Food Intolerance

Could you be suffering from a food intolerance ?

Food Intolerance’s are common, affecting more than 40% of us, and they often involve more than one food. Symptoms may happen quickly, as in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), or only appear when a threshold is reached. They may also linger & cause extended discomfort.
Food reactions of this type are linked to inflammation, which can be fueled by other factors too e.g.
•    Illness
•    Long  term medication
•    Obesity
•    Excess sugar
•    Stress

Reactions also tend to increase with age.

Food Intolerance Test Athlone Cathriona Hodgins Nutrition

A specific diet that excludes problem foods can often reduce inflammation and greatly increase control over symptoms.
Have you noticed a pattern of symptoms with food such as  bloating, brain fog or IBS but find it hard to pinpoint which specific foods are involved ? Have you taken out bread but still find the same symptoms ?
Or have you noticed a pattern of  problems that come and go but tend to show up in groups (like dry eye and joint pain, or dry skin & itch).

Other possible signs include :

•    Chronically runny or blocked nose
•    Migraines
•    Frequent sinus problems
•    Acid reflux
•    “Yo-yo” weight gain
•    Fluid retention.

With children it tends to be recurrent ear infections, coughs, bloating, cramping diarrhea or constipation.

What is the difference between food allergy and food intolerance ?

If you are allergic to a food, exposure to a certain food will quickly trigger symptoms. You’ll often be able to identify the trigger and symptoms can often be a rash, vomiting or more seriously anaphylactic shock.  Allergies involve a branch of the immune system known as IgE antibodies.  We all know someone who has an allergy to peanuts or eggs for instance and has to be vigilant about reading food labels and knowing where their food comes from.

Food intolerance is very different, its not life threatening but symptoms can be debilitating and life changing. Flare-ups of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease, Diverticulitis, Migraines or a range of respiratory and skin conditions have substantial consequences for the sufferer.
With intolerance’s it is often hard to pinpoint the food that gives rise to symptoms. Especially if it’s more than one food. Food intolerance’s involve IgG antibodies which are produced when a food protein crosses the gut lining into the blood stream where it shouldn’t be. Why does this happen? Stress poor diet and medication can take its toll on our gut health and immune system causing what is known as ‘leaky’ gut.

So its not the food ? Its all about gut health? …Yes
Do you look after your gut? We have blood checks, breast checks, heart health screens but we don’t tend to look after our guts.
A food intolerance test will help identify the culprits that you need to eliminate or reduce for a period of time while we work on building up the gut so that you can enjoy these foods again but maybe not to the same extent as before, for example eggs 2/3 times a week rather than every day or cheese a few times a week rather than every day.