Many people today have allergies or intolerances to everyday substances. Pollen, dust, pet hair, cosmetics, even the foods we eat, all have the capacity to make us ill. Our bodies should not react to perfectly harmless substances in this way, but this situation is becoming more and more familiar to many people.

It is important to distinguish between a true allergy and an intolerance. A true allergy produces a reaction that is usually immediate and violent - a peanut allergy is a good example. Food intolerances, on the other hand, tend to have a less rapid onset and cannot be measured by classical allergy tests. Such intolerances can result in a wide range of symptoms, from tiredness, bloating and digestive disturbances, through to headaches, skin rashes and joint pain. Some intolerances only occur when the sufferer is under stress, not until they have eaten a certain amount of the offending food, or if they eat it repeatedly. This can often make it difficult for the sufferer to tell what exactly is causing the problem.

Why do they occur?

Our immune system is responsible for detecting potentially harmful invaders but sometimes it becomes over-zealous and our bodies react inappropriately. Usually the digestive system has become too 'leaky' and lets incompletely digested molecules of food into the bloodstream, where they should never usually be. This can make sufferers' lives a misery, but simple avoidance of the offending food is not a cure and can often lead to the sufferer becoming sensitive to more and more substances, whilst eating a more and more restrictive diet.



How do I know I have a food intolerance?

If you suffer from bloating, IBS, headaches, skin rashes, fatigue or a host of other symptoms to which no other cause can be found, then it could be that the food you are eating is causing you problems.  Detection of food intolerances can be done by adopting a rotation diet, but this should only be done in conjunction with a nutritionist.  A scientifically accurate way of detecting food intolerances uses the measurement of certain types of antibodies in the blood.  See biochemical tests for more information on food intolerance testing.

How can food intolerances be helped?

A programme of diet and supplements designed to normalise the immune system and the digestive lining can help the sufferer overcome their food intolerances.  Once the digestive system is normalised, a less restrictive diet can be eaten. 


DID YOU KNOW?

Ginger is effective against nausea, vomiting, pregnancy sickness and travel sickness.



Cathy Robinson BScDipNutMed Nutritional Therapy
crobi@nutrition.connectfree.co.uk

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