Food Intolerances: Why You Feel Terrible After Eating

Bloating, headaches, fatigue, brain fog—all within hours of eating. You're not imagining it. Food intolerances are real, widespread, and often completely missed by conventional medicine.

At Better Health Beat, we help you identify your triggers. Here's how.

Allergy vs. Intolerance

A food allergy involves your immune system (IgE antibodies) and causes immediate, potentially life-threatening reactions (think peanut anaphylaxis).

A food intolerance is slower and subtler. It may involve IgG antibodies, enzyme deficiencies (like lactase), or chemical sensitivities (like histamine). Symptoms can appear hours or even days later.

The Common Culprits

• Gluten: Triggers gut inflammation in sensitive individuals, even without celiac disease.
• Dairy: Lactose intolerance affects 65% of the global population. Casein (milk protein) can also be inflammatory.
• Histamine: Found in aged cheeses, wine, and fermented foods. Some people can't break it down efficiently.

The Elimination Protocol

The gold standard for identifying intolerances:

1. Remove: Eliminate the suspected food for 3-4 weeks.
2. Reintroduce: Add it back in and monitor symptoms for 48-72 hours.
3. Confirm: If symptoms return, you've found your trigger.

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Editorial Summary

The difference: Allergies are immediate and severe; intolerances are delayed and subtle.

The culprits: Gluten, dairy, and histamine are the most common triggers.

The test: The elimination diet is more reliable than blood tests for identifying intolerances.

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