Food Allergies & Intolerances

Allergy or intolerance?

A food allergy is an immune response to food and symptoms can range for mild to severe. More commonly they affect the gut , skin and respiratory (ability to breath). Symptoms of a food allergy include an itchy throat, mouth or ears, a rash (or hives), vomiting and swelling of the face, lips or tongue.

There are two types of allergic reactions, typical IgE mediated and Non IgE mediated 

1. IgE Mediated (immediate) involves the production of an antibody known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) which circulates within the bloodstream

2. Non IgE (delayed) is the mast cell, a cell which occurs in body tissue but is common in sites of allergic reactions.

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FAQ : Allergy Tests 

A : If we suspect you are suffering from an IgE immediate type of allergy , we will arrange a skin prick test and blood test with your GP. For a Non IgE food allergy, reactions are delayed therefor skin prick/allergy testing will not be accurate. If you have a Non IgE mediated allergy we will do a food elimination diet which is gold standard first line advice of Non IgE mediated allergies. 

This will involve the suspected food to be removed from your diet for two to six weeks, before the food slowly being reintroduced. If you notice a recovery during the elimination, only for symptoms to return when reintroducing the food, you may have an allergy or intolerance.

Please do not attempt a food elimination diet without discussing the changes with your GP or a nutrition professional.

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Food intolerance

Food intolerances are more common but is typically harder to diagnose as food intolerance tests are not evidence based. Food intolerances do not cause an immune response but rather malabsorption of the food product which may cause digestive symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation and abdominal discomfort which may last a few hours or days.  Symptoms are often delayed, occurring hours later and sometimes lasting a number of days. The symptoms associated with food intolerance are usually gut-related, such as diarrhoea, bloating, constipation and skin problems, such as eczema.  People may experience non-specific symptoms, such as headaches, brain fog and lethargy.

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How can we help?

At Nutrition and Co, our specialist allergy dietitian can help you understand the foods that are causing your symptoms and assist you in the successful implementation of an exclusion and reintroduction diet. They will advise you on how to avoid the confirmed/suspected allergen, to prevent symptoms while maintaining a healthy, balance your diet and ensure it meets your nutritional requirements.

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Types of Food Allergies

The most common food allergies are : 

• Milk

• Egg

• Peanuts

• Tree nuts (including almonds, walnuts and cashews)

• Fish (including pollock, salmon, cod, tuna, snapper, eel and tilapia)

• Crustacean shellfish (including shrimp, lobster and crab)

• Soy

• Wheat