Tag

Food Allergies

Browsing

What does it mean to be Gluten-Free? It’s estimated that 1 in 133 Canadians or 250,000 people have celiac disease (and it’s growing) and approximately 3 million Americans. It’s a lifelong, genetically based disorder that occurs when gluten – a protein found in wheat, rye and barley – triggers an abnormal immune response that damages the lining of the small intestine interfering with the absorption of vital nutrients. It can be painful and debilitating. Symptoms can include anemia, diarrhea, arthritis, intense abdominal pain, weight loss and, in children, delayed growth. But most people have symptoms that are subtler, such as bloating, excess gas or fatigue. People who have gluten ‘sensitivity’ will also benefit from a gluten-free diet. These people test negative for celiac disease but react poorly to gluten and may report abdominal pain, headaches, irritability, depression and chronic fatigue. There’s no evidence, however, that following a gluten-free diet will…

Food Allergies vs. Food Sensitivities: Giving the One-Two Punch to Our Bodies Our bodies can take a beating everyday by the choices in foods we make. Many times, people experience symptoms of rashes, headaches, fatigue, gas and bloating and do not think to link them to foods that they are ingesting on a daily basis. They are often brushed off as common ailments linked to stress or something we came into contact with that bothered our systems briefly. Food allergies and the more common food intolerances/sensitivities can wreak havoc on our bodies leaving us feeling sick, fatigued and down for the count. In This Corner…Food Allergies A food allergy results when the immune system mistakenly targets a harmless food protein – an allergen – as a threat and attacks it. Unlike a food intolerance, the immune system produces abnormally large amounts of an antibody called immunoglobulin E — IgE for short.…

Pin It