Allergic or Sensitive?
Food allergies always involve an immune system reaction to an allergen, most often a food protein. The goal of the immune system is to protect us from bacteria, viruses and harmful substances that enter the body, but sometimes the defense system confuses a harmless substance – like food – for something harmful. An antibody called immunoglobulin-E (IgE) forms in response to the allergen. The next time the food is eaten, massive amounts of chemicals including histamines flood the body in a bid to protect it. This can trigger a cascade of allergic symptoms, ranging from tingling in the mouth, hives, abdominal cramps and vomiting to more serious consequences like tongue and/or throat swelling, difficulty breathing, drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness and, in rare instances, an anaphylactic reaction causing death. Symptoms can appear immediately or up to two hours after exposure to the food. Medicinal epinephrine is often able to halt a reaction but avoiding food allergens is crucial. Medical tests are available to pinpoint food allergens.
Lacking tolerance
While allergies cause the most immediate reactions, they aren’t the only way to experience a problem with food. Food sensitivities (intolerances) can also occur, but these don’t involve an IgE mediated response. Instead, food intolerances are more likely to originate in the digestive tract and are usually caused by an inability to digest or absorb certain foods or components of those foods. The two most familiar intolerances involve lactose (a milk sugar) and gluten, a composite of proteins found in cereal grains. Those who are lactose intolerant don’t produce an adequate supply of the enzyme lactase in the small intestine, and can’t digest lactose. After a meal containing lactose, between 25-40% of Canadians experience abdominal cramps and bloating, intestinal gas, nausea, diarrhea, floating or foul-smelling stool. Over time, untreated lactose intolerance can cause nutrient deficiencies, slow growth and weight loss. Avoiding milk products is the best strategy for lactose intolerance. Gluten intolerance (also known as celiac disease or celiac sprue) is an inherited disorder affecting an estimated one in 133 Canadians. After eating wheat, rye, barley or oats, part of the gluten molecule combines with antibodies in the small intestine, causing damage to the intestinal lining that inhibits nutrient absorption. Symptoms include painful abdominal bloating and pale, foul-smelling stool. Left untreated, children with gluten intolerance can experience hampered growth, anemia from iron deficiency and facial swelling. Over time, absorption problems can lead to weight loss, bone pain, easy bruising, and cessation of menstrual periods for females as well as nutrient deficiencies. Symptoms of gluten intolerance can appear at any age and is a lifelong condition that will continue to damage the small intestine whether or not symptoms are present. Strict avoidance of gluten is the only strategy that will allow intestinal damage to heal.
| Potential food triggers
As many sensitivities as there are foods, reactions range from digestive upset, lethargy and muscle aches to irritability, migraine headache and skin reactions like eczema. Symptoms can take days to manifest, making them difficult to link to the cause. Sensitivities cannot be detected through medical tests; it’s up to the patient, often through trial and error, to determine the source of their problem. Alternative care practitioners and nutritionists often recommend using a food diary to track intake and record reactions to food – both positive and negative – as this can help to isolate food triggers. An elimination diet may also be helpful in identifying the trouble-maker. The elimination diet
Eliminate common sensitizers from your diet, including processed foods (boxed, prepared, and fast-foods), preservatives, food colourings, artificial sweeteners; vegetables like corn, white potato, tomato, peas, beans and other legumes; fruits like apples and citrus; nuts; grain foods including wheat flour (bread), rye, barley, oats; dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt); alcoholic beverages and pop; other common sensitizers like eggs, chocolate and yeast. 
Consume plenty of fresh vegetables, including sweet potatoes, leafy greens, asparagus and carrots. Enjoy deep-water ocean fish such as orange roughy, halibut, tuna, and wild salmon. Organic lamb, duck, quail and fresh turkey are also acceptable meat choices. Drink only fresh water, as bottled water may contain sensitizing plasticizers leached from the container. Use only pure cold-pressed oils like flaxseed or extra virgin olive oil. Maintain this simple menu until symptoms abate, then gradually add foods, one at a time. Record your reactions to the added food. Continue to enjoy foods that make you feel good, and avoid those that cause an unpleasant reaction. Avoid chemical additives permanently. Our changing relationship with food
According to some statistics, peanut allergies in children increased twofold from 1997 to 2002, and numbers continue to rise. Some experts argue that growing awareness of food allergies has led to the increase. Others believe that the North American method of dry-roasting nuts versus boiling (common in other parts of the world) is the crucial factor in this particular allergy. Some suggest the ‘hygiene hypothesis’ is responsible for increased food allergies. This theory holds that our children live in environments that are too clean, and they aren’t exposed to enough dirt and bacteria. As a result, the immune system has reprogrammed itself to defend against allergens. Genetic engineering of foods could also be a factor in increasing allergies, as genes are transferred between different species. It’s also possible that the process of genetically modifying foods could introduce new, unpredictable allergens into the food supply. A label issue
For those with food allergies – especially the 2% of the population at risk of an anaphylactic reaction – strict avoidance of offending foods is the best medicine. Unfortunately, Canadian law doesn’t require genetically modified foods to be identified, and loopholes allow trace amounts of potential allergens into processed foods with no specific mention in the ingredient list. For many people, preparing simple foods at home is the only way to be safe. Talk to your health care provider if you suspect food issues. You don’t have to fight with your food. H&L Lisa Petty, RNCP is a Nutritionist and Wellness Coach, and author of Living Beauty. Visit http://www.livingbeauty.ca
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