Could You Have a Food Intolerance? Food intolerance refers to the responses our body gives to a…
Food intolerance refers to the responses our body gives to a food or one of its components. Lactose intolerance is an example of this. This condition is not related to the immune system. Reactions occur due to foods or components that cannot be digested or absorbed.
People with lactose intolerance lack the lactase enzymes needed to digest the lactose sugar in milk. Lactose intolerance is seen in 50% of adults worldwide.
Some people also have an intolerance to flavor enhancers or food preservatives (sulfites). Symptoms vary from person to person, and it is usually impossible to determine which food component causes which reaction.
The symptoms of food intolerance are quite similar to those of food allergy. For this reason, it is necessary to consult a doctor in the event of a reaction to a food.
What Is Food Intolerance?
The reactions the organism shows to a food component are called food sensitivity. Food sensitivity is divided into two categories: food allergy and food intolerance.
Many foods we think of as healthy can create negative effects in our body. If an egg, which we consider very healthy, cannot be digested by the body, the body reacts against the proteins inside the egg. This is called "Food Intolerance," and it has negative consequences ranging from weight gain to many chronic diseases.
How Does Food Intolerance Develop?
The answer to this question is complex. A deficiency of certain enzymes (enzymes are needed for specific chemical reactions in the body), genetic factors, stress or illness, an unhealthy immune system, environmental pollution, and an unbalanced diet can all cause food intolerance.
Between the time food is consumed and the time it is eliminated from our body, it undergoes a continuous process of breakdown.
Food that begins to break down in the mouth is then brought to a certain consistency by stomach acids and movements, and passes into the intestine.
Through various enzymes in the intestine and the action of the intestinal flora, this food is broken down into the smallest possible particles.
During this breakdown process, the proteins in food are broken down into amino acids and enter the bloodstream to be used wherever needed in the body.
What Happens If Some Proteins Cannot Be Broken Down into Amino Acids?
Certain enzyme deficiencies, disturbances in the intestinal flora, or conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome prevent food from being fully broken down into amino acids in the intestine, and the food passes into the blood without being broken down. The defense system treats these undigested food particles as foreign substances and reacts to them just as it would attack bacteria or viruses.
As a result, inflammation occurs in the body and side effects appear. Elevated CRP levels lead first to fatigue, a slowed metabolism, and intestinal symptoms. If the patient continues to regularly consume the same food without realizing it, other chronic diseases may also develop.
Food Intolerance Is Different from Food Allergy
Food intolerance and food allergy should not be confused with one another. The number of people with a food allergy is small, and life-threatening effects can occur within a short period of time. For example, people with allergies to nuts or seafood can go into anaphylactic shock in under an hour.
In Food Intolerance, however, the negative effect of the food begins to appear anywhere between 3 minutes and 72 hours later. Because the person has eaten many different foods within this time span, even if they realize their problem stems from food, it is very difficult to determine which food is responsible.
For example, a person who eats chocolate in the morning and then has two more meals before going to bed cannot associate an intestinal problem that appears just before bed with the milk in the chocolate they ate that morning. Food intolerance is an incorrect reaction the body develops against certain food components. This condition is not related to the immune system — meaning it is very different from a food allergy.
At What Age Do Symptoms of Food Allergy and Intolerance Begin to Appear?
Food intolerance and allergy can appear at any age. If food intolerance is not recognized early, it can cause serious health problems later in life. For example, while lactose intolerance can cause colitis in children, it can lead to Crohn's disease in adults.
Food Intolerance Is a More Common Condition Than Estimated
According to the World Health Organization, half of the world's population has Food Intolerance. 1 billion people have been diagnosed with Food Intolerance, and this figure was projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2015 (WHO, June 2006).
Food Intolerance is the cause of many conditions, including excess weight, inability to lose weight, migraine, unexplained edema, gas, bloating, chronic fatigue, constipation, skin diseases (e.g., acne, itching, neurodermatitis, chronic eczema, etc.), rheumatic diseases, asthma, diarrhea, stomach cramps, psychological disorders, sleep disorders, headache, respiratory diseases, chronic pharyngitis, frequent colds, mouth sores, epigastric pain, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, frequent upper respiratory tract infections, chronic runny nose, and ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).
Recent scientific studies have shown that many diseases of unknown cause and resistant to treatment are, at their root, caused by food intolerance developing as a result of disrupted intestinal flora.
A study conducted in Germany in 2008 clearly established the relationship between the foods we consume and chronic diseases. This new data has been a guide for hard-to-treat conditions seen in roughly half the population, such as irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatism, and psoriasis.
Recovery Rates
In the study conducted, the state of participants' intestinal flora and their food sensitivities were first examined using two methods. Stool analysis was performed on 4,000 people, and their blood was tested for IgG and IgE. In 3,800 people, sensitivity to foods and the state of the intestinal flora were examined using the electroacupuncture (Vegatest) method. In addition, 3,500 people were evaluated using ProQuant and applied kinesiology (AK) testing. The results were found to be consistent with one another. Following the research, participants avoided the identified trigger foods for 2 months, their intestinal flora was regulated, and they were given enzyme supplements. 1,800 people avoided only the trigger foods for 3 months. Surprising results were observed. In people whose intestinal flora was regulated, the treatment results were found to be significant.
The recovery rates observed for the conditions were as follows:
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Gas and bloating complaints (96%)
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Stomach problems (90%)
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General pain (82%)
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Hives, itching (82%)
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Colitis (81%)
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Chronic fatigue (79%)
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Rheumatism (67%)
These results show that a food we consume and consider harmless may have caused us significant problems for years.