How To Cope With A Newly-Diagnosed Food Intolerance: Practical Tips
When you hear the term ‘food intolerance’, it’s easy to dismiss it as some excuse not to eat something you don’t like. Many people from older generations are sceptical about food intolerances and have passed this down to younger generations.
However, food intolerances can cause major discomfort if left untreated. A food intolerance is different to an allergy in that it doesn’t involve the immune system, but it can still cause pain and digestive issues.
For those who’ve never had a food intolerance, adjusting to a new way of life can be challenging and scary, as you won’t have the same relationship with food as you once did. That’s especially true if you usually eat like a dustbin, love to try new things and enjoy being spontaneous in your eating habits.
Those who have just been diagnosed with a food intolerance can still indulge in delicious foods and try new things, but they have to be more careful and vigilant with what they eat. If you’re new to food intolerance, then keep reading for practical tips on how to cope.
Get A Firm Diagnosis
If you don’t have a formal diagnosis and are just following your gut (as it were), then you need to make sure that you know what you’re intolerant to and get a second opinion. While you might think you’re intolerant to one ingredient, it could actually be a different product that’s causing the issue or a group of foods like nuts or dairy. Try a food intolerance test to get an understanding of what your body struggles to digest so that you can make informed dietary choices.
Purge All Offending Foods
With your diagnosis at the ready, you can start to work out what you can and can’t eat. The first step is to check your cupboards and get rid of anything that contains ingredients you’re intolerant to. You’ll have to learn how to be vigilant when it comes to reading labels, and then make a pile of everything you can no longer eat. Allergens and commonly hard-to-digest foods are often written in bold letters, but you should still read the label carefully. You can then donate the foods you can’t eat anymore to a friend or a food bank if they’re unopened.
Never Be Afraid To Ask At Restaurants
Eating out can be one of the hardest parts of living with a new food intolerance. It can be intimidating to ask the serving staff what’s in a dish, but it is important for your well-being and comfort that you don’t eat too many foods you’re intolerant to. So, you should learn to be more assertive and ask if you’re unsure what’s in a dish. Most restaurants list some ingredients on the menu, but if you’re not certain, then you should always ask so that you don’t end up with an upset stomach while you’re away from the comfort of your home.
Keep Pain Relief Close By
Even the most vigilant of diners sometimes makes a mistake and eats something that they shouldn’t on occasion. While the tips above should help you to manage your intolerance, they’re not infallible, and neither are you. As such, you need to be prepared for that eventuality and always keep pain relief close at hand. Thankfully, there are many over-the-counter treatments for stomach pain that are affordable and accessible to everyone, so you can easily feel better quickly if you do accidentally eat a food your body struggles to digest.
