Do you find yourself regularly feeling ill after eating certain meals? If so, you may be suffering from a food intolerance. It’s an issue millions of Americans deal with and can range in severity. Food sensitivity can be managed in a number of ways and starts with identifying triggers. Below are some of the most common intolerances.

What Are Some Typical Food Intolerances?

1. Gluten

Gluten intolerance is marked by bloating, constipation, headaches, and related symptoms after ingesting the protein gluten. It’s found in wheat, barley, and rye products and is sometimes confused with a wheat allergy. To manage this food sensitivity, you’ll need to avoid bread, pasta, beer, and seasonings and canned foods that may contain gluten.

2. Dairy

Dairy contains several components, including lactose and casein. Lactose intolerance is an issue where a persona can’t digest lactose—a primary carbohydrate in dairy. It’s the most common food sensitivity and is usually triggered by cow’s milk, yogurt, butter, and cheese. People may experience bloating, diarrhea, or cramps after eating any lactose and may need to try an elimination diet to discover which lactose products they’re allergic to.

Lactose intolerance can be managed in a number of ways. For instance, you may want to try probiotics or enzyme supplements to help with digestion. Long-term lactose exposure could also help your body adapt to eating dairy.

Casein is a protein found in cow’s milk and can create similar reactions as a lactose food sensitivity. Diarrhea, bloating, and cramps may manifest every time you consume casein or infrequently for weeks between episodes.

3. Seafood

Fish and shellfish food sensitivity isn’t to be confused with a fish allergy. An intolerance comes on slowly and is not life-threatening. Symptoms may only manifest when you eat a large quantity of fish and shellfish, and may not even happen every time you eat either of them.

However, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting are common, and you’ll want to schedule allergy testing to be certain it’s just an intolerance. Manage this condition by not eating fish and shellfish.

If you’re looking for holistic ways to manage a food sensitivity, contact the professionals at A Path to Natural Health. This Issaquah, WA, practice is led by naturopathic doctors Maura Scanlan and Emily Bender and offers a number of solutions. Some of their treatments involve acupuncture, B12 injections, and other treatments to resolve infertility, food sensitivity. Call (425) 270-3047 to schedule a consultation or learn more about their naturopathic medicines by visiting their website.