Every spring, with the arrival of pollens in the air, the subject of allergies reappears in the news in the newspapers, on the radio or during television topics. It has almost become a journalistic horse chestnut which is however particularly interesting since more and more allergy sufferers are declaring themselves.
Today, in France, approximately 30% of the population suffers from an allergy of any kind:food, chemicals, pollens, animals, drugs... This has increased enormously since 20 years ago, the proportion was split in two. Perhaps also, were we unaware of certain that we attribute to another cause? world population will suffer from an allergy in 2050.
Allergies manifest themselves in different ways:they can be skin or respiratory reactions, for example. They affect people of all ages, all social categories, men and women, and can appear suddenly or gradually without anyone really knowing why.
Also be careful not to mix everything up:allergies cause reactions that can be very serious, while intolerances cause much less marked reactions, while sensitivities to certain products create occasional unpleasant manifestations.
As soon as an allergy or intolerance is detected, it is then necessary to track down the labels in order to check whether the products contain the offending substance. This verification is already not necessarily easy on food products, but it is downright mission impossible on clothing and shoes for example.
Many causes can be at the origin of allergies and intolerances. In terms of food, the processing of products by the food industry is one of the reasons most often mentioned. Indeed, many additives are added to tenderize meat more quickly, to make cheeses that will no longer evolve, to ensure a certain softness, etc. Everything is done within a regulated framework except that nothing is neither original nor healthy.
An abnormal immune reaction of the body can also be the cause of intolerances and allergies. For example, celiac disease is correlated with this.
It is advisable, initially, that an allergist doctor determines the products to which the person is allergic. From there, his diet will obviously have to be adapted. The growing trend of no longer eating gluten today is not linked to intolerance but simply to marketing that surfs on this image of a "well-being" and "natural" product... Milk which is the second most implicated product in allergies, most of the time does not have much to do with it:pasteurized industrial milks have lost all their virtues, they cause reactions, whereas organic raw milk has retained all its organoleptic qualities, it very rarely causes intolerance.
Despite everything, if certain foods are forbidden to you and if you still want to satisfy your gluttony, turn to the book "Food intolerances, sensitivities, allergies" by Florence Arnaud and Véronique Chazot (Editions Terre Vivante - April 8, 2016) . In addition to taking stock of food intolerances, you will find a detailed guide that lists substitute foods, advice for organizing daily life and 80 "recipes without".
