What is anaphylaxis is a commonly asked question on the subject of food allergies.  Anaphylaxis occurs when certain allergens whether they are foods, bee venom, or other such substances cause the body to produce huge amounts of histamine because the body recognizes the substance as an invader. It is an extreme overactive response of the immune system to deal with an invading substance. The histamine causes hives and difficulty in breathing due to inflammation which may progress to the point of airway blockage causing respiratory and cardiac arrest. Severe reactions are treated initially with epinephrine. Those with severe allergies usually carry an EpiPen which is an injectable dose of epinephrine.

	MORE INFO:		Food Intolerance		Recipes
	Dairy Intolerance		Gluten Intolerance		Egg Intolerance
	Wheat Intolerance		Soy Intolerance		Sugar Intolerance & Addiction
	Lactose Intolerance		Corn Intolerance		Yeast Intolerance

A food allergy is a negative physical reaction that occurs after ingesting and in some cases inhaling particles of certain foods as well as coming into contact with those foods at times. A food allergy is an immune system response that recognizes the food as an invader. Some food allergy sufferers can have allergic responses so severe that it results in anaphylaxis which is life-threatening.

Though milder allergies may have many of the symptoms of food intolerance such as abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence, skin issues and nausea, the immune system is always involved when there is an allergy.

	MORE INFO:		Food Intolerance		Recipes
	Dairy Intolerance		Gluten Intolerance		Egg Intolerance
	Wheat Intolerance		Soy Intolerance		Sugar Intolerance & Addiction
	Lactose Intolerance		Corn Intolerance		Yeast Intolerance

 

 

 

 

 

If you are wondering about whether food intolerance and food allergy tests are always accurate the unfortunate answer is absolutely not. Tests are designed to serve the largest segment of the human population. There are thresholds of allergens to consider. Just as there are infective doses to consider for viruses there are thresholds to consider with allergens. An infective dose of a virus is the generally accepted amount of a virus that it takes to get an average person sick. Notice that it is a general amount for an average person. For an allergy or intolerance there may be a certain amount of the allergen that is necessary that the sufferer be exposed to before symptoms manifest to the point that they are detected.

Testing for allergies on a person who is just intolerant will most often produce negative results. An uninformed sufferer who goes to a doctor for allergy testing may be told by the doctor that medical testing indicates that no such allergy exists for them. That would be because the immune system was not involved. However, just because there is no allergic response to a food does not mean that there is not an intolerance to a food.

	MORE INFO:		Food Intolerance		Recipes
	Dairy Intolerance		Gluten Intolerance		Egg Intolerance
	Wheat Intolerance		Soy Intolerance		Sugar Intolerance & Addiction
	Lactose Intolerance		Corn Intolerance		Yeast Intolerance

 

 

Fortunately for people seeking food allergy testing, food allergies are medically testable since there is an involvement of the immune system while a food intolerance may still exist but have all negative test results. Allergy testing of immunoglobulins which are antibodies that may be found in the body is one example of allergy testing. There are different immunoglobulins and they are usually written as IgA, IgG, IgM, IgE, and IgD with IgE levels being considered the most for people with allergies.

ALCAT testing is offered by a company called Cell Systems Corporation in Deerfield Beach, Florida. ALCAT is purported to test a person’s blood for reactions to over 350 food substances. As with other methods of this type there is a segment of those who say that it works and those who say it does not work. The testing at the time of this writing begins at $425.00.

Skin testing involves taking an amount of the suspected allergen and either scratching the skin with it, injecting a little bit just under the skin or applying a patch with the allergen on the skin. Testing such as scratch testing usually involves testing a bunch of common allergens on the skin at once. The medical personnel applying the allergens keep track of which allergen is put where on the skin. After anywhere from 15 minutes to 48 hours later the area where the allergens were placed is visually examined. Reactions to any of the allergens are determined by a medical professional.

Skin biopsies are performed when there are symptoms that are involving the skin. Most think that a biopsy would be for cancer, but there are other times that it is prudent as well. A skin biopsy is when a medical professional either shaves off a tiny section of skin, takes a tiny core sample of skin, or cuts out a small part of skin to assay by testing. The sample is tested for antibodies and is examined microscopically.

The elimination diet is non-invasive but requires the sufferer to one-hundred percent commit to the elimination of ingesting, or in the case of sever allergies even coming in contact with, the suspected allergen. Since processed foods contain so many ingredients, and since the Standard American Diet (SAD) contains so many processed foods, the elimination diet may be the hardest for the sufferer to endure.

	MORE INFO:		Food Intolerance		Recipes
	Dairy Intolerance		Gluten Intolerance		Egg Intolerance
	Wheat Intolerance		Soy Intolerance		Sugar Intolerance & Addiction
	Lactose Intolerance		Corn Intolerance		Yeast Intolerance

 

 

There is no reliable medical test to give evidence of a food intolerance yet there are millions who declare with incredible anecdotal evidence that they suffer from intolerance to foods. An intolerance to lactose in milk is a bit different in that the cause is known. An insufficient amount of the enzyme lactase is proven to cause lactose intolerance. The mechanism of action for every food intolerance is not known. Those with food allergies can be tested by various medical tests to prove an allergy.

The wonderful thing about our bodies is that they tell us most of the time when there is something wrong. Even though we may not be able to eloquently articulate to our medical care providers that there is something wrong, we still know. We live in our bodies and feel every cramp, experience every problematic bathroom moment, feel the constant fatigue, endure the headaches, and suffer with skin that is dry, cracked, flaky and irritated. We know that there is a cause to these things.

After years of eating and digesting we begin to establish that there is a pattern. We don’t usually keep a log of details, but we recognize patterns. Maybe we notice that every single food that has any part of an egg in it will make us sick to one degree or another. Once there is a conscious suspicion then resolution should be sought.

Begin resolution by abstinence from all instances of ingesting the suspected offending food for a few weeks. Pick only one suspected offender (the most likely first). If improvement is demonstrably measurable, then you have your answer.

	MORE INFO:		Food Intolerance		Recipes
	Dairy Intolerance		Gluten Intolerance		Egg Intolerance
	Wheat Intolerance		Soy Intolerance		Sugar Intolerance & Addiction
	Lactose Intolerance		Corn Intolerance		Yeast Intolerance

 

Have you ever wondered if you have a food intolerance?  The symptoms of a food intolerance can be the same symptoms as so many other maladies and consequently, food intolerances often go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as something else for years and years.  Below is a list of possible symptoms of a Food Intolerance.  One or all could mean you have a Food Intolerance.  It could indicate another disease or disorder too, so this list must be taken with a grain of salt, so to speak.  Simple blood tests are available to rule out or rule in whether it is indeed a Food Intolerance.  Food intolerance is so common that almost everyone is intolerant to something.  The most common are Soy, Wheat, Gluten, Dairy, Corn, Eggs, Yeast, Sugar, Shellfish, and Nuts.

Possible Symptoms Of A Food Intolerance:

	MORE INFO:		Food Intolerance		Recipes
	Dairy Intolerance		Gluten Intolerance		Egg Intolerance
	Wheat Intolerance		Soy Intolerance		Sugar Intolerance & Addiction
	Lactose Intolerance		Corn Intolerance		Yeast Intolerance

Typically there is a response within an hour or so. Some symptoms are immediate and manifest upon swallowing the food. Sometimes symptoms only manifest after a certain threshold of consumption is met. Maybe a sprinkling of an offending item wont trigger a noticeable symptom while a bigger amount will. However, symptoms may also not manifest until a day or so later. If there is significant irritation to the digestive system as the food is passed through, there may be symptoms that flare up days after consumption once the body reaches a point where what is going on inside is felt or shown on the outside.

	MORE INFO:		Food Intolerance		Recipes
	Dairy Intolerance		Gluten Intolerance		Egg Intolerance
	Wheat Intolerance		Soy Intolerance		Sugar Intolerance & Addiction
	Lactose Intolerance		Corn Intolerance		Yeast Intolerance

Not always. There may be a threshold of quantity of the food item one is intolerant of needing to be ingested before symptoms surface, plus quantity may play a significant role in the severity of the symptoms. Unlike those who have a severe allergy to even inhaling tiny particulate matter of foods they are allergic to, those with intolerance to foods may be able to tolerate certain amounts of the offending foods before symptoms show.

There are some symptoms that may be more tolerable than others. Certainly mild fatigue after ingesting an offending food would be more tolerable than even mild diarrhea. Eating an offending food every day that caused mild diarrhea would most likely get the sufferer to more quickly ascertain which food is causing the problem and avoid it while chronic fatigue caused by an offending food may be counter treated with large amounts of caffeine.

Then there are symptoms such as chronic forms of eczema that a dermatologist will not associate with a food intolerance so the eczema is treated as a chronic condition with topical steroid ointments and creams to minimize the flare-ups. A sufferer of food intolerance will soon discover that many medical practitioners only treat symptoms and not causes. This is why many sufferers go for years without diagnosis and resolution.

	MORE INFO:		Food Intolerance		Recipes
	Dairy Intolerance		Gluten Intolerance		Egg Intolerance
	Wheat Intolerance		Soy Intolerance		Sugar Intolerance & Addiction
	Lactose Intolerance		Corn Intolerance		Yeast Intolerance

 

The symptoms of a food intolerance and an allergy can be quite similar. Only a blood test will prove whether or not what the sufferer is experiencing is an allergy or an intolerance. Intolerance symptoms are most commonly nausea, flushing, gut pain in the area of the stomach and lower abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, fatigue, headaches or migraines, and breathing problems such as asthma or nasal congestion. Warning: these symptoms can also be indicative of much more serious medical conditions. Seek medical advice to rule out other causes.

	MORE INFO:		Food Intolerance		Recipes
	Dairy Intolerance		Gluten Intolerance		Egg Intolerance
	Wheat Intolerance		Soy Intolerance		Sugar Intolerance & Addiction
	Lactose Intolerance		Corn Intolerance		Yeast Intolerance

 

 

This gluten free roasted cauliflower recipe is super easy and a favorite side dish in many families.  When vegetables are roasted, a great flavor results with a nice tender inside remaining.

The optional butter coating as a final step makes this gluten free roasted cauliflower recipe extra delish. This is not a Paula Deen recipe, but I call that the “Paula Deen” version since she is all about butter flavor.

The dish is served either after roasting or after tossed in butter.  It just depends on your taste.  We like to simply roast when we are having this at home with a regular dinner but when company comes over we add the butter step to make it extra delish!

Click here for the dairy free version of this side dish: Dairy Free Roasted Cauliflower Recipe.

Roasting Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss cauliflower in oil, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt and pepper.

Spread cauliflower evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast cauliflower in 400 degree oven until softened and lightly browned, roughly 20 to 25 minutes.  Stir occasionally for even roasting. After 20 minutes, test with a fork for desired tenderness.

Optional gluten free roasted cauliflower yumminess: After cauliflower is roasted, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat.  Cook butter about 3 minutes or until butter turns a light brown color. In a bowl, combine roasted cauliflower and browned butter.  Toss to coat.

Cook’s Note: You can vary the amount of butter, and garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

	MORE INFO:		Food Intolerance		Recipes
	Dairy Intolerance		Gluten Intolerance		Egg Intolerance
	Wheat Intolerance		Soy Intolerance		Sugar Intolerance & Addiction
	Lactose Intolerance		Corn Intolerance		Yeast Intolerance