Why am I having a stomach ache again? What’s bothering me know?
One day, you could be chilling at home, eating some of your favorite snacks or eating food you thought was okay after reading the ingredients 1,000 times, but then you have a reaction. If it’s a small reaction and something that doesn’t affect you that much, you may just shake it off and not worry about it, although you would still like to know what caused the reaction.
Some of the challenges we face when we have food sensitivities, intolerances, and allergies is not knowing what causes our reactions. Especially if it’s with the same foods you have been eating problem-free or foods you were 99% sure it wouldn’t bother you.
Sometimes I wake up the next morning to a stomachache wondering what I ate the day before that would have bothered me. When it’s a reaction that hits me the next day, I don’t really worry about it too much, and just kind of go, “oh well”. At that point, it could have been anything I ate that bugged my stomach, so it’s a lot harder to tell and to narrow it down. When it’s a reaction that hits you right away, you know exactly what food bothered you because you just ate it, so you know to avoid that food. But, when it’s a tiny reaction that hits you the next morning, was it the last thing you ate 10+ hours ago or something you ate 20 hours ago? If so, why is it affecting you 24 hours later? Is it really that big of a deal? Also, if the last thing you ate was a whole meal, how do you know which exact food item is the one that gave you a problem?
There are some foods that hit me the next morning where I’m like, “well, I’m still gonna eat it” plus I don’t know if it was the very last thing I ate that 100% bothered me. It’s such a small reaction and didn’t really give me pains where I just kind of ignore it and move on. How am I supposed to figure out what went right through me 24 hours later especially when it’s a food I eat again, but don’t get another reaction? That’s the problem with having uncommon food sensitivities; it can be hard to figure out what is actually giving you a stomachache. If I avoid all foods that may have kind of bothered me forever; there would be nothing left for me to eat. If it didn’t intensely give me problems and I don’t know 100% what food it was, then why not continue to eat it, especially if it doesn’t bother me the next time I eat it?
Having sensitivities can be so confusing at times, especially with late reactions. How do you know what type of foods to avoid when a reaction occurs the next day? Do you even avoid those foods with very late reactions or do you ignore it and continue to eat it? I guess the best thing to do is do what you feel is best for your body. Does it hurt you that much to continue eating the foods or can you live without them? Do what you think is right for your body, your health, and what will keep you happy. Take care of yourself the best way possible even if that means cutting some foods out of your diet.
Nicole's Story 