Are You Suffering Caused By What You Are Eating? Find Out.
Food sensitivity, food allergy and food intolerance are frequently use convertibly. Should they be? I’d like to suggest that they are very distinct and deserve to be address as such. Additionally, when you realize the distinctiveness of their differences you’ll have a seriously better knowledge of the systems that are influencing you.
Both food allergy and food sensitivity are antibody mediated reactions against food. The antibody recognizes a food protein as evil and makes an attempt to neutralise it. If this is similar then what’s different?
We have different sorts of antibodies in our body. Differing types of antibodies react differently to neutralize the foreign invader.
Food allergy
Food allergy is mediated by an antibody called IgE. When this kind of antibody reacts with a foreign protein it straight away stimulates some of of the following typical reactions. Food allergy reactions can vary greatly from mild to life-threatening. Skin irritation, redness, swelling are sometimes seen. Breathing difficulties can be forbidding and represents tautening of the air passageway. Other symptoms like hoarseness of voice, stuffy and drippy nose, itchy and red eyes as well as nausea and puking can been seen with food allergies.
Food sensitivity
Food sensitivity is mediated by an antibody called IgG. IgG antibodies react far differently from IgE. In food sensitivities, when IgG antibody react with a foreign protein, it elicits a milder, slower and non typical reaction. The reactions vary from severe headaches, to increased behavioural problems in kids with ADHD, to persistent digestive concerns, falls in energy and other obscure symptoms. Here’s the killer story. Unlike food allergy, food sensitivities are awfully tough to diagnose. This is due to the fact that their impacts can be seen 24 to 48 hours after the consumption of the offending food. There are two ways that can help in identifying food sensitivities one is a strategic hypoallergenic diet. The other one’s an IgG food sensitivity blood test. This tests how reactive your IgG antibodies are against numerous foods. The greater the reactivity the higher likelihood a food sensitivity might be present. This test isn’t perfect but can truly be a good start line in assessing potential food sensitivity.
Food allergy & Food sensitivity: How they respond differently.
Food allergy and IgE
With food allergy, as soon as the offending food is digested the IgE levels rise quickly. The allergic symptom threshold is always reached. dodging this offending food is mandatory as it can be life-endangering. The levels of IgE will also drop relatively swiftly and inside 5-7 days you often do not have any symptoms.
Food sensitivity and IgG
With food sensitivity, the trigerring food is digested and the IgG antibody levels rise slowly and linger around for as much as 3 weeks. This is what makes a food sensitivity so problematical to diagnose. You first ingest the offending food sensitivity and you are symptom free. This is due to the fact that you’re still some distance from your symptomatic threshold. In a couple of days you ingest this same food item and again you’re symptom free. What you don’t know is that your IgG antibody levels have accumulated with those of your last exposure. Third time is a charm, you consume the food sensitivity and this time you get “fill in the symptom blank”: migraine, trots, weight gain, water retention, dermatological outbreak, general fatigue etc. Please note in this example I used 3 days but this is for illustrative purposes and isn't literal. It’s bewildering. The symptoms don’t appear immediately, it is hard to link exposure to symptoms and you are left non strategically removing and adding foods hoping something will ameliorate. This may be an annoying way to figure things out. Unlike an IgE food allergy were each single exposure is followed by symptoms, IgG food sensitivities depend on frequency and dose of the exposure.
Food intolerance
Food intolerance represent an enzyme deficiency. Our body can’t break it down and it usually causes digestive concerns. The most infamous example is that of a lactase enzyme deficiency. This enzyme is vital in breaking down lactose found in dairy foods. The inadequacy of this enzymes results in flatulence, diarrhea and pain.
I help a lot of people strategically to work out potential food sensitivity reactions. The goal isn’t to get rid of a food for the rest of your life though significant avoidance for a period of time is commonly mandatory. The reality is when you figure out what’s bugging you and you understand the symptoms it generously provides it makes avoiding it far easier.
Dr Melanie DesChatelets is a naturopathic doctor in Vancouver. She treats many people dealing with digestive concerns. Melanie is also the author of “The Minimalist Guide To Supplements : The top 3 you can not get from food”, you can get your free copy here.