Don ’t tolerate food intolerance

Who hasn’t eaten something that did not agree with them? But when your stomach issues become more frequent and severe, you might have a bigger digestion problem called food intolerance. Food intolerances occur more often as you age since your digestion naturally becomes slower and your body produces fewer enzymes needed to break down food. “This allows more time for bacteria to ferment in the GI tract and lead to digestive distress,” says Evagelia Georgakilas, a registered dietitian and nutritionist with Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Over time, you also may become more sensitive to particular foods, chemicals, or additives.  Some examples include sulfites found in wine, dried fruits, and canned goods, or foods flavored with monosodium glutamate (MSG). However, the most common food sensitivities are lactose and gluten. With lactose intolerance, your body can’t break down the sugar lactose in dairy products because your gut contains reduced levels of the intestinal enzyme lactase. People with gluten sensitivity have trouble digesting gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. (This is different than Celiac disease, an immune disease in which consuming gluten damages the lining of the small intestine.) Track possible food intolerance with a food diary Common symptoms of food intolerance include nausea, diarrhea, cramps, and stomach pain, but also may involve other issues like vomiting, heartburn, headaches, and irritability or nervou...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Digestive Disorders Health Healthy Aging Healthy Eating Source Type: blogs