In addition to being necessary to live, eating food is also a pleasurable experience. Deriving enjoyment of food is a priority in our lives - so much so that a recent UK survey revealed that the number one thing people would miss the most if they moved abroad would be a Sunday roast! It is a sad fact, however, that many people have to watch what they eat because certain foods trigger a reaction in their bodies that, in more severe cases, can require medical treatment. As a result, they need to ensure that they follow a strict diet so as to avoid the acute discomfort that would be derived from some foods.

FOOD ALLERGY AND FOOD INTOLERANCE

• Adverse reaction to certain foods was acknowledged as far back as 75 BC when a Roman poet and philosopher named Lucretius said; "What is food to one man may be fierce poison to another." Before that, Hippocrates, the Greek physician claimed; "We are what we eat!" He couldn’t have been more correct seeing as how our lives today are very much entwined with our diets and health. That is, our lives seem dependent on the food that we consume.


• Over the centuries the food that we eat has changed dramatically in that we have access to more exotic and diverse options, many modern food choices contain additives and we have developed new and advanced methods for storing, containing and preserving food. It is of little wonder, then, that a significant percentage of us are sensitive to what we eat simply because we are spoilt for both the choice and availability of food.


• There are two different types of conditions that result in an unwelcome bodily reaction to certain types of food ­ food allergy and food intolerance. Over the past several decades there have been a growing number of incidences involving food allergies and intolerance. But what is the difference between the two?
  
  - Food Allergy is when a person possesses an immune system that is unusually sensitive and reacts ferociously to certain foods that are otherwise harmless. This overreaction releases a massive amount of histamine from cells. Most allergies are triggered by only a few types of food ­ eggs, milk, fish, shellfish, peanuts, soya, wheat, tree nuts and seeds ­ and it’s very rare for an allergic reaction to occur in response to eating more than one or two different foods. The effects of the histamine released by an allergic reaction range from a light swelling and irritation in the mouth to anaphylactic shock, a severe consequence of an allergy that includes serious swelling of the throat. This blocks the airway and impairs breathing. These symptoms are shockingly rapid and require immediate treatment on the spot. Therefore, people who suffer from a severe food allergy need to know the exact ingredients in the food they eat, because eating even a minute amount of an allergenic food can be fatal.
  
  - Food Intolerance (Delayed Food Allergy) triggers a much slower and milder response. It is far more common for people to have an intolerance to certain kinds of food than suffer from a food allergy but it nevertheless still enforces restrictions on one’s diet and choice of food. The most common triggers for food intolerance are wheat, dairy, citrus and yeast. A reaction to food intolerance doesn’t necessarily aggravate the immune system but usually causes uncomfortable symptoms such as, stomach pains, diarrhoea, constipation, headaches, rashes and some skin conditions like eczema. The effects of eating food that causes intolerance become apparent between anything from a few minutes to a few hours. The symptoms are certainly not life threatening and not overly serious but they do provoke an unwelcome degree of discomfort that the sufferer could clearly quite do without. However, it is possible for a person with an intolerance to certain foods to eat very small amounts without it causing a problem.