Allergies & Intolerances to Meat and Fish

That’s right; meat and fish also have the potential to be affecting your body and potentially cause digestive symptoms. Meat and fish provide a wide range of protein, minerals, vitamins and essential fatty acids which is why they’re both such common foods. The chances are that you already know someone who has an allergy or intolerance to a kind of meat or fish, including white and red meats.

Intolerance to meat or fish

Food intolerance is where the body struggles to digest a specific food properly. It often causes digestive symptoms like bloating or diarrhoea. Studies have demonstrated that following an elimination diet based on food intolerance testing can help alleviate these symptoms ^[1]. As with many other foods, people can develop intolerances to various meats and fish species.

Common symptoms of egg intolerance include;

• Bloating
• Fatigue
• Skin Problems & Eczema
• Joint Pain
• Nausea

Allergy to Meat or Fish

An allergy is almost exclusively a reaction to the proteins from a specific food ^[2]. The body mistakenly perceives these proteins as a threat by the body, and an allergic reaction is triggered. This allergic reaction is also known as an IgE-mediated response, as the body creates IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies ^[2] to defend against this ‘threat’. Allergies can cause a variety of symptoms, such as;

• Itchy, red, and watery eyes
• Itchy, red rash (may be raised)
• Sneezing and a runny or blocked nose
• Swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, or face
• Vomiting and nausea
• Wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath
• Anaphylaxis

Testing for intolerance to meat or fish

Meat and fish intolerances can be easily tested through simple home-to-lab blood sample testing. A small blood sample can be then sent to a lab for analysis where lab technicians analyse the IgG (Immunoglobulin G) levels within the blood to determine if intolerance is present. These tests use a standardised benchmark to compare IgG levels.

Testing for an egg allergy

An allergy test to meat or fish can be conducted using the same sized blood sample (even the same sample, if the lab conducts both). But it looks at a different type of immunoglobulin – IgE. This sample, taken at home and sent to a lab for testing, will be analysed for any potential allergies.

Mammalian meat allergy (alpha-gal allergy)

Interestingly, there is also a rare allergy to mammalian meats that people can develop. This allergy, known as mammalian meat allergy or ‘alpha-gal allergy’ is unusual because it isn’t actually an allergy to specific proteins in the meat, but it is actually a reaction to a particular carbohydrate within the meat – galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose.

What makes this allergy even more unique is that the reaction is often delayed for several hours, making it harder to identify ^[3]. It has been documented that a bit from certain tick species may cause this allergy to develop ^[4]. Unlike most allergies, mammalian meat allergy isn’t mostly developed in childhood; in fact, the case is often the opposite.

Removing Meat and Fish from the Diet

Meat and fish can be highly nutritious, so eliminating either or both from your diet should not be done lightly. If, however, you do need to remove both from your diet, you may be concerned as to how you’ll get enough protein in your diet. Here’s how;

Essential amino acids

Amino acids are what makeup proteins in our food. There are 20 different amino acids in total, but 9 of these essential amino acids cannot be produced by our bodies alone – they must be consumed through the diet. The easiest way to do that is by eating foods that contain ‘complete proteins such as eggs and dairy.

Complete proteins aren’t your only source, though. You can get all of the essential amino acids you need through multiple proteins sources – kind of like a pick and mix.

Here are a few meats and fish-free protein sources you can choose from;

• Nuts
• Beans
• Lentils
• Tempeh
• Quinoa
• Buckwheat
• Soy
• Tofu
• Chia seeds

Remember, allergies and intolerances, no matter how small they seem, can have a severe impact on your body and lifestyle. Your favourite foods may have been causing havoc in your digestive tract and you didn’t even realise. Getting tested for a possible allergy or intolerance to meat and fish could put your mind at ease and finally give your guy the break it needs.

Test Your Intolerance tests food sensitivities to meat and fish related items.

At Test Your Intolerance, our expert team have devised a scientifically validated food allergy & intolerance blood testing kit, highlighting what foods your body is intolerant to, including meat & fish. Examining hundreds of food and non-food items, the team aim to provide you with all the results you need. This can be completed easily at home by sending us a sample of your blood in the post. We also offer sensitivity testing which allows us to assess your sensitivities against up to 978 items using just a few strands of hair.

What do we offer?

The full Test Your Intolerance process offers:

• Scientifically validated blood testing
• Bioresonance hair sensitivity testing
• Comprehensive Reports sent via email and to our app
• Access to nutritional therapy aftercare

Instant Results Access through Email

At Test Your Intolerance, we know you want to know what you are allergic or intolerant to as soon as possible, as you are most likely looking to alter your diet and cut out offending foods. Therefore, we provide you with access to your results as soon as they are tested and have been verified.

Once approved, you will have secure online access to them having received an email from us. With a username and a password, you can log in and begin your journey to a new and healthier you, as you eliminate offending foods from your diet. Take a look at your results and read your in-depth report on your allergies & intolerances. Alternatively, results are also available through our exclusive app.

A full report sent by email and to the app

Enabling the convenience of being able to see your results online immediately, we also send you a comprehensive report, outlining all the foods that you are allergic or intolerant to. These tests help you to take control of your body, and this can set you on your way to managing your own food allergies & intolerances.

References

[1] Lin, S., Yang, X., Xing, Y., Wang, X. and Li, Y. (2019). The Clinical Application Value of Multiple Combination Food Intolerance Testing. Iranian journal of public health, [online] 48(6), pp.1068–1073. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31341848 [Accessed 5 Mar. 2020].

[2] Nih.gov. (2017). Allergies: Overview. [online] Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK447112/ [Accessed 6 Mar. 2020].

[3] The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. (2020). Alpha-gal and Red Meat Allergy | AAAAI. [online] Available at: https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/allergy-library/alpha-gal/ [Accessed 24 Mar. 2020].

‌[4] Steinke, J.W., Platts-Mills, T.A.E. and Commins, S.P. (2015). The alpha-gal story: Lessons learned from connecting the dots. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, [online] 135(3), pp.589–596. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4600073/ [Accessed 24 Mar. 2020].