FOOD INTOLERANCE

Food intolerance is an umbrella term covering a number of adverse reactions to foods, including some in which the specific causes have been identified, such as false food allergy; reactions to histamine, caffeine and other chemicals in food; and enzyme defects. For information on whether these might cause your symptoms.

The main type of food intolerance of concern to this section is one in which the mechanisms and causes are not known, but in which the involvement of the immune system is unproven. No single set of symptoms characterises the disorder but the main ones include:

Headache Migraine Fatigue

Hyperactivity in children

Recurrent mouth ulcers

Aching muscles Joint pain

Rheumatoid arthritis

Vomiting Nausea

Stomach ulcers Duodenal ulcers

Diarrhoea

Irritable bowel syndrome Constipation Wind, bloating Crohn’s disease Oedema (water retention)

(From The Complete Guide to Food Allergy and Intolerance by Dr Jonathan Brostoff and Linda Gamlin.)

The onset of this type of intolerance can be very hard to identify. Often people report that symptoms are mild at first, but then steadily get worse, almost imperceptibly, until they realise that they feel generally unwell, often tired and exhausted, as well as having specific problems. Symptoms can also disappear for a while, and then come and go. New symptoms can develop over time, as well, which complicates diagnosis. Many systems of the body can be affected and different individuals are affected in various ways, according to their own constitution and metabolism.

Reactions are usually slower than those of true food allergy, and more likely to be delayed. You are more likely to be sensitive to foods that you eat regularly, probably at each meal; and this regular intake appears to help ‘mask’ symptoms and lead to the general, background feelings of malaise, lack of energy and being unwell that typify food intolerance. Another characteristic feature of food intolerance is that people are often able to tolerate a food in small amounts, only reacting if they eat a lot of it, or if they eat it very frequently.

*95\117\8*

Share and Enjoy: