It has been estimated that around 45% of the UK population suffer from adverse reactions from the food they eat. Common symptoms include nausea, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, indigestion, IBS, headaches, skin problems and lethargy, to name a few.
Allergy v Intolerance
It can take less than an hour for an allergic reaction to take affect and may result in vomiting, diarrhoea and skin rashes. Food intolerance can go undetected for long periods of time because individuals rarely attribute their symptoms to the type of foods they eat on a regular basis.
Types of food intolerance
There are many foods that people can be intolerant to but the most common are milk (lactose - sugar), gluten, wheat and certain food preservatives. In the UK and Ireland 5 in 100 people are lactose intolerant. This is caused by a shortage the enzyme lactase, which is needed to breakdown lactose in the gut.
Wheat and gluten intolerance is very common and if severe enough can cause coeliac disease. This is caused by an inflammation if the lining of the small intestine which disrupt digestion.
Implications for exercise
Adequate nutrition and digestive health is vital if you are to maintain an active, exercise-filled lifestyle. As previously stated food intolerances can leave you feeling tired, bloated and lethargic, making it very difficult to exercise. Foods that individuals are intolerant to may be their main source of energy for exercise or may be essential for recovery after exercise.
Identifying food intolerance
If your symptoms lead you to suspect that you have food intolerance then there are several courses of action. Firstly you can pay for a blood test that is an accurate but expensive way of identifying foods that produce certain reactions in the body. However, this may not identify all intolerances.
A more pro-active way of diagnosing food intolerance is to eliminate different food groups from your diet for a period of 4-6 weeks. It is recommended that you consult a health professional before starting an elimination diet.
Buying food
If you are on an elimination diet it is vital that you remove all traces of the food group in question. Therefore it is vital to check food labels carefully. Since 2005 the European Union have required that all labels should state whether they contain certain foods, including nuts, eggs, wheat and gluten.
If your eating out then pre-warn the restaurant that you have special dietary requirements and then inform the waitress or waiter again when you arrive.
For more information about food intolerance visit the British Nutrition Foundation on http://www.nutrition.org.uk/
Allergy v Intolerance
It can take less than an hour for an allergic reaction to take affect and may result in vomiting, diarrhoea and skin rashes. Food intolerance can go undetected for long periods of time because individuals rarely attribute their symptoms to the type of foods they eat on a regular basis.
Types of food intolerance
There are many foods that people can be intolerant to but the most common are milk (lactose - sugar), gluten, wheat and certain food preservatives. In the UK and Ireland 5 in 100 people are lactose intolerant. This is caused by a shortage the enzyme lactase, which is needed to breakdown lactose in the gut.
Wheat and gluten intolerance is very common and if severe enough can cause coeliac disease. This is caused by an inflammation if the lining of the small intestine which disrupt digestion.
Implications for exercise
Adequate nutrition and digestive health is vital if you are to maintain an active, exercise-filled lifestyle. As previously stated food intolerances can leave you feeling tired, bloated and lethargic, making it very difficult to exercise. Foods that individuals are intolerant to may be their main source of energy for exercise or may be essential for recovery after exercise.
Identifying food intolerance
If your symptoms lead you to suspect that you have food intolerance then there are several courses of action. Firstly you can pay for a blood test that is an accurate but expensive way of identifying foods that produce certain reactions in the body. However, this may not identify all intolerances.
A more pro-active way of diagnosing food intolerance is to eliminate different food groups from your diet for a period of 4-6 weeks. It is recommended that you consult a health professional before starting an elimination diet.
Buying food
If you are on an elimination diet it is vital that you remove all traces of the food group in question. Therefore it is vital to check food labels carefully. Since 2005 the European Union have required that all labels should state whether they contain certain foods, including nuts, eggs, wheat and gluten.
If your eating out then pre-warn the restaurant that you have special dietary requirements and then inform the waitress or waiter again when you arrive.
For more information about food intolerance visit the British Nutrition Foundation on http://www.nutrition.org.uk/
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