Advisory

Food intolerance

Food intolerance is a negative reaction of the body to specific foods, which differs from an allergic reaction in that it does not involve the immune system. Symptoms of food intolerance may include digestive issues such as bloating, diarrhea, or constipation, but can also encompass other symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, or skin rashes. These symptoms usually appear several hours after consuming the food that the body cannot tolerate.

Food intolerance can be caused by a deficiency of certain enzymes needed for food digestion, sensitivity to food additives, repeated consumption of certain foods, or stress and psychological factors. The most common food intolerances include lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, fructose intolerance, and histamine intolerance. Proper diagnosis and management of food intolerance are crucial for maintaining optimal health and nutrition.

Good day,

I was beginning to rejoice that I finally understood the difference between celiac disease and a wheat allergy. Today's lesson has confused me a bit again. We learned that an allergy is conditioned by immune reactions, while intolerance is caused by a metabolic disorder (most commonly enzyme deficiency). So, is celiac disease considered a food intolerance, even though the immune system is involved in its development, unlike other food intolerances?

Furthermore, I wanted to ask if celiac disease is truly an incurable condition. As a child, I was diagnosed with celiac disease, but nowadays (and probably since the age of 10), I have no problem with gluten. Was it then a misdiagnosis?

Thank you.

Celiac disease is a genetically determined disorder of mucosal immunity that reacts abnormally to gluten and prolamins. It is an intolerance (= metabolic disorder) that involves the immune system. Modern medicine defines it as incurable, meaning a lifelong disease. In practice, I have witnessed several situations where individuals overcame this diagnosis, in cases where the diagnosis was conducted in a standard (comprehensive) manner (= with a low probability of diagnostic error). However, I cannot conscientiously say whether this was a statistically insignificant exception or an intervention by the body's homeostatic self-healing systems. These cases are commonly categorized by medicine under the label "spontaneous remission"...

Questions answered by

Mgr. Martin Jelinek
Lecturer and author of the educational system

Nutrition educator, lecturer, and author of the educational system and the ZOF learning application.

Mgr. Martin Jelínek has been systematically involved in nutrition education since 1999. He is the founder of ATAC, the educational company behind NutriCourses, and the author of an educational system focused on nutrition, healthy lifestyle, and the practical application of nutrition knowledge.

He graduated from the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University in Brno. Throughout his professional career, he has combined nutrition, education, and the practical application of acquired knowledge. His educational system also includes the ZOF (Zone of Optimal Functioning) learning application, where students turn theory into practical work with meal plans.

In 2007, he launched the first intake of a six-month course focused on the education of nutrition advisors. Over time, this course became the foundation for the further development of the educational system and a range of specialised courses.

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