Most Common Food Intolerances

​According to The Food Intolerance Institute of Australia's table below, food intolerances are prevalent in MOST of us Australians. 

The Food Intolerance Institute of Australia: http://www.foodintol.com/

Dairy Intolerance: 
As the most common, and therefore first to identify for any digestive symptoms, dairy intolerance could be a reaction to:

• Lactose (most common)
• Casein
• and / or Whey (the staple in most protein powder / meal replacement foods)

Yeast Intolerance:
Yeast sensitivity is often determined by a history of yeast infections.
Up to one in three people suffer recurring yeast or fungal infections like thrush or tinea.

​Studies show the cause of Yeast Sensitivity is a depressed immune system - often due to another underlying food intolerance - like Gluten or Dairy. So if you do suffer yeast infections, your first priority is to deal with the underlying intolerance causing the recurring problem!

Again, look at the most common / obvious causes like dairy and gluten and work your way from there.

Gluten Intolerance:
Gluten is one of the largest and most complex proteins consumed by us. That’s why it's difficult for our digestive system to break it down. In sensitive individuals they actually damage the gut lining, causing leaky gut syndrome.

Gluten is found in common grains and therefore present in all baked foods that are made from these grains: bread, breakfast cereals, muesli bars, porridge, biscuits, pizza and pasta. There are thousands of processed foods which contain Gluten.

The best treatment to deal with gluten intolerance is simply to avoid gluten! No medication seems to help, it's a process of complete elimination.

See also The Difference between Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Disease.

Fructose Intolerance:
Fructose is found in some fruit and vegetables, but also hundreds of processed food and drinks like soft drink and lollies. Fructose is a sugar which is why it's so popular to be added to products to add flavour and extend shelf life at a bloody low cost! It's a manufactures dream :/

Of the approximately 1 in 3 sufferers of fructose sensitivity, less than 1% are due to hereditary causes. Most importantly, it is believed fructose intolerance is caused by an over eating of the manufactured meals, NOT the result of eating excessive fruit and vegetables!

Treating fructose sensitivity like the others requires elimination, which means you must read food labels very carefully. Processed foods may label added fructose as things like 'corn syrup' and are found in MOST packaged foods for the above manufacturers benefits - cheap and tasty.

Common Food Intolerance Symptoms

​The most common symptoms of food intolerance are felt in your gut, but can effect other areas too.

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Bloated stomach
• flatulence
• Constipation
• IBS
• Lethargy
• Mood swings
• Brain Fog
• Headaches
• Bad breathe
• Skin problems

Recommendations:
The problem with many food intolerances is their impact is not always immediate nor consistent. Most people suffer some kind of symptom for five years before seeking help. If you suffer any of the above symptoms on a regular (say weekly) basis, this is NOT NORMAL and chances are you're eating one of the above and it doesn't agree with you.

Start an elimination diet and write down when you feel any bad symptoms and what you ate previously that day. More in the next blog.

Make notes, be diligent, and determine what's causing any discomfort.

Sam

References:
The Food Intolerance Institute of Australia: http://www.foodintol.com/

Suggested Reading:
How to Identify Your Food Intolerance
Main Food Intolerance Causes