Food intolerance or allergy? An expert explains the difference
Sweet summertime is a season to gather with friends and family for a BBQ or potluck, but for some people with dietary restrictions, coming together for a meal can be a point of anxiety and stress.
"You know, if you go to somebody's house and you say 'I can't eat this, this and this,' then it makes them feel bad," Laura Dew said. "Instead of telling them, sometimes I just don't eat."
Laura Dew from Salida went most of her life without a single food allergy or sensitivity, but a few years ago, all that changed.
"It started when I turned about 50 years old," she said. "I could eat just about anything, and one of the first things I noticed is when I ate pine nuts in a salad, I just felt weird."
Her negative reaction to certain foods expanded to peanut butter, some herbs and, eventually, several fruits and vegetables.
"Watermelon, if I touch it, I break out in a huge rash," Dew said. "If I eat it, my lips swell and my tongue starts swelling."
She says ended up in the ER twice and is now on a journey to determine which foods she is allergic to compared to those in which she is intolerant.
We talked with Dr. Gill Hart — an expert on food intolerance — to learn more about the difference between the two.
"For an allergy, it's that immediate reaction. It's a severe reaction that needs medical attention because it's potentially life-threatening," Dr. Hart said. "So you might have a tingling in your lips, swelling, being violently sick."
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, as of 2021, about 20 million people have food allergies in the U.S. The nine most common food allergies are milk, soy, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, and shellfish.
"For a food intolerance that takes longer to manifest itself, it can be actually hours or even days," Dr. Hart said.
The National Institutes of Health reports up to 20% of the population have food intolerances, and there is a broad span of foods that someone can be sensitive to.
Common symptoms include irritable bowel and other digestive problems, even headaches, migraines, low energy, skin problems and rashes.
"A lot of people might live with these sorts of symptoms and think they're normal for them," Dr. Hart said.
While food allergies are much more serious, Dr. Hart said for those with food intolerances, you may be able to reintroduce certain foods back into your diet.
"The thing with intolerances and sensitivities is they're not necessarily for life," Dr. Hart said.
If you can remove the foods that you're intolerant to for three months, Dr. Hart said with nutrition therapy support and probiotics, you may be able to tolerate those foods again.
"I've learned not to really be embarrassed to tell people that I can't eat this or I can't eat that," Dew said.
Dew is taking extra precautions while she works with her doctors to learn more about her dietary restrictions.
"We came up with an idea," she said. "My husband took a business card and he put everything on it that I'm allergic to and so it makes it very easy. Now I carry those."
Food allergies and intolerances can develop at any age. If you suspect you have a food allergy or intolerance, it's best to consult your physician.
