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Tuesday, November, 24, 2009
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Food Allergies, Food Intolerance or Food Sensitivity?

Kathleen MacNaughton
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Kathleen MacNaughton, RN, is a licensed registered nurse and consumer...

Kathleen MacNaughton

Sunday, May 27, 2007
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Food Intolerance

 

When you have an intolerance or sensitivity to food, it can be confused with an allergy. The difference, though, is that food allergies are reactions of your immune system, while food intolerances are reactions of your digestive system. In general, food intolerances are not as serious, though the symptoms may be extremely uncomfortable.

 

Lactose intolerance is one of the most common types. When you have this, your food can't process the lactose in milk and other dairy products. Here are some of the symptoms of lactose intolerance:

  • Abdominal cramps
  • Bloating
  • Flatulence
  • Weight loss
  • Malnutrition
  • Slow growth
  • Abdominal distention
  • Abdominal fullness, gaseous
  • Diarrhea
  • Floating stools
  • Foul-smelling stools

To deal with a food intolerance, simply eliminate it from your diet. However, if the food is an essential nutrient, such as milk, you'll need to substitute an alternate nutrient so that you can stay healthy.

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An allergy is the immune system's over-reaction to a normally harmless substance called an allergen.

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