For some people, eating certain foods or additives can cause an adverse physical reaction. This food-hypersensitivity can involve the immune system (the body’s defence against attack) and is called a food allergy. If it doesn’t involve your immune system immediately, the reaction is called food intolerance.
The nation is in the grip of an epidemic, but one very different from those usually written about, such as obesity, diabetes and binge-drinking. What makes this epidemic unusual is that it is not an illness or condition in itself, but the false belief that something is wrong with you. This mass delusion affects around 45 per cent of people in this country, and it’s getting worse. It’s food hypersensitivity.
Ever wondered why there are some foods that you simply can’t eat no matter how hard you try? Or that there are certain foods items that make you want to throw up? Food reactions are common, but most are caused by food hypersensitivity rather than a classical food allergy. Food hypersensitivity can cause some of the same signs and symptoms as a food allergy, so people often confuse the two.
If one has food allergy, even a tiny amount of the offending food can cause an immediate, severe reaction. Digestive signs and symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, cramping and diarrhoea. Other signs and symptoms can include a tingling mouth, hives, and swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat. A life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis can cause breathing trouble and dangerously low blood pressure. If you have a food allergy, you’ll need to avoid the offending food entirely. This is known as a Type-I food allergy and involves the production of IgE antibodies.
IgG mediated food hypersensitivity symptoms generally come on gradually and often many hours after eating the problem food due to a delayed-onset of reactions. If you have IgG mediated food hypersensitivity, you may be able to eat small amounts of the offending food without trouble. Typical symptoms include IBS, headache, migraines, insomnia, asthma, and arthritis. This is also known as a Type-III food allergy and involves the production of IgG antibodies.
Hence, devising a diet plan after determining the food hypersensitivity status of a person, would add more effectiveness in implementing a long term change and improving the health and wellness of a person. Commonly performed allergy tests like skin-prick tests do not yield any outcome if the person is suffering from IgG-mediated food hypersensitivity. Detection of food-specific IgG antibodies is recognised as a reliable method to identify the problem foods that may be causing symptoms and to guide and design elimination diets based on the IgG antibody results.
Currently, tests for IgG mediated food hypersensitivity are being offered at various diagnostic centres using ELISA technology. The food detective kit tests for 59 India-specific foods and requires only a finger-prick blood sample to perform the test. A more comprehensive and exclusive IgG mediated food hypersensitivity test is also available at certain reputed reference laboratories and hospitals using the MicroArray technology based Genarrayt System, which can classify intolerance to over 220 foods, including vegetarian and non vegetarian food, vegan food and herbs and spices.
The test is fully quantitative and the level of IgG antibody detected for each food is provided in a personalised test report. If one has been found to be suffering from IgG mediated food hypersensitivity, following an elimination diet for three months usually results in an improvement in symptoms and well-being. However, the elimination diet needs to be designed in conjunction with the food IgG antibody test results and nutritional advice, to ensure that a balanced diet is maintained. Therefore, it should only be done under supervision of qualified medical practitioner.
Contact Details:
Kandarp Vyasa
Technical Services Manager
Omega Dx (Asia)
508, 5th Flr, Western Edge – 1
Kanakia Spaces, Borivali (East)
Email: [email protected]
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