There’s nothing worse than allergies – but should our favourite foods be on the hit-list instead?
While we’re quick to blame persistent tummy troubles, headaches or fatigue on allergies, the real thorns in our sides could be sensitivities to foods like wheat, soy and dairy.
Now, Canadians can simply pop into their local Rexall or Rexall Pharma Plus store for a quick and easy blood test and find out whether any of 250 common foods and food additives are making them ill or contributing to chronic health concerns.
According to the makers of HEMOCODE™ Food Intolerance System, almost 30 per cent of North Americans suffer food or food additive intolerances.
The test, available at more than 200 stores in Canada, involves a pharmacist taking a pin-prick of blood from your finger, sending it away to be analysed then talking you through the results within ten days. You get a personalised diet plan, recipes and recommended supplements. A naturopath is available to chat with, too.
But when is your food sensitivty an allergy, and when is it an intolerance? According to a report in The Globe and Mail, most people who think they have food allergies are actually suffering from intolerances.
Out of the 20% of people who claim to be allergic, only 3-4% actually are.
Hugh Sampson, director of the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, told the Washington Post that the difference is in the severity of the symptoms.
While digestive grumbles like gas, bloating and diarrhea might be unpleasant, they’re not allergic reactions.
True allergic reactions are triggered by the immune system, and can include nausea, vomiting, itching, swelling, hives, sneezing, coughing wheezing, swelling of the throat and loss of consciousness.
They can happen so fast and be so serious, that the person might die without immediate medical treatment.
Someone with food intolerance may suffer similar symptoms – but are unlikely to suffer such serious consequences.
We shouldn’t take it too lightly though, as life-threatening allergies appear to be on the rise. U.S surveys conducted in 1997, 2002 and 2008, finding increases in allergies to peanuts and tree nuts in children. The reason for the increase is unclear.
- HEMOCODE™ Food Intolerance System costs $450 and is available in Rexall and Pharma Plus stores. For more information, visit www.hemocode.com
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