Does drinking a glass of milk cause you stomach to hurt? Have you eaten something, and later felt nauseous? Are there specific foods or beverages that cause you to feel sick? Many people share these symptoms with you. There is a condition called food intolerance, and millions suffer from it. You too may have this condition.

Food intolerance occurs when the body is unable to digest a certain type of food. The most common food intolerance is milk, which is poorly digested by about 10% of Americans. Intolerances can be present from birth, or they can manifest later in life. They may be permanent, or they may come and go depending on the day.

Do you have any symptoms of food intolerance? Not everyone will have the same types of problems, but some signs of the condition can include abdominal discomfort, scratchy throat, nausea, bloating, and diarrhea. This malady is no fun whatsoever and may indicate that years of sickness and suffering may be ahead.

It is important to note that these symptoms overlap with those of food allergies. Do not confuse the two. Symptoms of food allergies may also include hives, itching, swelling, vomiting, wheezing and swelling of the throat or lips, and usually occur right after eating the food. The medical consequences can be serious, so seek medical treatment immediately if you experience them.

An initial step in the management of food intolerance is to be certain you do not have an allergy to a food instead, and this can be a bit tricky. Visit a physician, preferably an allergist for allergy test for the suspect foods. If testing is negative, you have ruled out food allergy and can be reasonably sure it is intolerance.

After you have figured out which foods that you are allergic to, how do you consistently avoid them? First, you need to completely remove that food from your diet. Make sure to read the labels of processed foods, many of which have unexpected ingredients that may trigger allergies. You should start feeling better as soon as that food is out of your diet.

There is good news for people who have discomfort from dairy products, even though it is hard for many to eradicate from their diets. Few people are completely lactose intolerant and will be able to east certain dairy products without pain or symptoms. Some forms that are well-tolerated are hard cheeses and yogurt, but to really see what is possible, take about 14 days with no dairy at all, and then slowly try one type at a time to see what is possible to keep dairy in some form part of what you eat.