Food Intolerance - A Myth?

[joggerjayne]

About 1 in 5 people think they have a food intolerance.

Research has suggested that, even of the people who think they do, only about 1 in 20 actually do.

This would mean that only about 0.4% of people do actually have a real intolerance.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthadvice/maxpemberton/7168007/Food-intolerance-the-new-epidemic.html

So when everyone says (as they will do) ... aah, but I really do have a food intolerance ... are they proving the Telegraph right? or proving the Telegraph wrong?

[flump1]

Hi JJ, hope you are well. I reckon it might have something to do with the fact that an awful lot of our food today is processed in some way and full of preservatives and chemicals. These additives are probably what folk are intolerant of . All of us should be !!

[Sqad]

Well...there you go....food allergies, food intolerances, drug interactions, mental disorders, WhiTe Coat Sydrome and side effects of drugs...all examples of over diagnosis.

No I am not surprised....proving the Telegraph correct.

[snags]

All I know is, Okra is the food of the Devil...

[joggerjayne]

How would the Devil grow Okra?

Surely there is no rain or water in Hades?

[Buenchico]

Has mathematics changed since I taught it?

1 in 5 is 20% (or at least it used to be!)
1 in 20, out of 20%, used to be 1%, not 0.4%.

I really must try to keep up with all these changes ;-)

[cazzz1975]

a lot of my food issues were caused by gallbladder disease, at the time the surgery nurse remarked "maybe you are one of those people with food allergies"

[emmie]

i am not sure about food allergies but some food stuffs make me bloated, and still don't like milk to drink, i can put it in spuds for mash, but stick it in coffee and i am sick as a dog.

[joggerjayne]

Chris ...

I was working on the basis that the people who have intolerances are 1 in 20 of the 20% who think they do, and 0 in 20 of the other 80% who knew they didn't.

Have I got this wrong? I'm not sure now. So that, err ...

Oh, crap.

[joko]

i think some people over-eat, then feel stuffed, hot and uncomfortable and think thats an intolerance.

or they get bloated, and think thats an intolerance ... when certain foods will do that to anyone.


i used to have an intlerance to milk - brought about by me drinking 2-3 pints of it a day... i eventually would get very nauseous and have terrible diarrhoea after any milk, so i cut it out completely for years... and im ok now.

i get a weird shaped red 'rash' on my face after eating sometimes ... but no idea what the trigger is.

i also get headaches when i eat anything with soy lecithin in.


i did get a test done once but i ignored the results because if it had been all true i would have died of malnutrition i think!

[joggerjayne]

I sometimes get a red rash on my face from white wine.

Or maybe it's just from sleeping with my face on the bathroom carpet.

[friedgreentomato]

I am intolerant to too much dairy, I am ok with a bit but say clotted cream sends me over the edge.

[DTCwordfan]

Try Lady J and I with bananas and the Royal Cornwall Hospital at the feared Treliske would see us.

In my case, my mother and one sister can't eat them either. There is an intolerance to one of the enzymes in it, chimatose, to the point that there is a risk of anaphylaxis. It's been a while since that has been put to the test.

I can't even stand the smell of them - that is a psychosomatic reaction to warning me that they are around......

Banana intolerance is reasonably common.

[DTCwordfan]

its chitinase not chimatose.......duh.

[doctordb]

DT, isn't that allergic rather than intolerant?

[Eve]

I have issues with some foods but have other medical conditions which probably cause/contribute.

I have some actual allergies, came out incidentally when I was sent for latex allergy screening before an operation. I got diagnosed with oral allergy syndrome, food wise it's mainly the raw outside of things I have issues with - the allergy testing actually made it make more sense!


I have some nut allergies, apples and other stuff but the raw outside though.

[DTCwordfan]

well then what's the difference. I can't take the bloody stuff!

[joggerjayne]

Well, for a few years, oysters used to make me puke and squit ... even if there was nothing wrong with them.

I seem to be fine with them now.

So I think I'm in the (big) majority of people with no intolerances.

But I wouldn't touch an aubergine with yours!

[DTCwordfan]

ok looked it up, then I do have an intolerance to citric acid - too much lemon/lime juice etc causes a swelling in my joints and throat....

and of course the allergy!

[Eve]

I can't do oysters either, come up as soon as they go down (well, the one time I tried them, never since...urgh) - that's a psychological thing for me :)