A food allergy is an adverse reaction to a food protein. It’s different from other adverse reactions to food, like food intolerance.
The protein in the food is the most common allergy component. In this case, an allergic response to a food is caused by the immune system mistakenly identifying a protein as being harmful.
These proteins then become resistant to digestion. When they’re not broken down, an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE) or immunoglobulin G (IgG) attaches to it. This is what makes the immune system think the protein is harmful, and the body acts like it’s under attack.
This allergen-antibody complex subsequently deposits in tissues of the body and cause a myriad of symptoms. When IgE is involved, the allergic reaction is quick, such as an upset stomach or difficulty breathing.
IgG, on the other hand, is slow acting and symptoms may take up to three weeks to present themselves, making it very difficult for an individual to judge which foods are the culprit.
Such symptoms can include:
* bloating
* anxiety
* joint inflammation
* depression
* weakness
* asthma
* flatulence
* irregular heartbeat
* acne
* dry skin
* chronic fatigue
* difficulty sleeping
* water retention
* hunger
* obesity
* and rapid weight fluctuation.
And that’s just to name a few.
Obviously any of these could be associated with other medical issues; but it’s important to know that nearly all symptoms can be related to a food allergy.
One may also notice a lot of symptoms are related to weight loss and will significantly hinder any attempt at it.
The symptoms are diverse and complex; but having our practitioner identify the foods you should avoid with a simple blood test is relatively easy and will eliminate some significant factors standing in the way of you and optimum health.
