Got milk?

This post if for Lili, I hope it helps.

Way back in 2013 I wrote a post on the Milk Dilemma.  Everyone seems to have an opinion about milk lately, with some promoting it and some saying it's unhealthy - cow's milk that is.

Well, I have to admit I'm on the "Cow's milk is unhealthy" team.  Some say we are the only species that still drinks milk after weening and some defend that by saying we are the only species that have milk available to us after weening.  Have you stopped to think that just maybe the other non milk drinking species don't make it available to themselves BECAUSE THEY DON'T NEED IT????

But, I don't want to get into a heated discussion as to whether cow's milk is good for you or not.  You can decide that after reading the Milk Dilemma ;)

What I am here to do today is to tell you about the other options you have and how healthy they are for you.  First off you will have your own opinions as to why you are giving up cow's milk; if you are intolerant to lactose or allergic to the protein in milk (casein), or you just don't want dairy from another animal.  If you have nut allergies then stay clear of the nut milks such as almond milk and all other nut milks including SOY.

But here is the lowdown:

Soy Milk:  This is a nut milk so be careful if you have nut issues.  It is ok for vegans and vegetarians
and is comparable to cow's milk as far as it's protein content goes.  It is also low in fat and some brands are fortified with calcium and vitamins A and D.  It is believed that soy products can help manage cholesterol levels, however, you will need about 25g of soy protein (3-4 glasses of soy milk) per day to achieve this.  However, I have 2 warnings:

• Not everyone can tolerate soy so if, after a couple of weeks of quitting cow's milk and starting with soy, you experience headaches and digestive problems it could well mean you are intolerant to soy.
• Make sure your soy milk is from a reputable organic source.  Lots of commercial brands use GMO soy crops.  Also be sure to avoid soy milk with added sugars.

If you are worried about GMOs, Greenpeace has published a guide to commercial brands that have tested positive for GMO products or have openly admitted to using them.  In English I have found the Canadian version at www.gefreebc.files.wordpress.com  I'll keep digging to see if I can find one for the UK.

Almond Milk:  A simple blend (like all nut milks) of raw almonds soaked in water, usually fortified with calcium and vitamins D and B12 amongst others.  Lower in calories than cow's milk, just 60 calories per cup vs 146 calories per cup of regular cow's milk.  There is no cholesterol in Almond milk or saturated fat, it's low in sodium and high in healthy fats such as omega fatty acids, which help prevent high blood pressure and heart disease.

Almond milk also helps to keep your bones strong, and  offers 30% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of calcium and 25% RDA of Vitamin D.  It also contains 50% of the RDA for Vitamin E so it also keeps your skin glowing.  It contains B vitamins and iron both important for muscle tone and repair.

Almond milk isn't high in sugars so won't impact your blood sugar levels and reducing your risk of diabetes.

I  personally don't like the taste as it is too similar to marzipan - but that's just me!  Almond milk is a definite NO NO if you have nut issues/allergies.

Coconut Milk:  Made from pressed coconut with added calcium.  This is lower in protein with higher levels of saturated fat than most of the other plant-based milks.

You can have this on your cereal or in your tea and it makes a great latte!  It can be used in cooking and you can make coconut yogurts with it too.

The fats in coconuts, although saturated, are mostly in the form or medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), in particular one called lauric acid, which is converted in the body into a highly beneficial compound called monolaurin.  This is a antiviral and antibacterial that destroys a wide variety of disease causing organisms.

MCFAs are quickly metabolised into energy in the liver and are believed to be less likely to be stored as fat due to this rapid absorption.

Oat Milk:  Less sugar than rice milk, this is the one my 8 year old loves.  Oat milk contains 10 minerals and 15 vitamins.  Just 1 cup of oat milk contains 36% RDA of calcium, it also contains 10% RDA of Vitamin A, which is twice as much as that of cow's milk, and just one serving of oat milk contains 10% RDA of Iron.

The reason why my 8 year old drinks oat milk instead of cow's milk started off because he has dermatitis and by 5 he still had cradle cap, I took him off cow's milk and it was gone in a week ;)

Rice Milk:  The least likely to cause allergies, it has no saturated fat or cholesterol, however it doesn't have much protein either.  Rice milk is a good source of B vitamins which are essential for your metabolism, circulation and nerve function.  High in starch, rice milk is NOT a good option for diabetics, but it does promote cardiovascular health.  The unsaturated fat found in rice milk comes from rice bran oil which can lower blood cholesterol.  Niacin and vitamin B6 contribute to this.  It is also a great source of magnesium which helps control blood pressure.  Rice milk also contains iron and copper which increases red blood cell production leading to better oxygenation and vitality.  Rice milk is low in calcium, but it is also high in manganese and selenium which are powerful antioxidants which help protect the body from infections and cancer.

I love rice milk with coconut and coffee in the morning!

Hemp Milk:  This vegan product made from hemp seeds - but NO, it isn't made from marijuana!  However, the hemp plant AND it's seeds are highly nutritious.  One 8oz glass of hemp milk contains:

• 900mg Omega 3 fatty acid
• 2800mg Omega 6 fatty acid
• All 10 essential amino acids our bodies need for health but can only obtain from food
• 4g protein
• 46% RDA calcium
• 0% cholesterol
• Potassium
• Phosphorous
• Riboflavin
• Vitamins A, D, E, B12, Folic Acid, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc

Including hemp milk in your diet will help strengthen your immune system, give you clear, healthy skin, hair and nails, heart health, increased mental capacity and it is also an anti-inflammatory and improves circulation.

Basically, if you are changing to a plant-based milk, then you need to try them and find the one you LIKE the best.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Is Almond Milk as good as you think?

As I work in food intolerances I see a lot of intolerance to cow, goat and sheep milk - and obviously everything related to them... yogurts, butter and cheese.  So, if a person can't take their coffee or tea without milk, then I suggest other milk substitutes such as almond milk, rice milk or oat milk - if they aren't intolerant to any of those components either.

A friend recently asked me how healthy almond milk really is as she had heard that the almond content in almond milk was actually very low.

So, I admit, I'd never really thought about it, but decided to investigate.  I found a report about the surprising lack of almonds in almond milk.  According to the report a half gallon carton of almond milk contains less than one handful of almonds.  One analysis of a UK almond brand, Alpro, revealed that it only contains 2% almonds of the total drink, the rest is water, Sugar, Calcium (tri-calcium phosphate), Sea salt, Stabilisers (Locust bean gum, Gellan gum), Emulsifier (Sunflower lecithin), Vitamins (Riboflavin (B2), B12, E, D2).

Ok, so almond milk doesn't actually have a whole lot of almonds...  Almonds are highly nutritious as they are high in protein and healthy fats and are a great energy source.  The article I found is actually quite a scathing attack on almond milk companies and compares the benefits of raw almonds to almond milk:

A serving of almonds contains roughly 160 calories whilst a cup of almond milk contains just 30 calories.  A standard serving of almonds contains 6g of protein and 14g of healthy fats.  A cup of almond milk has just 1g of protein and 2.5g of healthy fats.

However, I don't get what the problem is.  I mean, almond milk and other vegetable milks are there to be used as a substitute for cow's milk - and other animal milks.

What do you use almond milk for?  Do you use it to brighten up your coffee or on your morning cereal?  Are you trying to get something other than taste out of it?

Cow's milk is a very polemic subject.  There are those for it and those against it.  I, for one, am against it.  Milk produce should be reduced to just 5% of anybody's diet - you see that?  I don't ban it all together unless you are either allergic or intolerant to it.  If you have no known allergy or intolerance to it, then keep it below 5% and you'll be just fine, as long as it is grass-fed and free ranging.  Other than that, it really isn't a necessary part of a balanced diet - we humans do not NEED cow's milk.

So, if we take into account that we are better off without it, and the substitutes are almond milk, etc.. then why does it matter if almond milk is only 2% almonds?  If you have a fresh food, balanced diet... as in forget the processed "foods" and base your meals on plants with a bit of animal protein... then you don't NEED to get as many calories and healthy fats from almond milk as you would from eating raw almonds.  Almond milk would just be a nice, healthier addition to your day than topping up your coffee with processed, highly hormoned, antibiotic and puss stuffed cow's milk...

So, does it really matter that almond milk is just 2% almonds?  You can have a highly nutritious diet which included raw nuts, avocados, etc for healthy fats.  In order to get all the nutrition you get with eating almonds, from just the almond milk you'd have to drink the whole carton in one go - roughly, so what would you prefer?  To be happy in the knowledge that your 2% almond milk is not doing the damage to your body that cow's milk does?  Or to be upset that it only contains 2% almonds?

I don't think that almond milk is made to substitute eating almonds but as a substitute for cow's milk and it needs to be understood as that.

Me?  I'm more worried about the amount of sugar it contains!

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Sex or cake?

Yes, you heard me right!  Apparently one in six women would give up sex forever in exchange for a slice of their favorite cake.  A surprising "study" or survey has come to light in the United Kingdom, people are actually willing to give up essential things in favor of eating... cake.  Some of the things they are willing to give up are: their car, mobile phone, the internet, and wine.

The survey also found that cake is used as a tool to get what they want.  One in eight have brought cakes into their office to get their way with their boss, while 11% of men have tried to win a woman's heart with a cake - compared to 7% of women.

It was also revealed that 9% of men are willing to give up sex for cake, compared to 16% of women, and a quarter would be willing to delete their Twitter and Facebook accounts and never watch their favorite TV show again... just for a slice of cake.

So which is really better for you?  Cake or sex?

Well, cake contains (depending on the recipe): butter or margarine, sugar, eggs, milk, chocolate and flour...  If you read this blog on a regular basis you will know I am not a fan of milk or sugar.  Cow's milk is downright dangerous to health  and sugar... well we all know the dangers of too much sugar in our diets.  Eating sugar has exactly the same reaction in the brain to cocaine.  Refined white flour has no nutritional value what so ever - neither does sugar.  Anything that has been refined has been stripped of it's goodness first so it doesn't "give" you anything.  Also refined carbs make you fat.  Yes, it has been proven on many occasion that it isn't saturated fat that is making us fat but refined carbohydrates.  Also eating too many carbs can cause insulin resistance and the onset of type II diabetes.  Margarine is full of trans fats which are far more dangerous than natural fats.  The butter and eggs are the least dangerous but when mixed with the refined flour and sugar, cause havoc on the digestive system.  Dark natural chocolate isn't too bad either as long as it is organic.

Now, the benefits of sex (here are just 7, but there are many more):

1. Helps keep your immune system working.  People who have sex have higher levels of what defends your body against germs, viruses, and other intruders.  Researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania found that college students who had sex once or twice a week had higher levels of a certain antibody compared to students who had sex less often.  Also, "Sexually active people take fewer sick days," says Yvonne K. Fulbright, PhD - a sexual health expert.
2. Lowers your blood pressure.  Research suggests a link between sex and lower blood pressure, says Joseph J. Pinzone, MD, CEO and medical director of Amai Wellness.  "There have been many studies," he says. "One landmark study found that sexual intercourse specifically lowered systolic blood pressure."
3. Sex is exercise.  Sex uses about five calories per minute, four more calories than watching TV.  It bumps up your heart rate and uses various muscles.  Now this doesn't mean you don't need to do traditional exercise, but it definitely has added benefits.
4. Lowers heart attack risk.  A good sex life is good for your heart.  Besides being a great way to raise your heart rate, sex helps keep your estrogen and testosterone levels in balance.  In one study it was found that men who had sex at least twice a week were half as likely to die of heart disease as men who had sex rarely.
5. Sex lessens pain.  Try swapping painkillers for an orgasm!  Stimulation without orgasm can also do the trick but "Orgasm can block pain," says Barry R. Komisaruk, PhD.
6. Improves sleep.  Most find it very easy to fall asleep after having sex.  "After orgasm, the hormone prolactin is released, which is responsible for the feelings of relaxation and sleepiness after sex," says Sheenie Ambardar, MD, a psychiatrist in West Hollywood, California.
7. Eases Stress.  Being close to your partner can soothe stress and anxiety.  Sex and intimacy can boost your self-esteem and happiness too, it's not only a prescription for a healthy life, but a happy one too!

So, cake or sex?  I know which one I choose!

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Harvard says NO to Dairy

You all know my feelings on milk and dairy produce, I've written many times about the dangers of milk and dairy products in a diet, and now it seems Harvard is doing the same.  You have also heard me talk about the dangers of the government food pyramids and plates that are supposed to give guidelines on healthy eating... if we all followed their advice we'd all by overweight.

The Harvard School of Public Health has released its Healthy Eating Plate food guide.  This new guide has been published in response to the USDA's new MyPlate Guide.

Harvard's nutrition experts have declared that the university's food guide is based on sound nutrition research and more importantly is NOT influenced by food industry lobbyists.

The most gratifying news is that there is a clear absence of dairy products from the Healthy Eating Plate, based on Harvard's evaluation that:

"high intake can increase the risk of prostate cancer and possibly ovarian cancer."

The experts at Harvard also referred to the high levels of saturated fat in dairy produce and suggested that other foods such as bok choy, fortified soy milk (organic) and baked beans (beware of sugar content) are safer choices than dairy for obtaining calcium, as are high quality supplements.

Harvard also promotes a higher intake of fruits and vegetables as well as healthier protein options such as fish, beans or nuts.

I have to congratulate the Harvard experts for going against the food industry lobbyists and proving to the USDA what healthy eating is really about.

However, it is blatantly clear that we need to get our calcium from somewhere.  It is impossible to get calcium from milk for one simple reason; when you drink milk or milk products it causes acidity in the body.  The human body needs and alkaline environment to function correctly, so when the acidity level rises, the body leeches calcium from the bones to bring the acidity level down.

Other Calcium rich foods are:

1. White beans
2. Canned salmon
3. Sardines
4. Dried figs
5. Bok choy
6. Kale
7. Black eyed peas
8. Raw Almonds
9. Oranges
10. Any green leafy vegetable and Broccoli. 

Social Nutrition:  You can make an appointment to improve your health with Social Nutrition either in person (Madrid) or online (Skype).  Just send an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

The Milk Dilemma

First off I would like to apologize for not posting for a while.  The Christmas period has been full of life changes and a large dose of stress, so posting had to be put on hold for a while.

That said, let's get down to business.  Well, I hardly know where to begin on the milk dilema.  There is so much evidence AGAINST milk consumption that I still can't understand why milk is being pushed at us on such a constant and in your face way.

I am going to try and make this as brief as possible, but I might not manage it as there is so much to be said.

Cow's milk is for... cows

All mammals receive their mother's milk directly (in most cases) from the mammary gland.  That's what they're for.  But it is only for the first several months of life or for as long as possible in some HUMANS.  We all know there is a huge following to breast feed your child for as long as possible - it's a matter of individual opinion and to be respected.  However, in the animal kingdom (and let's not forget we humans are animals too), feeding on mother's milk is limited in time and limited to the same species.  Human breast milk has everything a human baby needs to develop in the initial stages of life in the outside world.  We don't give human breast milk to other animals. 

Why is cow's milk dangerous to human health?

The mass production of cow's milk has lead to cows being treated in some of the most abominable ways.  They are kept pregnant to increase and continue milk production, in order to do this they are injected with hormones.  Steroids are used to promote growth and antibiotics for all those diseases they have for living in poor, confined conditions and also genetically modified substances.  All cows release toxins through their milk, just as women are advised not to smoke, drink alcohol, take drugs, medication and spicy foods or drink caffeine, etc if breast feeding as amounts of these are found in breast milk and transferred to the baby, so do the toxins in cow's milk pass on to us humans.

So what exactly is in cow's milk?  Well, lots of potentially harmful substances for humans:

• A hormone cocktail of pituitary, steroid, hypothalamic and thyroid hormones.
• rBGH (Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) a genetically engineered  hormone directly linked to breast, colon and prostate cancer.  This is used in cows to increase milk production.  I would like to point out that this is banned in Europe.
• Pus:  National averages for USA show at least 322 million cell-counts of pus per glass of milk.  This is well above the human limit for pus-intake and has been directly linked to paratuberculosis bacteria, as well as Chron's Disease.  This happens because the cows suffer from mastitis from infected udders from too much milking.
• Gastrointestinal Peptides:  Nerve and epidermal growth factors, and growth inhibitors MDGI and MAF.
• Blood cells: The USDA allows up to 1.5 million white blood cells per milliliter of commonly-sold milk.  This means you and your children are drinking cow's blood in your milk!
• Antibiotics:  As previously mentioned, factory cows are in such a state of disease and are so mistreated that they are constantly injected with antibiotics to combat infections, and are rubbed down with chemical laden ointments.  Right now, regulatory committees only test for 4 of the 85 drugs in dairy cows.  This means that the other 81 drugs in cow's milk are poured directly into your glass or over your breakfast cereal and then ingested by you.  Estimates show that 38% of milk in the US is "contaminated with sulfa drugs or other antibiotics" according to a study by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest and published in the Wall Street Journal on December 29th, 1989.  A study from the FDA data showed that over half of all milk was laden with traces of pharmaceuticals yet nothing has been done to control or change this.

More Information?

If the above isn't enough to stop you consuming milk produce, here is some more interesting information to consider.  In 2008 Harvard researchers studied the effect of giving US commercial milk to third-grade students in Mongolia.  After drinking it for a month, their growth hormone levels increased dramatically by 40%  The children actually grew about 1cm during the month.  This was considered a significant statistical change by the researchers.  The researchers are currently studying whether growth spurts from milk will affect sexual maturity and puberty age.

It is known that puberty is starting at a younger age nowadays.  Some less enlightened people consider this to be evolution.  However, a lot of the problem is linked to diet and what many don't realize is that early onset puberty can lead to serious health problems in later life.

According to researchers at the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in Westernized societies, girls who start their periods before the age of 12 and who have the most menstrual cycles over a lifetime have a higher risk of dying from ovarian cancer than women with fewer periods.  The same appears to be true of breast cancer.  Earlier puberty means more menstrual cycles - and hormone laced milk produce, meat and poultry are associated with early puberty.  Childhood obesity also triggers puberty sooner.

But it isn't just the girls having all the problems.  US dairy produce accounts for 60-80% of estrogens consumed.  Excess estrogen not only makes boys mature later and have "man-boobs", but it can also delay emotional development.  Estrogen is also being studied as a possible culprit in declining sperm counts.

Nowadays we have choices.  There are other products on the market to substitute cow's milk, cheese, yogurts, etc..  You can substitute milk for rice milk, almond milk, hemp milk, etc.. Yogurts can be substituted by soy yogurts.  Cheese doesn't really have a substitute yet but, believe me, you can live without it!

5 NUTRITION MYTHS

Yes, we've all heard how coffee is bad for us, or that milk is essential for strong bones, or eggs are bad for your heart or that saturated fats are bad for us... as with most myths, some are true and others have been... BUSTED!

MYTH Nº 1: YOU MUST DRINK 8 GLASSES OF WATER A DAY = NO
We have been told over and over again that drinking 8 glasses of water a day helps the kidneys to remove toxins, leads to smoother, younger looking skin and prevents cancer.

• There's no evidence to suggest that lots of water improves the kidneys' detox function - what's more, too much water may even decrease the kidneys' ability to filter toxins.
• Studies comparing water consumption and bladder cancer have come up with inconsistent results.
• As far as skin tone goes, one small study did find increased blood flow to the skin after 2 cups of water were ingested but the researchers didn't manage to discover if this improved skin tone.
• If you have a healthy balanced diet and that includes drinking water, coffee, tea and juice you will be sufficiently hydrated.
• There is nothing against drinking as much water as you like (although a huge amount is not advisable), it just isn't a necessity as the myth suggests.

MYTH Nº 2: GREEN TEA AIDS WEIGHT LOSS = HALF TRUE

Green tea was heralded as the healthy way to boost weight loss.  It was publicized that drinking green tea instead of coffee would make people lose body fat to the tune of 10 pounds in six weeks.

• The truth is green tea contains an antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which has been shown to boost metabolism and fat burning in lab tests.
• Researchers discovered that subjects in a study burned more energy over a 24 hour period when consuming EGCG plus caffeine than those subjects taking caffeine alone.
• However, when data collected from 13 such studies were analyzed, subjects taking EGCG plus caffeine over a 3 month period lost only 1-3 pounds more than subjects taking placebo.  The difference was so slight it was deemed "not clinically relevant".
• A note of warning:  the long term safety of green tea supplements taken on an empty stomach is in doubt.  In more than 24 cases, it has been linked to liver damage.  It is a better idea to stick with beverages instead of pills.

MYTH Nº 3 MILK IS NECESSARY FOR STRONG BONES = NO

Well we've all heard this one from our childhood - it has been drummed into us from the very beginning.  However:

• On the whole, research has failed to prove that consumers of dairy produce have fewer bone fractures.  6 cohort studies - including one which followed 70.000 nurses over a 26 year period - found that women who drank the most milk had no fewer hip fractures.
• Yes, milk contains calcium, but it isn't very bio available.  Other good sources of calcium are tofu, canned salmon or sardines (bones included) and leafy green vegetables.
• In countries such as Japan and India, where dairy produce intake is low, incidence of bone fractures are also relatively low.  Which tells us that bone health is determined my more than just the amount of dairy products consumed.  Genetics, physical exercise, body size and hormone levels also play an important role.
• Vitamin D is also important to bone health.  We can obtain this from our diet but sun exposure is very important as it has the greatest potential.
• A word of warning: be wary of experts who insist that bone health is impossible without 3 servings of dairy a day.

MYTH Nº 4: FISH OIL PREVENTS HEART DISEASE = YES

Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines and tuna are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and have been found to be cardio protective.  Studies suggest that they relax blood vessels, reduce blood pressure, prevent abnormal heart rhythms and lower blood fats called triglycerides.

• Omega-3 has also been shown to improve brain function.  So all of us should be eating oily fish at least twice a week.  People with heart disease are recommended to consume twice as much (1.000 mg/day EPA + DHA combined).  To lower triglyceride levels you would need 3.000 - 4.000 mg/day.
• If you are not a great fish eater, fish oil supplements are a good source - however, check the label to make sure you are getting the right dose of EPA+DHA.
• Krill oil has been found to work well as it is water soluble so more readily absorbed by the body.

MYTH Nº 5: EGGS ARE BAD FOR YOUR HEART = NO

In 1984 Time magazine published an article holding eggs responsible for high cholesterol levels which lead to heart disease.

How many times have we been told that to eat eggs every day is dangerous to our health?  Well, since that Time magazine article in 1984, researchers have conducted several long-term cohort studies on eggs and heart disease, collectively following several hundred thousand people.  On the whole, this research has found eggs to be "not guilty" and that eating up to 6 eggs a week seems un-harmful for most healthy people.

• Eggs are associated with high cholesterol.  The majority of our cholesterol is made by the liver, which accelerates production when we consume saturated and trans fats.  However, cholesterol from food doesn't have much impact on cholesterol levels in the blood.  Some people are affected - they are called hyper-responders - studies have shown there can be an increase in HDL or good cholesterol together with LDL or bad cholesterol, this increase in HDL helps offset any increased risk.
• Eggs are relatively low in saturated fat, they also contain unsaturated fats which may be beneficial.  They are also a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals, and they are certainly a healthier alternative to muffins, bagels and sugary cereals.
• However, some people are negatively susceptible to consuming eggs.  Several studies have linked egg consumption to heart disease and premature death, among people who have diabetes, there is no clear reason as to why, so if you are a diabetic it is probably a good idea to watch your intake.
• On the whole, the biggest problem with eggs is how they are cooked - fried is the the least healthy, and what accompanies them; bacon, beans, fried bread, etc..

Food Intolerances

Food intolerances are not to be confused with food allergies. 

Food allergies are an adverse immune response to a food protein and are different from other adverse responses such as food intolerance, pharmacological reactions and toxin-mediated responses.  Food allergies occur when the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies a protein as a threat, the proteins that are resistant to digestion are tagged by the Immunoglobulin E (IgE) and considered harmful by the immune system which triggers an allergic reaction believing it is under attack.  Allergic reactions to food can range from mild to severe and symptoms include dermatitis, gastrointestinal and respiratory distress and can even become life-threatening anaphylactic responses such as biphasic anaphylaxis and vasodilation, which must receive immediate emergency intervention.  Frequent foods associated with allergies are nuts, shellfish, fish, peanuts, soya, milk, gluten and eggs. 

Food intolerances or non-allergic hypersensitivity to food is a term used for varied physiological responses associated with a particular food, or compound found in a range of foods.

Food intolerances can be classified according to their mechanism.  Some intolerances can result from the absence of a specific chemical or enzyme needed to digest a food substance as in lactose intolerance, the enzyme lactase is missing and therefore the lactose in milk can not be digested by the body.  Another example is hereditary fructose intolerance.

Non-IgE mediated food hypersensitivity (food intolerance) is more chronic, less acute, less obvious in its symptoms, and quite often far more difficult to diagnose than a food allergy.  Food intolerance can be difficult to diagnose as the body’s response to the offending food is often a slow response which takes place over a prolonged period of time.  Lots of people do not even realize that food is causing their health problems; gases, headaches, diarrhea, constipation, sluggishness, a constant feeling of being tired, problematic digestions that seem to go on all day, stomach ache, obesity, etc.. A lot of these complaints are put down to stress, working long hours, not sleeping enough or a lack of exercise. 

If food intolerances go untreated, overtime they can produce more serious illnesses such as IBS and diverticulitis.  However, the good news is that they are very easy to treat.  There are now many clinics that do intolerance tests but don’t be fooled by apparently easy tests.  The only way to truly identify a food intolerance is through a specific blood test done at a respectable clinic that ensures it is a food intolerance test.

Treatment consists quite simply of removing the foods which have tested positive for intolerance for a certain period of time, and tailoring a diet which is specific for each person – no two people are the same so no one diet works for everyone.  After the set period of time, the foods can be slowly reintroduced one at a time.  Some people won’t have a problem reintroducing foods, others may find there are one or more that they can not reintroduce as they effect their health straight away.

Once the foods that have tested positive for intolerance are removed, and together with the taylor-made diet, several positive things happen; people experience an improvement in their general health straight away, gases disappear as does sluggishness and constant tiredness, they sleep better at night and have more energy during the day and headaches disappear or become less frequent and there is also the added benefit that they lose weight easily.  These are all positive experiences that better people’s general health and wellbeing.