LogiNext_YW August-2018 Dummy

20 wellness
focus
Why Can’t I Eat It? Know
Food Intolerance & Allergy
Food intolerances and allergies
are common. A lot of people
confuse one of them for the
other because symptoms of food
intolerance occasionally resemble
those of food allergy. However,
food intolerance does not involve
the immune system and doesn’t
cause severe allergic reactions.
It also does not show on allergy
testing. A food intolerance
response takes place in the
digestive system. It occurs when
you are unable to break down the
food properly. This could be due
to enzyme deficiencies, sensitivity
to food additives or reactions to
naturally-occurring chemicals
in foods. The symptoms are gas,
bloating, nausea and diarrhoea.
Food intolerance can also trigger
episodes of IBS. Symptoms
caused by food intolerance can be
immediate or they may take 12 to
24 hours to develop. Reactions are
usually related to the amount of
the food you have had and, often,
people can eat small amounts of
the food without causing problems.
This threshold varies from person
to person.
Allergies are an overreaction
of the body’s immune system to
a protein. These proteins may be
from foods, pollens, house dust,
animal hair etc. The word allergy
means that the immune system
has responded to a harmless
substance as if it were toxic.
According to National Institute
of Diabetes and Digestive and
Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), USA,
90% of all cases of food allergies
involve milk, eggs, peanuts, tree
nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, or soy.
They typically begin in infancy,
and can even be life-threatening if
not outgrown. Food allergies have
become increasingly common in
children. The symptoms of food
allergy include itching, burning
and swelling around the mouth,
swelling of face or eyes, runny
nose, skin rash (eczema), hives,
diarrhoea, abdominal cramps,
breathing difficulties, nausea
and vomiting. According to the
American Academy of Allergy,
Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI),
being allergic to a food may also
result in being allergic to a similar
protein found in something else.
For example, if you are allergic to
ragweed, you may also develop
reactions to bananas or melons.
This is known as cross-reactivity.
Cross-reactivity happens when the
immune system thinks one protein
is closely related to another.
Here’s how to find
the source of the
problem
• Keep a food and symptoms
diary to check for patterns
• Remove all suspect foods for
two weeks; then reintroduce
them, one at a time, to test for
reactions. This should be done
only under medical advice and
supervision
• Undergo allergy blood tests.
What you can
do
• Read food labels to
ensure that you don’t
eat foods that contain
ingredients you are
allergic to.
• Always ask about
ingredients when
eating at
restaurants or
when you are
eating foods
prepared by
family or friends.
• For milder
reactions,
antihistamines
may help relieve
symptoms. Be
sure to discuss
this approach
with your doctor.
yourwellness.com • Volume VII • Issue III • August 2018