Food Issues - Who Cares What They’re Called?!?

January 14, 2019

An article came out this week which made the accusation that "millions of Americans incorrectly think they have food allergies, study finds." Even though I am well aware that headlines like this are designed to just grab our attention, this one really ticked me off.

The article goes on to explain that people often say that they have food allergies (which are typically characterized by an immediate, histamine-related response like hives or, in severe cases, anaphylaxis) when they actually have food SENSITIVITIES (with more delayed symptoms like gas, bloating, acne, etc.). I have three big problems with that point (setting aside the misleading headline):

1. The article states, "It is important to see a physician for appropriate testing and diagnosis before completely eliminating foods from the diet." Sure, if you have an immediate or serious reaction to a food, you should absolutely go see an allergist to get the proper care and treatment. But if you just happen to know that ice cream makes you bloated for 3 days, it's OK to get the sorbet instead without asking a doctor. You are not endangering your health by leaving ice cream out. Just because your reaction to a food may technically be "only" a sensitivity or an intolerance, that doesn't mean you should keep eating that food.

2. In the article, they mention that 19% of us think we have food allergies but only 11% actually do. My sympathies lie with the undiagnosed 8%, who are often told that there's nothing wrong with them and that their symptoms are all in their heads -- and that is simply not true.

3. If your body has a bad reaction to a food -- gas, bloating, eczema, acne, whatever that reaction is -- that is your body trying to tell you something. Articles like this one cause us to second-guess our own intuition and ignore the signals our own bodies are sending out.

Any outward expression of your body NOT being in homeostasis is something that should be paid attention to and rectified so it doesn't turn into something more serious down the road. If you happen to call it by what is technically the wrong name, whatever.