Tag Archives: environmental allergies

Food Allergies versus Food Intolerances / Sensitivities

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What is the difference between Food Allergies and Food Intolerances / Sensitivities?

An allergy is a specific biological response that is mediated by the immune system producing IgE antibodies. The symptoms of allergies include itching, hives, and rashes, swelling and gastrointestinal upset which are caused due to a mass release of histamine by mast cells. The symptoms usually appear a short time after the food is consumed with a few minutes to about an hour.

Allergy skin testing such as the skin prick test can identify the more serious anaphylactic allergies that can cause difficulty swallowing, however various medications and the state of your immune function will affect the results. Blood testing for allergies can readily identify milder food and environmental allergies.

However, not all negative reactions to food are caused by allergies. In fact, most negative reactions are not caused by allergies but by food intolerances /sensitivities. Food intolerances and reactions usually cause a different type of antibody production called IgG. Reactions to food sensitivities and intolerances can be quite significant in terms of digestive upsets ranging from indigestion to constipation , diarrhea, bloating, significant fatigue or sluggishness, lack of concentration, sleeping issues, irritable bowel disorder and so on.

Food intolerance / sensitivity reactions typically develop within a few hours after food ingestion. Gluten sensitivity is one such example, where many people notice that they suffer from digestive issues such as cramping, bloating, flatulence and maybe diarrhea after eating gluten products such as wheat, but when tested for celiac disease, the results are usually negative. These people most likely suffer from a mild gluten intolerance or gluten allergy. Lactose intolerance is another widely known example of a food sensitivity versus a food allergy.

If you are suffering from allergies or sensitivities, or are not sure, talk to your naturopathic doctor about getting tested either.

Need more information on food allergies or food intolerances / sensitivity, please click here

By: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor, at Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Controlling Allergies At Home

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The most effective treatment for allergies is to reduce your exposure, especially at home. There are several ways to do this = clean up your environment. If you have skin allergies or any allergy symptoms, you can get relief by removing allergens from your environment. By cleaning up your environment, you can reduce dust, dust mites, chemical and environmental pollutants in your environment that cause symptoms.

Controlling allergies in the bedroom

• Encase pillows, comforters, mattresses, and box springs in zippered, allergen impermeable, dust proof casings. Avoid purchasing foam rubber pillows and mattresses as they are more likely to harbor molds.

• Wash blankets, sheets, pillowcases, and mattress pads every other week in hot water (130 degrees F+). Hot water kills dust mites. Cold or warm water does not. Throughout the House (Especially the Bedroom)

• If you have wall-to-wall carpeting in your bedroom, remove it if possible. In addition to being the single most chemically-treated household item, carpeting acts a host for a multitude of allergic agents. If this is not possible to remove wall-to-wall carpeting from your bedroom, periodically apply a solution of tannic acid to inactivate allergy-causing dust products that routinely emanate from carpeting.

• If you have a forced air heating system in your home, cover the air vents in your bedroom with air filters to clean the air at the point of entry. If you have a central air heating and/or cooling system, install an electrostatic filter to clean air before it is distributed throughout your house.

• Avoid using heavy curtains and / or Venetian blinds to cover bedroom windows. If possible, purchase window shades. Shades are less likely to accumulate irritants than curtains or blinds. If you use curtains in your bedroom, launder them frequently. If you use blinds, clean them often.

• If possible, purchase hardwood furniture instead of upholstered furniture. Soft furnishings are more likely to collect and harbor dust and other allergens than hardwood furnishings. If you purchase upholstered furniture, buy only furniture covered in leather or cloth and constructed with an additional allergen barrier.

• Install a high quality HEPA / charcoal air cleaner to remove airborne allergen particles, molds, animal dander and pollutants. The filter of the air cleaner should be sized to the room dimensions and the air cleaner should process four to six air exchanges per hour. Air cleaners should not be placed directly on carpeting as their exhaust may blow dust and other contaminants harbored in the carpeting into the air.

• Control heat and humidity with an air-conditioner. Use a dehumidifier to reduce moisture. Heat and humidity stimulate dust mite and mold growth. While dust mites reproduce rapidly in environments of 75% – 80% humidity, they cannot live in environments of less than 50% humidity.

A humidity level of 40% or less will eliminate dust mites. Use a gauge to monitor humidity levels in your home. Avoid over humidification of the air in the winter. If using a humidifier, change the water and clean the humidifier frequently to prevent mold growth.

By: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor, at Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.