“Food intolerance is defined as an adverse reaction to food such as a headache or bloating, while an allergy leads to a response in the immune system.”

You might remember recently I wrote an article about food allergies and more importantly, food intolerances.  As the definition states, a food intolerance is more an adverse reaction of a particular food whereas a food allergy attacks the immune system and can cause at worse, death.  For years you’ve heard the saying, “Oh it must have been something I ate.” Well, that’s food intolerance.  Since my last article I’ve been contacted by many readers wanting to learn more about this complicated and at times, painful subject.  I thought the easiest way to tackle this issue was to use a case study to highlight some of the problems that sufferers of food intolerances can encounter and the possible solution.  My friend, Debra, a long time sufferer of food intolerances, in her own words explained, “I don’t remember a time when I didn’t have a bloated stomach.”  For years, Debra has found that over the years her condition has progressively worsened.  Symptoms such as diarrhoea, bloating, rough skin and tiredness were a regular occurrence.  Up to now, Debra suspected something was wrong but her doctor, as is usual in the case of food intolerances, dispelled her symptoms as nothing more than stress and other factors completely unrelated.  Unfortunately, many of the traditional medical profession treat this as a very grey area and most have little or no knowledge.  We contacted York Testing, www.yorktest.com, one of the top food intolerance testing labs in the UK, who offer a full 113 food scan test for £250.  This gives you a result on a whole host of offending foods and is particularly suitable for those with a wide and varied diet as it covers some of the UK’s most commonly eaten foods.  The test is very specific and will slot foods into three categories, foods to completely avoid, foods you can enjoy every 3-4 days and foods that are fine.  It turns out many of the foods Debra had suspected, such as wheat and dairy, common amongst those suffering with food intolerance, were top on the list of foods to avoid.  But there were some surprises such as white fish and certain nuts. Food testing is a great way to start if you feel you have some problems.  However, food intolerance testing isn’t a conclusive answer and many nutritionists would advise further testing.  Sanna Anderson, top nutritionist of www.sannahealth.com (mobile: 07790386320) met Debra to discuss the next steps following the testing.  Her first task was to analyse Debra’s test results and digestive history.  She then asked a few candied questions about, amongst other things, her poo!  We’ve all watched Channel 4’s You are what You Eat, so it’s no surprise that poo analysis has become a popular past time for some!  The official name for this procedure is known as Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis (CDSA).  This is the most reliable test of all and will give an extensive analysis of the real underlying problems including parasites, yeast organisms, digestive secretions etc.  In the case of Debra, Sanna analysed her entire digestive history and was able to advise on various vitamins and probiotic formulas to get her started on the road to recovery.  Probiotics Mega Flora, a good quality and useful probiotic formula is good for most people with digestive difficulties and can be found at www.megafood.com An essential multi-vitamin is also necessary to make sure you are replacing lost minerals and vitamins normally lost with those suffering with diarrhoea and other illnesses. Solgar is a good brand to try and is available at most good health food stores.  Enzymes are another great way of healing the stomach lining and also work quickly, try Permatrol which can heal leaky gut, a condition common in those with digestive problems.  If the body doesn’t work properly then it cannot absorb essential vitamins and minerals hence digestive enzymes cannot be produced.  Taking digestive enzymes is only a temporary measure but is used to heal the body so it can get back on track.  Go to www.nutricentre.com for enzymes and other useful advice.