food sensitivity Archives - Lifelab Testing

Nutrichondria: the new health epidemic

As food allergies are becoming more common, there is concern that the data on just how common they are may be skewed due to a new phenomenon; “nutrichondria”. You may have never heard of this new health epidemic. But you’ve likely noticed the wave of individuals self-diagnosing a food intolerance or allergy, despite any scientifically concrete evidence.

A recent DNAFit study defined nutrichondria as “a preoccupation with negative details of one’s diet and a propensity to self-diagnose food intolerances or allergies based on supposition or flawed evidence”.

Why is this a problem? There are various issues with this recent phenomenon, and it can have detrimental effects on one’s health. Here’s how; 

Misdiagnosis of a Food Intolerance or Allergy

Firstly, there’s a huge chance that any self-diagnosis will be a misdiagnosis. This can be just as dangerous as no diagnosis at all, as you may be attributing certain symptoms with the completely wrong food. You’ll then avoid one item while still risking exposure to the true allergen – making you no better off and far more likely to experience adverse reactions than if you had taken a food allergies test, to begin with.

Nutrient deficiency

Whenever food is restricted from the diet, it’s important that you ensure you aren’t allowing yourself to become deficient in the nutrients available in that which you’ve eliminated from your diet. Be sure to replace those micronutrients in your diet to avoid any deficiencies, as vitamin deficiency can bring about all manner of new issues.

Could be a completely different issue

It’s possible that you’ll end up self-diagnosing something as a food allergy or intolerance when, in reality, the issue is something more sinister. Many conditions and diseases all present themselves in similar ways, and it takes a trained physician to understand the subtle differences between them all. An incorrect self-diagnosis could become very dangerous if you end up accidentally ignoring something more malignant.

Don’t self-diagnose

Just like you wouldn’t diagnose yourself with cancer or a mental illness, you shouldn’t self-diagnose a food intolerance or allergy. It’s far safer to get tested if you suspect a food intolerance or allergy, even if it’s just to eliminate them both as a possible cause of your symptoms – you’ll be much better off in the long run.


Elimination Diets and Food Intolerance Testing

There is some argument surrounding intolerance testing and elimination diets. While many condemn intolerance testing saying that a simple elimination diet is sufficient, others swear by food intolerance testing and its efficacy in dealing with food intolerances. At Lifelab testing, we take a different approach. We say, is it too much to ask for both?

Intolerance testing and elimination diets should go hand-in-hand. Both should be used as tools towards achieving a healthier, symptom-free life. In this article, we’ll cover:

– What an elimination diet is

– Who it is for

– How to do an elimination diet

– Our tips for maximising your elimination diet

– Elimination diets without intolerance testing

– The science behind IgG testing

Let’s dive into what an elimination diet is and why it matters.

What is an Elimination Diet?

An elimination diet is a short-term diet where you restrict the foods you eat, with the intention of alleviating existing food intolerance or allergy symptoms. From there, you can gradually introduce foods back into your diet one-at-a-time, and any subsequent signs of discomfort may help you identify which food you are allergic to.

Elimination diets are used when people suspect that they have a reaction but haven’t been able to identify the root cause of their symptoms. They’re also commonly used following a food intolerance test or allergy test to confirm the exact offending item.

An elimination diet should last for at least 4 weeks to allow time for all eliminated foods to be completely flushed out of your system. After the initial 4-week elimination period, you can begin to reintroduce those foods, one at a time, to determine which foods were the root of your symptoms.

It is not uncommon for the elimination period to be enough for a reaction to dissipate entirely. However, this is not always the case, and you should be cautious when reintroducing items – especially those you suspect you might be allergic to.

Elimination Diets Must Follow Intolerance Testing Anyway

Intolerance testing alone will only tell you which foods your blood has responded too. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that all of those foods are the root cause of your symptoms.

In order to get the benefits from food intolerance testing, you need to commence an elimination diet. But, how so?

Who is an Elimination Diet for?

An elimination diet is ideal for anyone regularly experiencing digestive symptoms such as bloating, constipation, abdominal cramping, or gas. It may also be useful if you are suffering from brain fog, regular headaches, or constant fatigue. These are all common symptoms of food intolerance or allergy and may be alleviated through an elimination diet.

Research indicates that an elimination diet guided by an IgG intolerance test or IgE allergy test can help with symptoms of other conditions such as Ulcerative Colitis and IBS. This is promising, as approximately 80% of IBS patients report that a specific food item triggers their symptoms. A 2013 study found that an elimination diet based on the results of an intolerance test may significantly reduce symptoms in IBS patients who also experienced migraines¹.

This positively impacted their quality of life. A separate 2018 study looked into the effects of intolerance test guided elimination diets in patients with Ulcerative Colitis as well. The study had both an intervention group (who commenced the elimination diet) and a control group (who did not alter their diet).

Reported symptoms lowered significantly within the intervention group compared to the control. With this, they concluded that the elimination diet had helped to reduce the severity of the patient’s symptoms²[. As more research is conducted, it’s becoming apparent that food intolerances play a part in various health conditions. And simply avoiding certain foods could be all it takes for many of us to live without these uncomfortable symptoms.

How to Do an Elimination Diet?

Follow these simple steps to make a start on your dieting.

1. Maintain a Food Diary

‘What gets measured, gets managed.’ So, it’s paramount that you keep track of the foods you eat during both the elimination period and the reintroduction stage. This will be invaluable in determining which foods cause symptoms and to what degree. It’s particularly important when reintroducing items back into your diet.

2. Begin Symptom Monitoring

Ideally, your food diary will also have a ‘symptoms’ section for you to monitor how each food item affects your body. This will help you spot any patterns in symptoms or lack thereof. It will also keep you motivated in moments of weakness when an old craving strikes or you’re offered something containing one of your known problem foods.

It’s helpful to give your symptoms a severity level, to both monitor your progress and determine which foods you may want to continue avoiding indefinitely. Just list the symptoms you notice, note the severity of those symptoms and list the foods you recently consumed, which may be the cause.

3. Start Replacing Nutrients

Before beginning an elimination diet, it’s recommended that you consider the foods that you’ll be avoiding, and the nutrients that these foods are rich in. You should make you aren’t removing any single primary source of nutrients without planning a replacement. For example, if you’re eliminating fish, then it’s important to make sure you still get plenty of omega 3, 6 & 9 fatty acids. While most experts would recommend that you get all of your vitamins and minerals from food sources, rather than supplements, there are times when supplementation may be necessary.

4. Explore Intolerance Testing and Allergy Testing

We recommend that your elimination diet is guided by the results from an IgG intolerance test and/or IgE allergy test, rather than your own gut instincts. Using appropriate test results to inform your elimination diet means you won’t be needlessly restricting your diet (and, as a result, risking vitamin deficiency). It’s also a much more efficient path to becoming symptom-free.

Our Tips Around Completing an Elimination Diet Successfully

Beyond the steps we’ve outlined, consider these tips to maximise the effectiveness of your diet.

Go Cold Turkey with Potentially Problematic Foods

You should start your elimination diet by removing all of those foods highlighted in your test results from your diet. Don’t try removing one item at a time, as that’s what the reintroduction stage afterwards is for. This is the most effective way to conduct the diet and will help you become symptom-free much sooner compared to eliminating the foods one at a time.

Reintroduce Food Strategically

After the 4-week elimination period, you can begin to reintroduce those foods that you removed. Remember that intolerance symptoms can appear anywhere from a few hours to two days after consuming a problem food, so we recommend reintroducing one item at a time, every couple of days. This is the point when monitoring your food intake and symptoms is most important. Be sure to track your meals and make a note of any symptoms you experience.

Start with Small Amounts of Each Food Item, Instead of Going All-in Right Away.

Food intolerances are a digestive issue, so the more you eat of a food that you have an intolerance to, the worse your symptoms can be. If you removed almonds from your diet, for example, have a handful of them at most – preferably less – and see how your body responds to them.

This is where you’ll be able to pinpoint the foods that have causing the most issues for you, and learn what your body can and can’t deal with. You may discover that your body can tolerate certain foods only in small quantities, which can help you avoid symptoms in the future.

Like we said before, the most effective way to conduct an elimination diet is following a food intolerance test. It’ll help you save time and alleviate your intolerance symptoms as quickly as possible.

Can I Do Elimination Diet Without the Intolerance Test?

A lone elimination diet leaves you constantly guessing which foods are causing your symptoms and needlessly lengthens the whole process. It makes you suffer intolerance symptoms for longer than necessary while you keep adding foods to the ‘avoid’ list, hoping to find relief. Because of all this guesswork, the reintroduction period is also much longer than it would be had you followed the guidance of an intolerance test.

It’s far quicker to start off with a solid base of foods highlighted through testing than to hope you can accurately tell which foods aren’t agreeing with you.

IgG Food Intolerance Testing is Scientifically Backed

Unlike a simple elimination diet, IgG testing is medically proven and has various studies supporting its efficacy in reducing symptoms. More research is always being conducted on IgG food intolerances and indicating how people with various conditions can benefit from the tests. So far there are studies looking into IBS, Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis and even depression in relation to food intolerances.

There’s no argument here, the elimination diet is a key part of overcoming your food intolerances and getting back to a symptoms-free life. It should be considered one of the vital tools in finally leaving those intolerance symptoms in the dust. Purchase the Complete Intolerance Test today to discover what’s causing you issues, or fill in our Find My Test quiz to find out what test is best suited to you.

References

[1] Aydinlar, E.I., Dikmen, P.Y., Tiftikci, A., Saruc, M., Aksu, M., Gunsoy, H.G. and Tozun, N. (2013). IgG-based elimination diet in migraine plus irritable bowel syndrome. Headache, [online] 53(3), pp.514–25. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23216231 [Accessed 10 Mar. 2020].

[2] Jian, L., Anqi, H., Gang, L., Litian, W., Yanyan, X., Mengdi, W. and Tong, L. (2018). Food Exclusion Based on IgG Antibodies Alleviates Symptoms in Ulcerative Colitis: A Prospective Study. Inflammatory bowel diseases, [online] 24(9), pp.1918–1925. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29788288 [Accessed 10 Mar. 2020].

How a food sensitivity test can help IBS sufferers

IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is a common disorder that affects the large intestine. There’s no known cure for the condition, but there are a variety of ways we can manage it. Interestingly enough, recent research has found that food sensitivity testing can help IBS sufferers manage their condition and improve their quality of life. Here’s how a food sensitivity test can help those living with IBS;

Identify problem foods

The first and most obvious way that food sensitivity testing can help people with IBS is because it identifies problem foods. Those sneaky ingredients which are likely to be causing flare-ups, worsen symptoms and are ultimately making your life miserable. Instead of having symptoms constantly surprise you, you’ll be well aware of which foods your stomach doesn’t agree with and which it does.

Reduce symptoms

Secondly, you’ll be able to reduce your IBS symptoms. Research has shown that following an elimination diet guided by a food sensitivity test can significantly reduce IBS symptoms. A 2018 study compared two groups of people with IBS follow either an IgG test informed elimination diet or a ‘sham’ diet with randomly selected food items. The group who followed the IgG guided diet reported a marked improvement in IBS symptoms.

Potentially overcome intolerances

Because food sensitivities come and go throughout your life – unlike allergies – removing a problem food for a while and then later reintroducing it may result in the intolerance disappearing. While this isn’t always the case, it’s comforting to know that there’s a chance your intolerances may go away with time.

The more we research into IBS and food sensitivities the more solid the case becomes for food intolerance testing. It looks like IBS can be made much easier to deal with through food sensitivity testing. Why wouldn’t you go ahead and learn which foods are causing you havoc?

Drinking with a Yeast Intolerance over Christmas

We all enjoy an alcoholic drink or two with family and friends over the festive season. But those with allergies and intolerances can have a tougher time finding a drink that doesn’t lead to uncomfortable or potentially life-threatening symptoms. Particularly if you have a yeast intolerance or allergy, yeast is a primary ingredient in the production of these beverages.

Fermented Alcoholic Drinks

The problem for those with a yeast allergy is mostly with fermented drinks. All alcoholic beverages use yeast to help with the fermentation process. It’s used to turn the sugars into ethanol. No yeast, no alcohol.

There are a few options that those avoiding yeast can still drink on a night out though. But be warned, this is mostly anecdotal, and there is still more research needed.

Distilled Spirits – the Non-Allergenic Saviour

Because distilling a drink usually removes most yeast by-products from the liquid, the vast majority of them are considered yeast-free. The consensus is that the distillation process removes all but the most minute traces of yeast from these drinks.

Clear liquors such as Vodka and Gin are common choices for those avoiding yeast. They’re also considered the best options for avoiding a hangover because they’ve been refined. The refining often removes undesirable congeners which are also believed to contribute to hangovers. So, opting for a clear spirit could be a doubly wise choice for the yeast intolerant drinker. You could end up experiencing fewer side-effects of alcohol than those without any intolerances or allergies at all!

It’s not a Perfect Science – Yet

While the expectation is that distilled drinks shouldn’t be a problem for those with Yeast allergies, there has been very little research into it. If you are allergic to yeast, its best to discuss further allergy testing with your allergist or doctor before adding any of these drinks to your diet.

Eating at restaurants with a food sensitivity

A new YouGov survey has revealed that 25% of people with food sensitivities feel that restaurants do not take their intolerances or allergies seriously. Below, Lifelab Testing is sharing its top tips for ensuring you can eat safely when out and about if you are suffering from food sensitivities:

Plan ahead and speak to the restaurant

Every restaurant and café should now, by law, have an allergens list available for its customers to look through, with the allergens for each product clearly marked to ensure no one with an allergy will consume the food.

Learn the alternative name of your allergen

There are a number of food allergens which can be listed under alternative names, and this make identifying them more difficult, so getting to know these are crucial. Alternative names include: Albumin (egg), einkorn (wheat), triticale (wheat), yakidofu (soy) and okara (soy).

Check for cross-contamination

Allergens can be found in a product through cross contamination with other products being made in the same kitchens. The law usually requires that food labels and menus state if cross-contamination could have occurred, however if food items are made on-site then it does not need to be stated – always check with staff.

Always read the label twice if you know it is processed

Processed foods often include ingredients such as soy, milk, egg and wheat to act as preservatives, or to enhance texture or flavour – allergy sufferers are urged to take extra care when purchasing and consuming these products.

Advise the Food Standards Agency

If a sensitivity is triggered by a specific food that shouldn’t include the allergen, the consumer should report the incident to the Food Standards Agency, who can issue advice and potentially recall the product.

Subscribe to the Food Standards Agency

As a result of incident reports and testing, the Food Standards Agency issue product recalls as soon as they happen, in order to avoid any further reactions.

Make sure friends and family know the signs

Ensuring that friends and family know the signs of an allergic reaction is crucial and can be life-saving. These can include: swelling of the throat or tongue, causing the individual to sound hoarse and have difficulty swallowing; a rash or swelling to parts of the face; breathing difficulties; low blood pressure, causing dizziness or fainting; and abdominal pain or vomiting.

Lifelab Testing offers a range of at-home intolerance and allergy testing kits, alongside access to a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist to discuss any results customers receive and how to ensure diets are filled with all necessary nutrients. Tests are available from just £74.99 at www.lifelabtesting.com. Let us know if any of these work for you by visiting our Facebook page:

The full YouGov survey results can be found here or at yougov.co.uk.