What are rare symptoms of food intolerances?

When we think of food intolerance symptoms, our minds automatically jump to digestive complaints such as bloating, diarrhoea and stomach pains. But these aren’t the only reactions you can experience when you eat something your body struggles to digest. Here, we take a closer look at some rare symptoms of food intolerances and why your diet could be impacting your health more than you think.

Acne and changes in complexion

How often have you blamed an outbreak of spots or blemishes on hormones, stress or being run down? While these factors can undoubtedly play havoc with your skin, your diet can have a big impact on it, too. We’ve all been told that eating junk food with little nutritional benefit affects your complexion, as does drinking alcohol on a regular basis. But eating foods that your body is sensitive to is also known to affect your skin. This is because it triggers an inflammatory response, which can present itself as acne, eczema or, more commonly, hives.

Brain fog and disorientation

Rare reactions to food intolerances can be difficult to pinpoint, especially if they’re symptoms associated with everyday life. Brain fog is one of them because it’s not uncommon to feel like you can’t function properly when you’re tired, overwhelmed, or have a lot going on. If you’re struggling to think clearly and have tried the usual lifestyle changes such as drinking more water, earlier nights and exercise, your brain fog could be down to your body’s inability to digest certain foods.

Anxiety, depression, and low mood

We know our diet can influence our physical health, but there’s also a link between our foods and our mental wellbeing. The gut produces around 90% of the body’s serotine, which plays an important role in regulating your mood and sleep. So, if you’re eating foods that your body has difficulty digesting, it makes sense that this could impact other functions of your gut. If this balance is affected, then your mental health could suffer, especially if you’re eating the offending item on a regular basis.

Congestion

The swelling of nasal tissue can be a response to a perceived threat. While you can often feel congested when you’re unwell with a cold or the flu, this unusual symptom can also be a reaction to eating something that doesn’t agree with your digestive system. If your body is having difficulty processing a certain food, you may find that your nose feels blocked while it deals with the problem. Because congestion is a common ailment, it can be difficult to spot the link to your diet and is often overlooked, especially if you’re prone to hay fever or it’s cold season.

How do I find out if I am experiencing rare food intolerance symptoms?

Attributing food intolerance symptoms to your lifestyle or other health complaints is easy. You might assume you have brain fog because you’ve been burning the candle at both ends, for example. Or you may think your acne is down to hormones or eating too many fatty foods. Taking a food intolerance test will help you better understand your body and how it responds to the diet that fuels it. If your results show that you’re intolerant to a specific ingredient, you’ll know to avoid it. On the other hand, if your test doesn’t identify a sensitivity, then you can keep an eye on your symptoms and discuss them with a GP if they persist.

Contact UK Food Intolerance for support with your health

Taking a food intolerance test will ensure you’re better equipped to deal with any health concerns. You can order one from our website by clicking here. Alternatively, you can fill out our contact form if you have any queries about how our tests work. Please remember that while we’re happy to help, our advice shouldn’t replace that of medical professionals, and you should always speak to your doctor if you have any health concerns.