Intolerances and food allergies

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Do you often feel swelling or pain in the abdomen? Do you frequently suffer from constipation or diarrhea? Do you often complain about itching or inflammation of skin? If you have some of these symptoms, you may be allergic or intolerant to some food.

Do you know what is the difference?

Both are adverse reactions to foods but:

  • Allergy is an immediate sensitivity, and it triggers within 24 hours, to a substance present in food;
  • Intolerance is an inflammatory reaction that occurs after a slow accumulation of substances not tolerated by the body and occurs within 48-72 hours after ingestion.

Allergies are caused by a genetic predisposition, while intolerances are caused by wrong nutrition and lifestyle. Those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, who smoke and consume alcohol are more at risk because they are more prone to gastro-intestinal irritation, which predisposes to allergies. A diet based on excessive consumption of animal fats and dairy products, and low intake of fruits, vegetables and fish, can generate a state of digestive irritation.

The symptoms due to adverse reactions to foods are very varied and don’t just load the organs for digestion. The main symptoms that may occur in the event of adverse reactions to foods are: rhinitis, cough, diarrhea, constipation, gastritis, cystitis, palpitations, bone and muscle pain, itching.

The first thing to do when you come across on it, is consult a nutritionist expert who will undertake an assessment of the individual case.

There are several tests in order to make the diagnosis and currently the most effective method is the ELISA method, which allows to identify, through an immunological reaction, the foods in respect of which has been developed intolerance.

The diet is a therapy to all effects that, through the exclusion or rotation of some foods, produces stable results over time. Remember that it is crucial the prescription by a specialist.

Drug therapy alone brings partial and never definitive results, since it acts only on the symptom and not on the cause of the disorder.

WHO-World Health Organization- Department of Nutrition for Health and Development (NHD) (http://www.who.int/topics/nutrition/en/)

 

 

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