Food Allergies & Intolerances Explained

Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 10-15) and Coeliac UK Awareness Week (May 11-16) are both coming up, and as someone who has experienced both I thought it was a great time to help explain and raise awareness of these conditions.

You will know someone with a food allergy - they are thought to affect one in ten adults and one in 13 children. In fact, the US charity FARE (Food Allergy Research Education) estimates there was a 377% increase in severe allergy diagnoses between 2006 and 2017.

Severe food allergies are life-changing. If someone in your household has one, then that food needs to be eliminated from their life. At the most severe end, even particles of that food on a surface or in the air can cause something called anaphylactic shock, which can result in loss of consciousness and be fatal without immediate treatment.

Whether allergy or intolerance, it is important to balance eliminating the troublesome food from your diet with making sure you don’t miss out on important nutrients, fibre, vitamins and minerals. This is where a session or two with a qualified nutrition coach may help, so do get in touch if you’d like to discuss your situation!

What happens to someone with a food allergy?

The reaction to food allergies can vary. For some, the reaction is minor and symptoms include a rash or ‘prickly’ feeling skin, swelling in your mouth, or perhaps a tummy ache or diarrhoea. For others, reactions are very severe, including anaphylaxis.

Allergic reactions can overlap with other medical symptoms and conditions, which is why allergies can be tricky to diagnose. Coeliac disease, an allergy to the protein gluten found in wheat, barley and rye, runs in my family, but I wasn’t diagnosed until I was an adult. Once diagnosed, it very quickly explained years of bloating, skin rashes, anaemia and other seemingly unrelated conditions. Now I completely eliminate gluten from my diet to solve the problem.

Who can get a food alergy?

The simple answer is anyone, although people with asthma, eczema, and hay fever tend to be at higher risk. These are all types of auto-immune disorders, a condition where your immune system does the opposite of what it is supposed to do. A healthy immune system fights off disease and ‘bad germs’ like bacteria and viruses, but in someone with a food allergy the immune system attacks the proteins in that food instead.

Food allergies can come and go - children grow out of them, and adults can develop them later in life. You may also find that food allergies can run in families.

About Karen

Based in Burghfield Common, Karen offers confidential coaching sessions in person or via Zoom. She will help you to develop a healthy, positive relationship with food and exercise so you never have to diet again!

For a free initial conversation, please contact:

0118 983 6358 - 07834 466090

www.tarragonnutrition.com karen@tarragonnutrition.com

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