If you’re not reacting to common foods like lactose or gluten, then it’s probably one of ‘weird and wonderfuls’ like histamine, right? On the upside, adverse food reactions are not just a ‘you thing’. Millions of people are seeking solutions too.
million people worldwide suffer from food allergies.
of the world experience food intolerances.
more children experienced food allergies in the years 1997 - 2011.
The bad news: digestive issues, skin rashes, headaches or fatigue after eating are common signs of food allergies or food intolerances. The good news: an elimination diet does not have to be your long term solution.
It starts with finding the root cause.
One of the major root causes of adverse food reactions is a condition called 'leaky gut'. Let’s work together to heal your gut, so that you have the best chance of reintroducing your trigger foods, and expanding your shopping list once again.
Say goodbye to leaky gut, and say goodbye to a ton of adverse food reactions.
Food allergies (otherwise known as IgE-mediated reactions) occur when the body’s immune system sees a certain food as harmful and reacts by triggering an allergic reaction.
These reactions begin to cause symptoms immediately (from minutes up to 2 hours) after the trigger food is eaten. Food allergies can strike children and adults alike, but are more common in children.
Unlike food intolerances or sensitivities, food allergies can be dangerous or severe (life-threatening). Symptoms usually include a rash, swollen or itchy tongue, runny nose, abdominal pain, vomiting, troubled breathing, coughing or wheezing, or a closed airway.
If you have a food allergy, you will need a dietitian and doctors on your medical team.
A condition where the body cannot fully break down lactose (a sugar found in dairy) which causes symptoms like bloating, gas or diarrhoea.
A condition where your body cannot break down histamine (a natural compound in food) because you do not have the enzymes (think of enzymes as ‘pack-men’) to break down histamine, or because you consume too much histamine-rich food. Histamine intolerances usually cause symptoms like headaches, hives or stomach problems.
A condition where your body has trouble breaking down certain types of carbohydrates found in some foods. These carbs are not easily absorbed in your small intestine, and end up being fermented by bacteria in your large intestine. This can lead to bloating, gas or stomach pain after eating.
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a condition where your body struggles to digest gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Unlike celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disorder, non-celiac gluten sensitivity does not result in severe damage of the small intestine. However; it can cause fatigue, stomach pain, bloating and whole-body inflammation.
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Here’s the truth. There is no ONE ‘magic’ test that screens for food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities unfortunately.
Skin prick tests and IgE blood tests, done through allergy clinics, are used to detect IgE-mediated food allergies under medical supervision.
When it comes to other kinds of adverse food reactions, a medically-supervised 21-day elimination diet together with a reintroduction of foods is the gold standard to identify your specific food ‘triggers’. Some tests (like genetic tests) can indicate your likelihood of developing gluten, lactose and histamine reactions too.
The IgG food intolerance test is a blood test that claims to screen for food reactions, based on the body’s release of IgG (a messenger compound released by your immune system). This is different from the IgE kind of reactions.
Many companies will market the IgG test as a direct-consumer service, and may promise that it is the ‘magic test’ that screens for food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities.
The top medical allergy boards consider IgG testing invalid, due to lack of studies to support the use of IgG tests in clinical practice. There is, however, more substantial scientific backing to use IgG4 testing, as a means for detecting food sensitivities.
It is best to chat to your health care professional about which companies and tests provide evidence-based screening for adverse food reactions.
If you’re struggling with any of these, chat with a dietician to diagnose and treat the root cause.
Still have questions?