If you suffer from seasonal allergies, hives, eczema, digestive issues, painful joints, chronic headaches, reoccurring ear infections or a host of other issues you could have food allergies, food intolerances or food sensitivities.
Food Allergies, Food Intolerances, and Food Sensitivities
Food Allergies are characterized by an abnormal or inappropriate response to specific foods that are triggered by the immune system. These range from mild responses to life threatening anaphylaxis. Food allergies can only be managed by avoiding the food.
Food Intolerances are generally less severe than food allergies but can cause similar symptoms. Typically food intolerances are thought to cause mostly digestive issues. Food intolerances are often related to the amount of food eaten. For example someone with a wheat intolerance may be able to eat a cookies but would become sick from a large bowl of pasta.
Food Sensitivities means a person has a negative reaction to a food but that reaction could vary with each exposure. Food sensitivities are largely misunderstood. Food intolerances and food sensitivities are usually grouped together.
Aren’t They the Same Thing?
People often use the terms food allergy, food intolerance and food sensitivity interchangeably. Many people in the food allergy community get very upset if people say allergy instead of intolerance. While I understand that they are different I don’t get upset. I have a dairy intolerance, if I eat something that contains a lot of hidden dairy I could be in severe pain for days. Dairy won’t kill me but it will cause serious joint pain that will prevent me from taking care of my kids.
If you suspect a food allergy or intolerance it’s important to find a doctor and/or an allergist who can help you learn the extent of your issues. Medical professionals often take food allergies seriously but not all understand or believe in food intolerance. It’s important to find a doctor that will listen to you and help you make sense of your symptoms.
The Giveaway
Tomorrow I’ll have a very special giveaway for The Elimination Diet Workbook: A Personal Approach to Determining Your Food Allergies
If you are interested in allergy-friendly recipes check out my Recipe Page! All recipes are dairy and egg-free. Most recipes are wheat and nut-free as well.
Top 8 Allergen-Free Cookbook
Don’t forget that the Top 8 Allergen-Free Cookbook is available for only $2.99 for a very limited time. All proceeds will benefit Gabriel Schock who is at Mayo Clinic due to food allergies. This book contains 40 delicious recipes!
You can also read more about my son’s Adventure in Allergies. We see an allergist on Thursday so I’m sure we will be updating it soon.
Do you (or someone in your family) deal with food allergies, intolerances or sensitivities?
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