Food is supposed to be essential for all living organizing as it provides them with nourishment and energy. Without food no organism would be able to survive. Food helps to prolong and promote our existence but there are some people who become intolerant to food and it becomes their biggest enemy. The food itself does not cause the problem but it is the ingredients that are added into the food that cause such a phenomenon to occur.

We have learnt the art of preserving food by adding chemicals and preservatives to it and even have been able to ensure that these processed foods have a shelf life. This ensures that the food can be safely consumed years after it has been packaged. These additives or preservatives or chemicals that have been put into the food that we consume have created this illness which is commonly known as food intolerance. Controlling and dealing with food intolerance is difficult and takes some effort but it is possible.

In order to deal with food intolerance it is important first off all to figure out if your body’s response to the food is based on an allergic reaction owing to food intolerance itself. If it is an allergic reaction you would be able to tell quite quickly. Normally it takes anywhere between 20-30 minutes for the body to show signs when a problematic food has been eaten. The symptoms occur relatively quickly which makes it easier for a person to identify what food has an allergen that has caused the reaction. A reaction which is a delayed reaction would be an indication of food intolerance. The symptoms of food intolerance take a longer period of time to show any signs and sometimes could even stretch to 48 hours before it manifests itself.

It is advisable to maintain food diary and make notes about what food you consume and the quantities as well. This would help you determine which foods are responsible for causing a reaction and you would be able to avoid those foods in the future. Whenever a symptom occurs make a note of it immediately. This would help you narrow down the possible food that that caused the reaction and would be your first step towards controlling your food intolerance.