Reactions to certain foods are more common than we think. However,
not all are classified as an allergy. These reactions are more often a result
of food intolerance. So, why do we often confuse the two?
It is because they share some common
symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach ache.
In order to correctly identify these
reactions, it is important to know the differences between them. It is also necessary
to understand the symptoms that are different between the two.
Food Allergy
A food allergy is
a sudden immune reaction of our body to certain ingredients in the food. Our
body is naturally equipped to fight against foreign substances that can be harmful
for health. These reactions mostly occur when a bacteria or virus enters our
body. Rarely though, the immune system of a few people, confuses proteins in
our food as foreign ones and attack these proteins. It may involve the
digestion system, skin or the whole circulation system of the body.
Eight types of
food commonly cause these allergic reactions. These include peanuts, wheat,
milk, shell fish, tree nuts, soy and fish. About 1 in 20
children and 2 in 100 adults develop an allergic reaction to food every
year in Australia.
The reaction can be mild to severe and
differs person to person. The symptoms that differ from food intolerance are
rashes and itchy skin, chest pain, shortness of breath and sudden drop in blood
pressure. This condition can be fatal and thus immediate medical care is
needed.
It is possible to prevent a reaction by minimising the intake of the
particular protein causing the allergy. But expert consultation should be taken
to avoid malnutrition.
Food Intolerance
It is a gradual
reaction that is not life threatening but can still make a person unwell. The
immune system is not involved in this case. It is mostly concerned with the
digestive system and occurs when a person lacks the ability to break down
certain foods. For example, the most common intolerance observed is for lactose
in which the person lacks an enzyme that can break down lactose, the milk
sugar.
Small amounts of
such foods usually do not cause a reaction in people who are intolerant to
them. Symptoms can be a combination of gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhoea,
nausea and bloating; skin reactions include eczema and asthma.
It is better to
consult a nutritionist to prepare a supportive dietary plan. Brisbane
Livewell Clinic offers the services of one of the best nutritionists in Brisbane. This Brisbane clinic also offers a number of other services including
food allergy and food intolerance testing.
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