SPECIAL DIETS
Having to live with the fact that certain types of food can leave you feeling very unwell makes it quite difficult for some people to know what exactly it is they can and cant eat.
This section gives information and a little advice about food allergies and intolerance and how people can learn to live with them.
This section gives information and a little advice about food allergies and intolerance and how people can learn to live with them.
ABOUT SPECIAL DIETS
HOW TO FIND OUT IF YOU'RE INTOLERANT/ALLERGIC TO CERTAIN FOODS
- There are several methods that can be used to determine if youre particularly sensitive to certain types of food. Allergies trigger an immediate, fierce reaction and are, therefore, quite easily identified. The symptoms relating to an intolerance, on the other hand, might not surface for several hours or even days following the ingestion of the food, which makes the cause of the reaction extremely difficult to identify.
- If you believe that you have an allergy or suspect that you have an intolerance to certain foods, then you should contact your GP as soon as possible. There are several different tests that can be performed in order to determine a persons allergy/intolerance:
- Dietary History: This is an important part of the process where a dietary record is kept, which compares any flare-up of symptoms with foods eaten.
- Skin Prick Test: This is a test where small samples of the suspected foods are put on the skin (usually on the forearm). Results are usually known within around twenty minutes and the test itself is quite painless.
- Blood Tests: This is where a small sample of blood is extracted and then sent to a laboratory for testing. A blood test is most likely used for diagnosing the causes of serious and potentially fatal food allergies.
- Food Challenge Tests: These tests are only performed in the presence of specialists. This is where a small sample of the suspect food is disguised and fed to the patient. A doctor then monitors the bodys response.
- Exclusion Tests: This is where the suspect foods are avoided for a few weeks before being gradually reintroduced into the diet. A diary is kept to monitor the bodys response to the foods so as to determine the ones that are causing the symptoms. This test should be performed under the supervision of a dietician. - Once you have your test results you should consult with your GP so that you can plan a course of action as to how you may have to alter your diet. In addition, any diagnosis of a food allergy should be regularly re-evaluated, especially if it is a child that has the allergy.