Allergy Clinic

Allergy Clinic

Doctors are able to test for food allergies. A food allergy is an adverse immune response to a food protein. Food allergy is distinct from other adverse responses to food, such as a food intolerance, by the acute onset of allergic reactions occurring within seconds to one hour:

Soft tissue swelling - eyelids, face, lips, and tongue
Swelling of the tongue
Difficulty breathing
Hives
Itching of the mouth, throat, eyes, skin
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and/or abdominal pain
Nasal congestion
Wheezing, scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or difficulty swallowing
Anaphylaxis: a severe, whole-body allergic reaction that can result in death

More common are Food intolerances which can take several days to appear. A food intolerance or food sensitivity is a negative reaction to a food that may or may not be related to the immune system or to food poisoning. It can be caused by the absence of specific chemicals or enzymes needed to digest a food substance, or to the body's responses to certain food constituents (chemicals) both natural or artificial.

Why are more people becoming intolerant to food?
Our food has changed drastically over the last 30 years, and so have food-related problems. Our digestive systems have become bombarded by the many types of foods and food chemicals. In the past we would have eaten much more simply, with food being in-season and fresh.
Additives are now used in healthy foods such as bread, butter, yoghurt, juice or muesli bars as well as in junk food. Reactions to food additives are related to dose, so the more you eat, the more likely you are to be affected. A British survey in 2007 found that:

Most consumers underestimate how many additives they eat
The average consumer eats 20 additives per day (19 if foods are home-cooked)
Most consumers don't know which foods contain additives

Effects of food additives can include:

  • Irritability, restlessness, difficulty falling asleep
  • Mood swings, anxiety, depression, panic attacks
  • Inattention, difficulty concentrating or debilitating fatigue
  • Speech delay, learning difficulties
  • Eczema, urticaria and other itchy skin rashes
  • Reflux, colic, stomach aches, bloating, and other irritable bowel symptoms including constipation and/or diarrhoea, sneaky poos, sticky poos, bedwetting
  • Headaches or migraines
  • Frequent colds, flu, bronchitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis; stuffy or runny nose, constant throat clearing, cough or asthma

What are food additives?

ARTIFICIAL COLOURS - sweets, drinks, takeaways, cereals and many processed foods
PRESERVATIVES - margarine, dips, cakes, fruit products, juices, soft drinks, cordials, syrups, medications, dried fruit, fruit drinks, sausages, bread, crumpets, bakery products, processed meats like ham.
SYNTHETIC ANTIOXIDANTS - margarines, vegetable oils, fried foods, snacks, biscuits

Natural food chemicals
Some natural chemicals called salicylates can cause the same problems as additives if consumed in large doses or by sensitive people. For problems serious enough to see a doctor, or conditions with a diagnosis such as ADHD, eczema etc it is best to find out more about salicylates, as well as other natural food chemicals called amines and glutamates.
These natural food chemicals are increasing in our food supply, due to increased availability of out-of-season fruit and vegetables, concentrated natural chemicals in processed foods, and added flavours. Foods high in salicylates include strawberries, kiwifruit, avocadoes, sultanas and other dried fruits, citrus, pineapple, broccoli, pizza toppings, tomato sauce, olive oil and tea. Cheese and chocolate are particularly high in amines. Salicylate sensitivity can be triggered or worsened by medications such as aspirin and other NSAIDs (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as Nurofen and salicylate-containing teething gel.
People rarely realise that they are affected by salicylates or amines unless they eat a very large dose in a short time (e.g. salicylates at Christmas or amines at Easter) or until they reduce their intake. This is because these food chemicals are eaten so frequently that the effects fluctuate and can build up very slowly.

Flavours and fragrances such as fruit or mint (e.g. in toothpaste) are another source of salicylates. Since the 1970s, increasingly large doses have been added to products. In the UK, recent studies of new mothers found more headaches and depression in mothers and more asthma, diarrhoea, vomiting and ear infections in babies with increasing use of air fresheners and/or aerosols.

People can also be sensitive to dairy foods, wheat or gluten, yeast, spices, egg, citrus.

We test for food intolerances using the 'Health Detective' Screening System.