Sudden Onset Responses: 1% - 3%

For the traditionally accepted view of food allergy (sudden onset and severe) it is estimated that around 3% of children and about 1% of adults are affected. These responses are generally brought on by the allergens (proteins) in eggs, milk, nuts, soy, wheat, corn, fish and shellfish. They can also be found in food additives like colours and preservatives.

Because of their sudden onset and the severity of symptoms, this type of food allergy is usually detected in very young babies, when they are first intoduced to the food.

The extreme reaction is Anaphylactic shock a life-threatening event: the tissues of the mouth and throat swell up obstructing breathing. Of course if you suffer this level of reaction to a food you would have known about it from a very young age - and will be managing it properly.

Delayed Onset Responses - up to 75%

Many cases of food intolerance involve the immune system - so must be classified as 'allergic' responses. These are suffered by a much greater percentage of people - up to 75% (three in four people).

Many doctors like to classify conditions like dairy intolerance and gluten intolerance as non-allergic reactions. However the sufferers' blood tests always indicate immune response activity to those food proteins.

Video about Delayed Responses - food intolerance

Sudden Onset Responses

Food Allergy symptoms have traditionally been characterised as sudden onset (within a few moments of eating the food) and severe. These can be:

• Sudden onset respiratory symptoms: breathing problems e.g  mouth and throat tissue swells up blocking breath; coughing and asthma
• Sudden onset skin problems: hives, eczema, rashes
• Sudden onset gastro-intestinal symptoms: nausea and vomiting.

In a few cases a life-threatening Anaphylactic shock can be caused.

Delayed Onset Responses (e.g. Food Intolerance)

However there are other allergic reactions which take much longer to appear - because the reaction is to a partially broken down food molecule (e.g. a food protein like gluten or casein). Of course this partly digested food only occurs well down in the gut - many hours after eating. And typically it happens in the small intestine where absorption happens. So that is where the immune response takes place - disrupting the digestive process.

In the case of gluten - actual damage can be suffered by the small intestine - holes are torn in the lining - giving rise to a condition known as Leaky Gut. Once the gut is "leaky" the troublesome protein fragments spill into the bloodstream - where they should never be. They then have free rein to travel anywhere in the body and cause further immune responses like autoimmune disease: rheumatoid arthritis, thyroiditis, diabetes type 1 etc.

These chronic diseases are truly "Delayed Onset Responses" to partially broken down proteins - (definition of food intolerance) - as they can appear years later.

Sudden Onset Responses

Food allergies are usually identified in babies when they are first introduced to a particular food. A food allergy is an immediate immune response caused by the body “misreading” a food protein as an enemy or toxic substance. Because they are fairly dramatic, sudden onset allergic responses are usually easily identified very early in life.

Blood tests, “patch testing” or an Elimination Diet can achieve proper identification.

Delayed Onset Responses

Sometimes the allergic reactions caused by foods are delayed for hours or even days, making it difficult to connect the food with the response. This is classic food intolerance - because the reaction is happening much lower down in the gut - in the small intestine. If not properly identified and addressed - symptoms continue into adulthood and may eventually lead to more serious disease. See Definition of  Food Intolerance to learn more.

Sudden Onset Responses

Treatment is generally one of three approaches:

• Avoidance of the allergen
• Symptom management with medication
• Auto-immune therapy – a series of vaccinations: extracts of the allergen are injected across many months in an attempt to de-sensitise the individual
• Anaphylactic shock requires emergency treatment – usually an injection of adrenaline to maintain breathing

Delayed Onset Responses

For Food Intolerance - the most sensible thing to do is simply remove the cause of the problem and allow your brilliant human body to heal itself. All you need to do is "Switch a few foods and get well".

Learn how to discover your problem foods.

Sudden Onset Responses

Food Allergy is genetic - you got it from your parents and grandparents. And you cannot change your genes!  There is no 'cure' for food allergy - it is for life. Avoidance of the allergen is the best way forward.

Delayed Onset Responses

Food intolerance is also genetic and depends on your ancestry. And here at foodintol^® - we believe that avoiding the foods which cause your symptoms has got to be a better option than medicating for temporary symptom relief. What do you think?

Once you get yourself onto the right diet - healing begins within days. Find out how to be free of symptoms with a simple journal.