21 Feb Is a Food Allergy Causing You Inflammation?
Do you have swelling or inflammation that you can’t explain? Your diet may be to blame! Most people with a food allergy or intolerance have symptoms ranging from inflammation and swelling to weight problems, digestive issues, aches and pains and more. Inflammation is your body’s immune defense system working to remove something harmful from your system. Many people don’t know what their food allergy is or what foods they are intolerant to. This is why we offer ALCAT food intolerance testing to see what foods bother you, or cause inflammation and other symptoms. Reducing foods you are intolerant to can reduce your overall inflammation and can reverse low energy levels. Find out more about why you get inflammation from certain foods and how you can stop that inflammation from happening!
What Is a Food Allergy?
Food allergies are common, but less common than food intolerances. When a patient is allergic to a food or additive ingredient, they usually encounter symptoms like hives, wheezing, confusion and stomach pain. In some severe cases, the tongue can swell and cut off a person’s airway, which can even lead to death. More than 50 million people have a food allergy of some kind in the United States. 4% of adults have a food allergy and 4-6% of American children. A food allergy is essentially your body’s immune response to certain foods that your body reacts to as harmful.
When you eat something, your body’s immune system will trigger a response to fight off an infection or foreign body, which causes slight to severe reactions. Studies show that 8 different types of food cause about 90% of all food allergy reactions. These include eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, milk, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat. You can eat a food for many years and suddenly develop a food allergy to that food. You will know a difference between a food allergy and an intolerance if your reaction comes after eating one of those 8 foods and if you have symptoms such as:
- Wheezing or shortness of breath
- Repetitive cough
- Tight or hoarse throat/trouble swallowing
- Hives
- Vomiting or stomach cramps
- Dizziness or feeling faint
- Swelling of the tongue or an inability to breath
- Changing color of skin (usually blue or turning pale)
- Shock or collapse of circulatory system
- Anaphylaxis, which usually impairs the ability to breathe and can lead to death
Food Intolerances Cause Symptoms Too
Did you know that what you are eating could be causing you aches and pains? What you eat is vital to how your body functions throughout the day, how well you feel and even how long you live. Your body needs fuel through food in order to work, but not all food will help your body run smoothly. Many people already know the importance of eating a balanced diet full of nutritious foods, protein, vitamins and minerals and water. However, even healthy foods can hurt you if you have a food intolerance.
A food intolerance is not exactly a food allergy, but it is a food that will upset your digestion and cause problems such as:
- Difficulty maintaining a healthy weight
- Irritable bowel syndrome and its accompanying symptoms
- Fatigue, mental fog and daily confusion
- Headaches or debilitating migraines that return regularly
- Skin disorders or rashes
- Arthritis and other forms of joint pain and swelling
If you have symptoms that come and go that you can’t explain, consider the possibility of a food intolerance. If you do have an intolerance, getting tested and changing your diet can eliminate your symptoms and reduce overall inflammation and low energy levels.
ALCAT Food Allergy/Intolerance Testing
You never want to play the guessing game with food, especially when you know that you do have some food allergies already. This is especially important if you are allergic to substances such as nuts or shellfish, as a food allergy to one of these could kill you. However, there are some foods (as we mentioned) that just plain don’t sit well with your stomach or your body. That is why we offer ALCAT food allergy and intolerance testing at our center. If you suspect you have a food allergy or food intolerance, you can come into our office and have a customized panel of allergens tested on your body. You can choose from dozens of options to measure your reactions to over 200 food items and many other common intolerance triggers.
We test for substances such as:
- Common allergens such as shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, mushrooms, strawberries and wheat
- Herbs and supplements (which are commonly used to treat illnesses)
- Pesticides and other environmental hazards
- Molds and mildews that develop in and around homes
- Antibiotics and other medications that cause severe reactions
- Environmental allergens and toxins
Discover Your Food Allergy
Like we said, you never want to play the guessing game with a food allergy, as it could be life-threatening. Allergies can often run in families, so if a family member has intolerances to certain foods (such as wheat or dairy) or a food allergy, you might have it too. Not all testing centers are as thorough as we are in determining the exact cause of your symptoms. When choosing a facility for your food allergy and intolerance testing, consider us first. We will work hard to find your food allergies and intolerances and provide you services to make your symptoms stop happening. To schedule your free consultation, call Mile High Spine & Pain Center today at (720) 507-0080 today!