Food Allergy and Intolerance
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What is the difference between food allergy and food intolerance ?
Whilst many assume that food allergy and intolerance are one and the same, there is an important difference between the two conditions, and the number of people they affect.
Allergy
Allergy,including food allergy, relates to the effects of a particular class of antibodies (immunoglobin E, or IgE) produced by the body in response to foods, or other substances, into which the body has come into contact. IgE triggers significant reactions within a short period of time (within minutes, or a few hours)which can be very serious, sometimes life threatening. The most common symptoms are:-
- swollen lips and tongue
- breathing difficulties
- skin rashes
- nausea and/or vomiting
- sudden loss of blood pressure
These need to be treated medically very promptly.
Allergies to peanuts and shellfish are probably the most well known examples of this condition.
The good news - unless you're a sufferer! - is that only a small proportion of the overall population suffer from a true food or other allergy. It has been commonly thought that this percentage was on the increase, but now new studies suggest that the proportion of the population afflicted is relatively stable at less than 1%.
Intolerance
Food intolerance is the term given to a range of reactions to immunoglobin ( or antibody) G (IgG). These reactions can take up to 3 days to manifest themselves, and are much more diverse than the true allergic reactions described above. Whilst not so severe, or dramatic as allergic reactions, they do have the potential to make you feel really unwell, and in the long term, to affect your health and wellbeing. Because the symptoms they cause take longer to develop, it's often more difficult to establish exactly which foods are the culprits.
Some food intolerance may also be "cyclical", meaning that, if the offending food is eliminated from the diet for a number of months, the body's sensitivity may diminish and you may be able to eat the food again in moderation without developing symptoms.
Nearly half of us may suffer from food intolerance!
In contrast to food allergy, the number of people thought to be affected by food intolerance is not only huge, but growing. Some experts estimate it to be as high as 45%.
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The "Top 10" problem foods
The foods which most commonly cause problems for people with food sensitivities are as follows:-
- Cow's milk products
- Gluten grains - wheat, oats, barley and rye
- Soya
- Egg
- Nuts
- Citrus
- Yeast
What are the symptoms of food intolerance ?
Those suffering from food intolerance experience it in a huge number of ways, but they can be broadly classified into 3 areas:-
- Digestive symptoms,such as:-
- Diarrhoea and/or constipation
- Belching and/or excess wind
- Bloating/water retention
- Abdominal cramps
- Mental or emotional symptoms, such as:-
- Depression
- Poor concentration,brain fog or fuzzy thinking
- Lack of motivation
- Moments of blankness, unreliable memory
- Insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns
- Anxiety
- Hyperactivity
- Cravings
- Physical symptoms , such as:-
- Chronic fatigue, ME
- Headaches
- Dark circles under the eyes
- Weight gain
- Inflammatory conditions such as asthma, eczema or psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis
- Skin rashes, spots or acne
- Joint or muscle pain
- Runny nose
- Sinus problems
- Mouth ulcers
- PMT
If you are suffering from a number of these, you could have developed sensitivity to one or more foods and need to take action. Contact us for sympathetic and constructive help as to the best way forward.
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What causes food intolerance ?
No one fully claims to understand what causes intolerance to food, though there are clear pointers, the most important of which are as follows:- This is an inability to digest, or completely to break down, the proteins from certain foods- gliadin (protein from gluten grains) and casein (protein from cow's milk) are the most common. The proteins irritate the gut wall, causing a "leaky gut" which allows the undigested proteins to spill straight into the bloodstream, where they can cause havoc almost anywhere in the body.
Repetitive eating of the same foods There is some evidence to suggest that the huge increase in artificial additives and colourings in processed food trigger the body's immune system and results in both physical and behavioural problems. Antibiotics have the effect of killing off the good bacteria within the body which are essential for optimal digestion, as well as the bad bacteria for which they may have been taken.This can allow the population of the intestine by unhealthy bacteria which disrupt the digestive process.
There is good evidence to show that eating the same food over and over again can encourage sensitivity to that food. In the West, we tend to eat a lot of the same food, the bulk of our intake coming from just 10 food types, many of which people are commonly sensitive to.
There are strong causal links between prolonged stress and "leaky gut"
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How can we treat food intolerance ?
Name the culprits !
The first step is to try to establish which foods are causing the problem. Elimination and provocation diets have been the traditional way of doing this. Using this method, you eliminate foods which you think may be causing the problem, and then systematically reintroduce them, noting any symptoms which then develop. It's vital to record the whole process in a daily diet diary. However, this is a time consuming process,and can be a bit confusing given that symptoms may not show up immediately.
Nowadays,scientific testing for food intolerance offers a far quicker and highly accurate assessment of what foods you may be insensitive to, and the gravity of the sensitivity. Having assessed your diet and reported symptoms, we would recommend a test appropriate to your needs.
Formulate a diet and nutritional supplement strategy
New diet ! Sometimes, changing the way you eat can be a bit daunting, as it can challenge whole aspects of the way you have been used to living. This is where we can be around to give you support.We can provide you with delicious diet plans,which can tell you what you can eat, as well as superb recipes to add sparkle to your meal times.
- Nutritional programme
We can recommend a plan of nutritional supplements carefully tailored to your particular needs to help your body restore itself to health and vitality.
Which are the best tests for food intolerance ?
The development of the Enzyme Immunoassay or ELISA method for IgG antibody detection has revolutionised the field of food intolerance treatment. The ELISA method is the only test which gives reliable and accurate results that really can help you to get better quickly and is available through us.
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