The difference between food allergy and food intolerance

If you are trying to work out if your child has a food allergy or food intolerance then you may like ot read the article by FIA (Food Intolerance Awareness), a branch of Allergy UK.

Food Allergy
The article outlines how a food allergy is an adverse reaction of the immune system and how this can be serious. The bodies antibodies fight the allergens in the food which triggers the immune response which results in the release of histamine and other chemicals in the body.

Symptoms can include rashes, swelling, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain, hives and much more. In serious cases anaphylaxis can occur and this is extremely serious. Symptoms normally appear within minutes (but up to a few hours) of eating/touching the food.

The most common foods that cause allergic reactions are: Peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, fish, shellfish, and sesame.

Food intolerance
Food intolerance is less clear cut and can make the person feel quite unwell. Food intolerance is much slower reaction and the reaction can be hours or even days later. It has been associated with other inflammatory illesses including IBS and skin problems.

Symptoms can last for hours or days and the symptoms are often difficult to diagnose - but may inlcude lethargy, feeling bloated, problems with the bowels, skin, joints, headaches.

It can be difficult to work out which foods cause the problem as it could be several and the delayed reaction makes it more difficult.

If you'd like to read the full article then visit:

http://www.foodintoleranceawareness.org/allergyorintol.htm

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