Cindy Morris Naturopath

What the difference between a food allergy and food intolerance?

There are many layers to the immune system. One of the most well understood mechanisms within the immune system is that of an IGE allergic reaction. It is considered a true allergy and is so named as it produces a response from IgE antibodies. It is a serious reaction which can cause anaphylaxis and death. Peanuts are a common cause of this type of reaction.

Food intolerance, on the other hand, produces a response from a different set of antibodies in the immune system. It is known as an IgG reaction and in this case does not produce a severe reaction, but rather produces more subtle symptoms in the body which are more easily dismissed as the cause seems unclear. The benefit of food intolerance testing is that we can find out which foods are triggering the IgG reactions and then work on healing the gut and eliminating these foods from the diet.

Food Intolerance and Autoimmune Disease

Autoimmune disease is on the rise and links between food intolerance and autoimmune disease are becoming more apparent. Gluten in particularly is strongly implicated in a number of autoimmune disorders, though perhaps most particularly in Hashimotos. So much so that it could be said, if you have Hashimoto's it is time to remove gluten from your diet. However if you want to be sure, testing can be arranged and this way you can determine if any other foods are creating problems.