Many people suffer extreme discomfort and disease for years as a result of food sensitivities without receiving effective diagnosis or treatment from modern medicine. When people suffer from chronic symptoms including gastro-intestinal, neurological, respiratory, and skin disorders, one or more food intolerances or allergies may be the cause.
Food Allergy
According to the Scientific Laboratory for Food Intolerance food allergy is distinct from food intolerance; food allergy is an immediate, dramatic auto-immune response of the body to a molecular component of a particular food, causing serious, rapid responses in predisposed people. WebMD describes the process as one where the body mistakes an ingredient in food – usually a protein – as a harmful invader and creates a defense system (antibodies) to combat it. Signs and symptoms are generally obvious and may include coughing, sneezing, vomiting, migraines, watering eyes, rashes, swelling tissue, skin rash or hives.
Food Intolerance
Food intolerance is the inability to properly digest certain foods causing unpleasant symptoms not triggered by the immune system. In some cases food passes directly through the body before digestion is complete - so food is eliminated only partially processed, as in the case of milk products causing diarrhea.
In other cases some foods contain components which aggravate the lining of the stomach and intestine, damaging the Gastro-Intestinal (GI) tract each time that food is consumed, as in the case of Celiac Disease with gluten. Fortunately most food-intolerant people recover fully when the offending food is avoided.
Symptoms of Food Intolerance
While symptoms of food intolerance may vary with the specific class of sensitivity, direct problems such as severe abdominal cramps, bloating, flatulence, diarrhea and hemorrhoids are common. However the indirect problems associated with poor absorption or damage to the GI tract can be long-lasting and much more harmful.
When food is eliminated only partially processed, many vital nutrients are also lost. Some people with food intolerance become deficient in iron, calcium, folic acid, and vitamin D, and may go on to suffer other serious health complications such as anemia or osteoporosis. As a result of nutritional deficiencies, people with food intolerance tend to catch viruses easily, may have dry skin, hair and nail problems, and tire easily.
Many food intolerant people are underweight (due to their inability to get full nutrient value from foods), while others can be overweight due to fluid retention.
Common Food Intolerance Symptoms
- Many General Ailments: including migraines, depression, arthritis, chronic fatigue, inability to concentrate, sleep disorders, urinary problems, weight fluctuation, food cravings and addictive eating.
- Chronic Skin Irritations: including acne, eczema, dandruff, sores, etc
- Gastro-Intestinal (diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, constipation, etc.) and subsequent mal-absorption problems such as anemia and osteoporosis
- Respiratory System Distress: including bronchitis, breathlessness, sinusitis, chronic congestion
Why Do People Suffer from Food Intolerance?
According to WebMD, nearly everyone at one time has had an unpleasant reaction to something they ate, which counts as a food intolerance. Some people have specific food intolerances, however, and while 10% of the American population have lactose intolerance, as many as one in four people suffer from some sort of food intolerance, whether they know it or not.
Compared to food allergies, food intolerance is generally quite common. According to Foodintol, The Food Intolerant Consumer (www.foodintol.com) humans experience food intolerance in four main categories, in the following proportions:
- Lactose Intolerance (Dairy): Up to 75% - 3 in 4 people, depending on ethnic group (http://www.medicinenet.com)
- Fructose Intolerance (Sugar): 35% - 1 in 3 people
- Yeast Sensitivity: 33% - 1 in 3 people
- Gluten Intolerance (Wheat/Rye/ Barley/Oats): 15% - 1 in 7 people
- Food Allergies: Less than 1% of people
