About Food Intolerances |
| Food intolerances are a big issue these days, and whether you have a food intolerance that makes you feel uncomfortable or full blown coeliac disease, it can and does
change your life if you eat the right or wrong food. |
| One of the most important things especially if you think you are intolerant to gluten is to go to your Doctor. If you get diagnosed with coeliac disease then there is a whole
support structure out there for you including membership of Coeliac UK and food on prescription. I had been diagnosed with IBS and after two years of suffering was at my wits end so
tried not eating gluten for a week. It was great, however, now when I try and eat gluten I get such severe symptoms I can barely get out of bed! To be diagnosed as a coeliac you have to
have a gastroscopy and a biopsy, if you have stopped eating gluten then you have to re-introduce it. I only managed it for four days, and I had a negative result. My hospital dietician told
me that really I should have eaten gluten for at least six weeks before having the biopsy. For me this is no longer an option. |
| Coeliac disease isn't actually a food intolerance it is an auto-immune disease where gluten attacks the lining of the small intenstine and prevents you from absorbing nutrients from your food. For more information
check out the Coeliac Society Website |
| Most other food intolerances, like lactose intolerance are caused by the bodies inability to digest a substance. For more information on food intolerances and allergy, have a look
at the Allergy UK website |
| There is another condition that is linked to food intolerances, which is leaky gut syndrome, where the small intenstine absorbs food that is not completely broken down
and this gets carried around the body causing damage - for more information on this condition take a look at the Leaky Gut Syndrome Website |
| For the best advice, ask your GP to refer you to a dietician or gastroenterologist. Some companies offer food intolerance tests but these are very expensive and I have heard of varying degrees of
success. |
