Food intolerances: Symptoms, treatments and remedies...

Lifestyle

All you need to know about food intolerances

While gluten-free and lactose-free have become fashionable lately, there are some sure-fire signs that alert us to the possibility of food intolerance. Chronic fatigue, skin inflammations, recurrent indigestion and complicated transit... To find out everything there is to know about food intolerance, we spoke to micro-nutritionist Valérie Espinasse.

What is a food intolerance?

A food intolerance is an inflammation of the intestine involving irritation of the colon, which does not always translate into digestive symptoms. As Valérie Espinasse, a doctor of pharmacy with a diploma in micronutrition and a specialist in food intolerances, explains, intolerance can be expressed in different ways depending on the individual:

"Depending on genetics, a food intolerance may express itself differently, with digestive symptoms such as stomach ache, nausea and vomiting, bloating or diarrhea, migraines or chronic fatigue despite rest. Skin inflammations (rosacea, acne, etc.) or joint inflammations (osteoarthritis), allergies or chronic, recurring symptoms such as runny nose and headaches can also indicate a food intolerance terrain."

"While the most common intolerances are those to gluten, dairy products and eggs, you can suffer from a wide range of intolerances, such as an intolerance to tomatoes, peaches or even rice."

Food allergy or intolerance?

A food allergy is not a food intolerance. Unlike a food intolerance, whose reactions are rarely immediate, a food allergy appears immediately after the allergy has been consumed. It can take the form of a burning sensation in the mouth, itching or swollen lips. As Valérie Espinasse explains: "A food intolerance can be insidious, as it may be linked to the frequency or quantity of consumption of a food, but does not necessarily start as soon as the food is eaten".

Valérie Espinasse's method

Valérie Espinasse holds a doctorate in pharmacy and a diploma in micronutrition, predictive medicine, anti-aging and personalized medicine. She has specialized in food intolerances, developing genuine expertise in the intestinal microbiota and its impact on health. She has developed her own method for detecting and treating food intolerances:

An initial 1-hour personal interview to determine any symptoms.
A blood test to detect the presence of antibodies in the blood (produced when a food comes into contact with the immune system, and which can reflect the loss of permeability of the intestine) and thus determine food intolerances.
An intestinal microbiota test.

Fanny, our communications director, followed his method to determine whether she suffered from food intolerance and here is her opinion:

"I regularly had unexplained skin reactions and stomach aches whose source I couldn't understand. A friend recommended that I go and see Valérie to have a blood test to check for potential intolerances to a hundred or so foods. A few days later, the verdict was in: severe intolerance to cow's milk, gluten and a few unlikely foods such as vanilla, eggplant and pineapple. Valérie then guided me to adapt my diet and find alternatives to these foods (without banishing them altogether), and prescribed a few food supplements to improve my overall well-being: fatigue, energy, stress... Since then, I've been eating mindfully, and it's changed my life!"

Can food intolerance be cured?

It all depends on the individual's profile and symptoms. For some people, intolerance may be linked to genetics. If you've inherited a food intolerance background, you may still have the same level of intolerance, despite appropriate treatment. For Valérie Espinasse, it is essential to remove the food responsible for the food intolerance in order to see a reduction or complete disappearance of the intolerance, with a protocol adapted to the symptoms and the intestinal microbiota.

She explains: "Yes, it can be cured in 70% of cases, provided that a change of diet is followed. It'sessential to avoid certain foods, but if you don't restore the intestinal flora and intestinal permeability, inflammation and intolerance won't disappear." Valérie Espinasse's advice for limiting food intolerances: eat as little inflammatory food as possible to avoid intestinal inflammation, which creates a breeding ground for intolerances.

Contact

Valérie Espinasse

22 rue Washington 75008 Paris

01 55 93 15 17

https://www.valerie-espinasse.fr/

Find all Valérie Espinasse 's tips on Instagram .

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