An allergy is a response by the body’s immune system to something (called an allergen) that is not necessarily harmful in itself. Certain people are sensitive to this allergen and have a reaction when exposed to it. Some allergic reactions are mild and harmless, but others are severe and potentially life-threatening (anaphylaxis).

This is the result of the body’s inability to properly digest or breakdown the food due to some deficiency in an enzyme or other body process that would normally digest that food. A common example is lactose intolerance. Where the body lacks the enzyme (lactase) that breaks lactose (milk sugar) down into smaller sugars ready for absorption from the gut. The undigested lactose goes into the intestines and then produces unpleasant gas and bloating. Avoiding dairy products or taking oral Lactase usually solves the problem.

These reactions are modulated by non-IgE antibodies or T-cell reactions and are typically delayed in nature. The reactions may occur hours after eating a food up to 3 days later. It can be extremely frustrating to figure out which foods are the actual culprits so have some patience with your poor friends or family members who are still trying to sort it out. Better yet, tell them about Mediator Release Testing. In these cases the symptoms are rarely life threatening but can include things such as digestive issues/IBS, headaches/migraines, body aches, fatigue, eczema, and a host of other ambiguous symptoms that might equate to “feeling lousy.”