FOOD INTOLERANCE?
OR
A COMPROMISED DIGESTIVE OR IMMUNE FUNCTION?
Food intolerance is different to food allergy. A true food allergy is characterised by an immediate allergic response to a food. This is often diagnosed in early childhood and foods are avoided for life. About 2% of people have a true food allergy.
Food intolerance is somewhat different. About 45% of people suffer from a food intolerance. An intolerant reaction to a food can takes days to manifest into symptoms which is why many people go undiagnosed. Food intolerances can affect digestive health, energy levels, skin vitality, weight management and emotional wellbeing. The variety of symptoms across the body can make food intolerance to a particular food or food group difficult to ascertain.
Compromised digestive or immune function? If digestive function or the immune system is compromised (as in autoimmune conditions), partially digested food particles pass into the blood stream which the body reacts to and sensitivities to foods can develop. Therefore a food intolerance can also be a symptom of another underlying cause.
The ‘elimination’ diet is the gold standard for finding out which foods don’t agree with us. Each food is eliminated individually and monitored. However this can be time consuming with our busy lives. A food intolerance test can help screen for offending foods which are then eliminated together and re-introduced over time.
Contact me to discuss your health/symptoms further or if you wish to take a food intolerance test.
