Steve
19-10-2005, 02:35 PM
Unlike a food allergy (which is triggered by small amounts of food and causes immediate symptoms), food intolerance symptoms appear hours, or even days, after consuming your problem food.
Common symptoms include:
Irritable bowel syndrome
Joint problems
Migraines
Muscle and joint pain
Depression and anxiety
Fatigue
Nausea and vomiting
Ulcers and hyperactivity in childrenMost people are intolerant to more than one food. The commonest culprits are wheat, dairy products and yeast, eggs, beans, nuts, tea and coffee.
Food intolerance can be caused by enzyme deficiencies, viral infections, allergic reactions and disturbances of the body's normal gut bacteria.
Eating large amounts of a certain food, spicy or processed foods, drinking too much alcohol and exposure to toxic chemicals may increase the risk of developing food intolerance.
The standard way of diagnosing food intolerance is eliminating suspect foods from the diet for several weeks. If the symptoms ease, foods are reintroduced individually and the effects assessed - a qualified dietician should supervise this. This process is called an elimination diet and can be hard going, but the results are well worth it.
Many alternative therapists offer treatment for food intolerance. Although they may be helpful, none of these methods have been clinically validated - if in doubt ask for evidence of clinical trials.
For more help, contact:
British Allergy Foundation
Deepdene House
30 Bellegrove Road
Welling
Kent
DA16 3PY Helpline: 020 8303 8583
Opening hours Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
You can also visit the website at: http://www.allergyfoundation.com/
Recommended reading: The Complete Guide To Food Allergy An Intolerance by Professor Jonathon Brostoff and Linda Gamlin (Bloomsbury, £6.99)
Common symptoms include:
Irritable bowel syndrome
Joint problems
Migraines
Muscle and joint pain
Depression and anxiety
Fatigue
Nausea and vomiting
Ulcers and hyperactivity in childrenMost people are intolerant to more than one food. The commonest culprits are wheat, dairy products and yeast, eggs, beans, nuts, tea and coffee.
Food intolerance can be caused by enzyme deficiencies, viral infections, allergic reactions and disturbances of the body's normal gut bacteria.
Eating large amounts of a certain food, spicy or processed foods, drinking too much alcohol and exposure to toxic chemicals may increase the risk of developing food intolerance.
The standard way of diagnosing food intolerance is eliminating suspect foods from the diet for several weeks. If the symptoms ease, foods are reintroduced individually and the effects assessed - a qualified dietician should supervise this. This process is called an elimination diet and can be hard going, but the results are well worth it.
Many alternative therapists offer treatment for food intolerance. Although they may be helpful, none of these methods have been clinically validated - if in doubt ask for evidence of clinical trials.
For more help, contact:
British Allergy Foundation
Deepdene House
30 Bellegrove Road
Welling
Kent
DA16 3PY Helpline: 020 8303 8583
Opening hours Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
You can also visit the website at: http://www.allergyfoundation.com/
Recommended reading: The Complete Guide To Food Allergy An Intolerance by Professor Jonathon Brostoff and Linda Gamlin (Bloomsbury, £6.99)