Stomach pains experienced after eating are often a sign that something is physiologically wrong with the digestion process. This can include an allergy, food intolerance, ulcer or other problem anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract. And you must know what the problem is before you can begin treating it. Symptoms associated with food intolerances and allergies are corrected by eliminating the offending food from your diet. Other gastrointestinal disorders will require medical attention from your health care provider.
Step 1
Keep a food journal. Documenting your diet along with the onset of accompanying ailments is the first step in eliminating stomach pains. For example, if you find that you always have cramps and gas after consuming dairy products, then it is fair to infer that you may be lactose intolerant. Other common irritants include gluten, eggs, soy and shellfish.
Step 2
Eliminate offending food. Once you have determined which foods are causing your symptoms, simply eliminate them from your diet. If you suspect more than one food to be the cause of your stomach pains, eliminate one item at a time. You may be surprised to discover that all of your symptoms go away after you have eliminated just one type of food from your diet.
Step 3
Watch for symptoms. It is important to continue to journal and keep a log of your symptoms because you may be having a reaction to more than one food. If you have eliminated several foods and are still having symptoms, it will be necessary to contact your doctor, nurse practitioner or registered dietitian to rule out other more serious gastrointestinal conditions.
