Food Intolerance VS Food Allergy

Food intolerance is commonly confused with food  Allergies. The main conflict between the two  is that an allergy is characterized by a  strong, sudden onslaught of symptoms inside  seconds to an hour ranging from breaking out in  hives, swelling of the lips or throat, to  nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and even to anaphylaxis, a profound, whole-body allergic  reaction that can lead to death. A food  intolerance, on the other hand, is when the  body’s immune system is tricked into receiving  foods that can’t be utilized by the rest of the  body and results in a mixed bag of disorders such as migraines, obesity, gastrointestinal  disorders, rheumatic diseases and depression.

Food Intolerance Overview

Food intolerances are ordinarily confused with food Allergies. While the symptoms are alike to each other, the cause of both disorders differs, as well as the treatments. Knowing how to identify them can greatly improve your ability to find the proper physician, treatment and diet.

Food Intolerance Diagnosis & Treatment

How to Diagnose Food Intolerance ?

The time tested, trial & error method is the simplest way to test for food intolerance. This is done by removing food one by one from the diet for a while and monitoring symptoms for improvement, If the symptoms decrease, the food is then reintroduced after a small waiting period.  If symptoms re-appear this reveal whether or not that food was the culprit.

This method works best for those who have intolerance to one or two foods. Which is not usualy the case with food intolerances…

For those people (like me!) who have intolerance to several foods, the elimination method could take months…years…and an answer still might not be found.  The best way is to use a food intolerance testing service, such has the one at http://www.food-intolerance.ca/en/

How is Food Intolerance Treated?

Food intolerance is usually controlled by removing the troublesome food(s) from the person’s diet. For instance, lactose intolerant individuals can replace regular milk with soy milk.

If the intolerance is mild to moderate, the affected person can try eating only very limited amounts of the food in question. Mild lactose intolerance can be managed through the use of lactase enzyme supplements.

If foods are removed from one’s diet, they should be replaced with nutritious alternatives. It’s crucial to avoid malnutrition, especially in growing children. If you have questions about suitable food replacements, speak with your nutrition specialist.

Food Allergy Or Food Intolerance ?

Reactions almost immediate intense, such as swelling of the lips, throat, tied, skin rash, episodes of sneezing, sometimes a feeling of suffocation are typical signs of a classic allergy. Described like that a food allergy is easily recognizable.

Detect And Avoid Food Intolerance

I found a very interesting article about food intolerances, however it was in french. I used google translate for a quick translation and this is what it gives, sometimes there are weird phrases but mostly its very understandable, i was impressed !

Food Intolerance Blood Test, Why Use Blood ?

By now you probably know that Food Intolerances can play a major role in ones health, scientist estimate that more than 40% of the population are suffering from food intolerance, most of them dont even know it ! They think that they dont sleep enough, are too stressed out, dont eat right enough… The first step in getting rid of food intolerance symptoms, is to identify the foods that are causing the problem.

Food Intolerances : Things to Know And Do !

Do you think you might have a food intolerance? Well, you wouldn’t be alone. There are claims that anywhere between 40% and 70% of the population suffer from at least one food intolerance.

Basic Differences Between A Food Allergy And A Food Intolerance

Before we deal in any length about how food allergies come about, it is necessary to establish what they really are. And how are they different from food intolerance which is far more common.

How Is Food Digested ?

Digestion of food begins in the mouth, with mechanical breakdown of ingested material by chewing. Additionally, food in the mouth is mixed with saliva, which contains a starch-digesting enzyme, known as amylase. This begins the chemical breakdown of food. Precisely the moment where food intolerance problems can start !

Examples Of Food Intolerances : Lactose and Gluten

This week we will review 2 very common food intolerances, Lactose and Gluten intolerance… there are millions of people suffering from these, so what are they exactly ? :

What you should know about Food Intolerances

Food intolerance is probably one of the most annoying things you can experience. Because food intolerance problems express themselves in an inconsistent manner they are harder to locate and diagnose than food allergies which tend to be strong and immediate. Even months of testing and avoiding particular foods may not help you get closer to figuring out the problem. You may need to take a food intolerance test to find the source of the trouble.

Difference Between A Food Allergy And A Food Intolerance?

Many people think that food intolerance and food allergy are the same… Food Intolerance which are also called Type III Food Allergies are very different from classical food allergies. Although they can be treated in a similar manner ( avoiding the foods that are causing harm ) there are several difference between the way our bodies react to them :

Food Intolerance Definitions

The first step in understanding food intolerances is to look up the definition of the term in a dictionary. Well, I just did that for you, here are relevant definitions of food intolerances :