Food allergies and food intolerances are quite similar terms that are often used interchangeably – however, they are two very different afflictions that need to be more fully understood.
Food allergies cause intense allergic reactions. Your body treats the food as a hostile attacker, and produces increased levels of immunglobin E to attack it. This in turn triggers increased production of histamine, resulting in red, swelling and irritated skin, wheezing, runny nose, and a sensation of tightness in the nose and throat. Sometimes the reaction is even more intense, where the body goes into anaphylactic shock, and starts to shut down. The most obvious occurrence of this is an allergic reaction to peanuts, where a quick injection of adrenaline is needed to stop the often fatal anaphylaxis.
Food intolerance is a less severe allergic reaction. Most often seen in cases of lactose intolerance, food intolerance is where the body is unable to completely process a certain food. This sometimes results in migraines, diarrhea, vomiting, or feelings of dizziness and lethargy.
In both cases, an exclusion diet and skin prick tests can be highly effective in highlighting the specific foods that create the reaction. Your diet can then be to cut out the harmful foods whilst still being nutritious and satisfying. Many special food allergy recipe books are available which can be a huge help to those suffering from food allergies.
