FACT Opinion: Why we shouldn’t ignore food intolerances in the Middle East 

Dr. Raqiba Ismail from Nova Clinic shares the test that can transform your diet. 

A new year means new goals. If you are rethinking your relationship with food, it might be worth considering food sensitives or intolerances. Food intolerances are on the rise and can range from mild to incapacitating, but they are often neglected in the Middle East. Food should bring about pleasure, a sense of community and identity, but for some, it can also be a source of pain. Have you experienced bloating, heartburn, abdominal pain or diarrhoea? Well, with up to ten per cent of the population, many under the age of 50, regularly experiencing digestive issues, we need to look at the issue. So, the question we beg to ask is, can food really be the source? 

The terms food intolerance, food allergy and food insensitivity are often thrown around. Loosely, they all mean an abnormal reaction to food. However, a food allergy and a food intolerance or sensitivity are not the same thing. They are both immune-mediated responses but through different mechanisms. 

Take choosing a dairy milk alternative, such as oat and almond milk, and avoid dairy containing products altogether. While we recognise this is from being lactose intolerant, we rarely recognise how food intolerances stem from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. We are impacted by how we live, what we eat, what we’re exposed to and illnesses contracted. This is becoming more prominent due to poor diets, and exposures to chemicals and additives.

Not long ago, the only way to test for a food intolerance would be through doctors or health professionals. Now, professionals utilise these tests in traditional practices but also in the realm of functional medicine. One of the most recently talked about topics is gut health, and how it can ultimately affect how you feel on a day-to-day basis. 

So, if you want to check your gut health, here’s what I’d suggest. The gut microbiome has been linked to causing numerous illnesses but also contributes to exacerbating and worsening others. Doing a food intolerance test when dealing with several unexplained gut-related and nonspecific symptoms can be the first and best place to start. 

The simple blood test provides results on sensitivities to over 200 foods and drinks. Based on the results, we can eliminate certain offending foods as well as work on further nutritional counselling and a reintroduction diet. Removing certain foods can improve your quality of life. Food reactions, especially sensitivities, can fade away with time. 

At Nova Clinic, my focus is on improving health by focusing on the root cause, not just treating symptoms. Don’t allow these troublesome symptoms to get the better of you, but don’t follow results blindly either. Food intolerance test results can show multiple offenders, but working with someone who understands the results is vital. 

The last thing we would want is for patients to become anxious and over-cautious about eating, which could potentially trigger disordered eating and nutritional deficiencies. Our bodies, immune systems, and the gut microbiome are continually changing, and what may not sit well today may be fine later in life. So, we don’t just want you to have a happy new year, but a happy eating life. 

GO: Visit https://thenovaclinic.com for more information.