Let's clear something up right out of the gate. There's a major difference between a food allergy and food intolerance. You see, food allergies affect
a relatively small number of people. Food intolerance, on the other hand, is estimated to be
far more common.
Why 'estimated?' Well, unlike with allergies, the warning signs of food intolerance are not always glaring. Many people don't pay said signs enough attention to pick up on the patterns.
But make no mistake – the long term effects of ignoring a food intolerance can be serious. Today, let's take a look at 3 reasons to get yourself tested for food intolerance.
#1 – Weight Loss
If your diet and exercise regiment aren't working as well as you'd like, you may want to find out if your body is reacting harshly to a particular food.
In his book
'The Six Secrets of Successful Weight Loss,' leading nutrition expert Dr. John Mansfield says that food intolerance is by far the most common single cause of weight gain.
"Food sensitivities, which vary considerably from one person to another, were the prime cause in more than 70% of the patients I treated over a period of 31 years in clinical practice,"
says Dr. Mansfield in a Daily Mail article. "One of the most successful weight loss secrets is to find out if you are sensitive to any ordinary, everyday foods such as wheat, corn, eggs, yeast or milk."
#2 – Relief From Nuisances You've Grown Used To
You might be surprised at just how far-reaching the effects of food intolerance can be.
Symptoms can include everything from
joint pain to
bloating,
diarrhea,
night sweats,
fatigue,
migraines,
itchy skin and
acne.
It's not all that difficult to grow accustomed to nuisances like those without questioning their true origins. But make no mistake; those things are not a normal part of life. Your body is trying to tell you something's up.
Listen to your body – don't just ignore unexplained symptoms. Getting a food intolerance test is a good place to start looking for answers.
#3 – Taking Charge
Your body is unique. Its chemistry is unlike that of anyone else. That's why formulaic diets can work for one person while making things totally worse for another.
In the next section, I'm going to share a video in which a nutritionist discusses how some people can be intolerant to even the healthiest of foods. This hits home the importance of finding an individualized health plan. Getting a food intolerance test is a very easy way to start crossing certain things off your list.
How Food Intolerance Testing Works
Relax, you don't need to study for this sort of test. There are a number of test providers out there – many of which are associated with a pharmacy like Rexall. In some cases, all you need is a dab of blood from your fingertip. Because science is
cool.
Click on this video (can't be embedded) to hear a nutritionist discuss how a food intolerance changed the life of one if his clients in a matter of days!
https://www.facebook.com/ProActiveHealthWellness/videos/819481158189248/
Sources:
YorkTest.com
Daily Mail
The Six Secrets of Successful Weight Loss
ScienceBasedMedicine.org