Food Intolerances Or Allergies

Allergies tend to cause immediate and dramatic reactions such as skin rashes, hives, itching, swollen mouth or tongue and difficulty breathing.

Food intolerances, on the other hand, can have delayed and wide ranging reactions that can build up over time. Whilst food allergies tend to be for life, it is potentially possible to overcome food intolerances if the gut and immune system are sufficiently healed.

Here we are focussing on food intolerances or sensitivities as opposed to allergies.

Causes

Any of the above digestive disorders can leave you more susceptible to developing food intolerances. An overgrowth of candida or bad bacteria can damage the gut wall making it more leaky to food particles. This means foods get absorbed into the body before they are fully broken down. The immune system does not recognise these particles and develops antibodies against the offending foods. Food intolerances are thus born.

Eating too much of or over-exposure to a particular food can also contribute to the development of food intolerances.

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Usually with the help of a nutritional specialist trigger foods are identified and eliminated from the diet. If trigger foods are not clear a food intolerance test is recommended.

Treatment

Total elimination of the offending foods is recommended for at least 6 months to allow the antibodies to the foods to dwindle. A rotation diet is often recommended in the case of multiple sensitivities; this ensures a varied diet and reduces the likelihood of developing further intolerances. Digestive aids such as probiotics and digestive enzymes are also commonly recommended.

It is also necessary to treat the underlying causes of the intolerances such as candida, bacterial imbalances or digestive juice insufficiency.

Digestive Disorders

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