allergies are generally advised to avoid the offending foods completely. On the other hand, food intolerances often are dose related; people with food intolerance may not have symptoms unless they eat a large portion of the food or eat the food frequently. For example, a person with lactose intolerance may be able to drink milk in coffee or a single glass of milk, but becomes sick if he or she drinks several glasses of milk.

Testing for Food Intolerances

 At Vital You we can organise laboratory tests for food intolerances, as well as identify leaky gut, where the digestive lining is compromised and is not absorbing nutrients..