There are loads of ways to diagnose and treat all sorts of health problems nowadays.  You can type your symptoms into any number of tools or be prescribed a wide array of drugs to help whatever ails you from sexual dysfunction to moodiness.  But through personal experience, I have found that trying a few things on your own can help you better understand what is wrong before going through the hassle and cost of doctors.  If you feel ill and don’t understand why, try a few or all of the below to see if it helps.  As always, if you feel this is something serious, consult a physician.

1. Diet – We all have thought of going on a diet at some time or another, but did you know that you can develop allergies to foods as you get older?  In addition, some food allergies have odd symptoms that are not normally associated with diet.  If you have unexplained symptoms, try cutting out foods such as wheat and/or dairy.  In addition to stomach pains, diarrhea/constipation, and acid reflux, allergies to these foods can also manifest as headaches, fatigue, random cramping, and other symptoms.  I personally discovered a lactose intolerance before the doctors did by realizing that I was getting sick a few hours after dairy but only if I had a lot of it.

2. Drink – Because food isn’t the only thing that effects our diet, check out what you’re drinking as well.  Many drinks have caffeine in them, which are great in the morning, but can also lead to headaches, fatigue, insomnia, and more.  In addition, many drinks have caffeine including colas, other canned drinks, tea, and even chocolate milk.  If you suspect whatever is wrong with you might have something to do with what you’re drinking try just water to see if it helps.  Again, I found I slept better if I did not have chocolate milk (even the lactose free kind) right before bed.

3. Laundry – I once had a friend who used to get a rash almost exclusively on one side of her face. She searched and searched, changed make-up, creams, lotions, and more out for many other things without fixing the problem.  The culprit wound up being her laundry detergent making contact via the pillowcase she slept on for eight hours each night and switched brands.  There are even many detergents out there that have natural ingredients, and if you are getting unexplained rashes, could be worth a try.

4. Induce – If you have seen a doctor about your unexplained problems and he or she suspects a food such as spicy or fatty is causing the problems, talk to them about attempting to induce an attack of what ails you.  With their permission, eat some of the suspected food to see if it is indeed the cause of your problems.  If eating them does not induce an attack, you at least know what the problem isn’t.

5. Change up – Because many other things in our environment can also make us sick, such as mold, dust, or other contaminant, try a change of scenery to see if it helps.  While some contaminants can really bury themselves in your system, it can take days or even weeks  of being away to see if your home really is what ails you.

Chelsea Smith is a psychiatry student who writes for How to Become a Psychiatrist which helps others on the path to becoming a mental health professional.

Filed under: Allergy Relief Products

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