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Tonight, Clare Balding investigated food allergies and intolerances. She asked if we've become too fussy about the food we eat.
Clare met nutritionist Azmina Govindji. She explained the difference between an allergy and intolerance, and warned against the dangers of self-diagnosis. She recommends a visit to the doctor if you are worried about an allergy or intolerance.
Celebrity culture was also mentioned. Has the rise in allergies come in part from celeb culture and the way that we model ourselves on those in the public eye?
But Clare also met Tony Hart. Tony's food intolerance is very real. He has Coeliac disease, which is caused by a reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, and other similar proteins found in rye, barley and oats. The disease affects approximately one in 100 people in the UK. Tony is a member of the charity Coeliac UK - external website here.
See also: Allergy symptom checker - NHS website.
Have we all become too fussy about food? Or are food allergies and intolerances much more common than many of us realise? Have changes to your diet improved your life? Have your say.
Comments
where are all these doctors willing to test you for food intolerance and allergies?
My doctor just says the tests are unreliable and fobbs you off.
So your only choice is to self diagnose and try to find things that make you feel better
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I have suffered from eczema all my life but discovered something that has helped me and others I have spoken to. I am allergic to Chedder cheese - lips immediately swell, but the antidote is Red Leicester cheese. I have passed this observation on to friends with children showing reaction to cheese - the switch to Red Leicester has worked.
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our son ehtan has just gone 2 years old,,,he is still being tested buy the doctors for ,milk intolerance ,,,,weve had 2 years of sleepless night ,, you try to avoid milk products but if they do not state there is whey powder in them ,its just like giveing them milk,,,we found this out when i was takeing him to mc donalds ,so the misses could have a good kip, we noticed he was getting the symptoms so we checked there website and found they had whey powder in them ,,,some things you think aint got it in has....richard williams
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Dont make light of food allergies!!
I have a number of food allergies that have developed in adulthood and have stemed from latex allergy which i developed working as a dental nurse. Now I am seriously allergic to a lot of foods that are related to latex protien ie bananas, peppers, chilli, kiwi fruit, avocado..........!!!
Its very difficult to live like this and far from seeing it as a trendy thing to have, I am usually quite embarresed to make a fuss.
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I have just watched this and totally agree with the comments made! I have had a serious food allergy for 20 years, so much so that I now carry an Epi-pen, but feel very fortunate that I am "only" allergic to Egg.
Although this ingredient is in a VAST number of foods, it is very easy to avoid... simply put - if you dont know whats in the food dont eat it.
HOWEVER I fully understand the worry for Gluten and Nut sufferers, it truly is much worse as these products are in just about everything.
The simple rule however in my view is... if you dont know whats in it, dont let it pass your lips!...
And YES 20yrs ago I did lose a lot of weight..... I frequently comment now however I need another allergy to lose it all over again !!!
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My late father suffered from an allergy to Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). I also suffer from this allergy too. It is most certainly not in my head.
As someone who has suffered from problems since 1985 I have seen an endocrinologist, a professor of allergenic medicine, psychologist and not one of them have been able to help.
The NHS are pretty useless for getting any help.
2 hours in the bathroom every morning is no joke.
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It is so important to note that allergies ARE NOT intolerances. ALLERGIES can be FATAL, and should be taken seriously, ESPECIALLY by nutritionists and doctors. Shame on those who 'dumb it down', and I suggest you visit your local A&E department and see how horrific it is to witness someone who has had their body shut down by their allergy, and are dying, and speak to those who have lost family from this, or who have had the awful task of adminstering the adrenaline pen (Epipen), to their children while seeing them fight for breath, and hoping that the paramedics arrive before the adrenaline wears off. P.S. If you are only going to give your item a few minutes air time, I suggest you are accurate.
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After experiencing excruciating pain for 7 months I finally had to have my gall bladder out as after having a scan it was shown that I had multiple stones but I was still having the same painful episodes, the doctors have now determined I have Irritable Bowel of the upper gut. Apparently the symptoms are very similar! There are several types of IBS so very dangerous to self diagnose.
My attacks are brought on by wheat, high fat content and spicy foods. When I asked the doctors if I could see a dietician, I was told that unfortunately the waiting list could be up to 3 years, so it was best for me to take supplements and cut out what affected me.
The lack of dieticians surprised me with all the intolerances and allergies around today.
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as usual the BBC is totally irresponsible in covering a topic involving the health of the nation. Why they choose columists and dieticians to discuss food allergy is beyond me. As for the advice that allergy needs to be confirmed by a doctor.... These are the same doctors that have had aproximately NO training in nutrition and health issues surrounding diet and lifestyle. Dieticians are not much better.
Food allergy and food intolerance are 2 very different things.....very real and not at all a FAD. We have totaly destroyed the quality of the food we eat (wheat is a prime example), we are completely full of chemicals from what we eat, the creams we cover our bodies in, the air we breath, household cleaning etcc etc ...together with stress, lack of sleep..need I go on.. So our immune systems and our nervous systems are completely unable to cope. Find out the truth from people who know...look for a Nutritionist who is a memeber of BANT .
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I have suffered with a Gastro intestinal complaint for most of my life i have been to see various doctors over a long period of time who have not tested me for allergies or been particularly helpful in getting a diagnosis. I was sent to a psychologist who after seeing me believed that my problem to be medical or food related, once again i am back to going to see the doctors. Other than diagnosing myself with an intolerance it is very hard to know what to do or where to get the relevant support from.....
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some allergies are very serious, my mother has a severe alergy to black amd white pepper and spices, and her allergy is so severe that even a spicy atmosphere can affect her. when she attended an allergy clinic about it, because they couldnt test for this allergen they fobbed her off saying it was food posioning to fish, which is funny because she never eats fish. Luckily her own GP trusted her judgement and prescribed the correct treatment and after 4 anaphalatic reations at work it is now taken more seriously. I am just thankful she works at a hospital so is surrounded by doctors.
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I've been non-coeliacs gluten intolerant for 3 years, was tested for Coeliacs when my weight plumeted from 8 and a half to 6 and a half stone in just 2 months at the age of 15. Eating gluten induces violent diahorreah, stomach cramps that stop me standing up and rapid weight loss. What's irritating is the complete lack of help (no prescriptions, no dieticians, no follow up check to test vitamin/mineral levels are healthy) the NHS offer to diagnosed NCGI sufferers beyond a doctor informing you to cut gluten out of your diet- it's honestly depressing.
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i think it is a great shame you have made such light of the problems encountered by those that have either food allergies or intolerances. i am lucky and don't suffer from food intolerances but my partner does. she has been to the doctor but they just fob her off. this means she has to workout on her own what is causing her problems and then try and avoid those foods (gluten and dairy). she gets near immediate (but not life threatening) reactions to tiny amounts of either of these when eaten.
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I come from a family all diagnosed with celiac disease and after watching your piece this evening I can only describe it as at best ill informed and at worst dangerous.
I was born with an allergy to dairy products, eggs and as a celiac. You made people sound like hypochondriacs and whilst commiserating with the celiac you interviewed passed him off as yet another one.
Having been admitted to hospital three times directly owing to having eaten something I was allergic to I find this offensive and dangerous.
You try taking you spouse out for a meal when all you’re offered is boiled rice or a baked potato by leading restaurants. It isn’t a life style choice, it is a medical decision you abide by to stay alive.
Christie
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My wife suffers from Crohn's disease etc and has food intolerances.
Onions, mushrooms, cream .... all react with her tummy and she needs to rush to the little room (won't say more).
I know her intolerances aren't life threatening - but they can be socially inhibiting.
John
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As a student nurse in the early '70s, I volunteered to be a normal subject for a milk allergy study. Obviously they has to test you had no allergies. Mine came back that I was allergic to casein. However I still eat cheese etc. and drink coffee etc. with milk, and as far as I know there has been no problem. I don't actually like drinking cold milk though!
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I was unhappy with the impression that if you have an allergy you can get medical help with foods etc.
My son is truly allergic to milk, he could potentially die from anaphylactic shock if the reaction is not treated quickly with an epi-pen and trip to hospital. We get his prescriptions for anti-histamine and a inhalers but we get no help with the cost of his food. Everything is extra cost - - soya cheese at £2.49 for a small tub, soya milk, dairy free cakes and more than twice the price of ones other kids can eat.
It is getting easier to find non-dairy foods, but no less expensive. Also there are many products that have hidden milk - such as flavoured crisps. I have heard that they use lactose to bind the flavour to the the crisps.
As for McDonalds they are quite good, the ingredients of all products are on the back of the tray liners. Their fish fingers are dairy free. Unfortunately our son doesn't much like them anymore, he is allergic (but less severely) to sesame so can't have the burger buns.
It is still VERY difficult to live with a severe allergy in this country - please don't make light of allergies.
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I am allergic to wheat and shellfish, and also vegetarian by choice (for 20+ years!). Eating out, weddings, social function etc is a nightmare, as is going out for a simple drink!
People dont take me seriously and I am constantly having to remind people what I cant eat, even close family! Having even a minor anaphalactic shock (which I cant spell!!) is awful, and I have a small child and worry all the time what would happen if I had a bad reaction when we were alone.
Celebs and 'normal' people claiming to be allergic and almost giving it a bad name, as people think they are making it up, means people think I am making it up.
To have a test can take up to 2 years on the NHS, I was lucky and managed to get a cancellation after 5 months. That was 12 years ago now, and at the time there were apparently less than 20 allergy specialists on the NHS!
Most doctors wont prescribe Epi pens due to their short shelf life, I can take one on holiday, but rely constantly on piriton in massive doses!
What winds me up the most is people who dont get the difference between an allergy and intollerance... they think all I get is tummy ache and bloating... not the all over rash, tightening of the neck, swelling on the lips, and then not being able to breath!
Its not a joke, its not funny, its not something you should pretned you have. People should be better educated and doctors should be trained further and tests more readily available.
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hi
I suffer from chonic asthma and eczeme . I have been tested by the hospital and I am
allergy to lots of things and the doctor said i was also allergy to the needle which did the test. When i was tested i was rushed in to hospital. I can not have Dairy things , Nuts and i can not eat now marmite.I have to special tablets and special drinks .I also can not drink soya milk and Goats milk.The poor doctor at the hospital was very surprise when he got the results of the test.From tree to food and animal allergies.When i touch eggs my skin blistered up and is very sore and if i eat any of this item my lips swell and got blue and can not breath.
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I have been suffering from increasing bouts of Migraine for some years now and many friends have suggested I get tested for a food allergy/intolerance. I have always been reluctant because of my natural scepticism about the subject.
Where does one go for a reliable test? You did not offer any reliable advice in your programme and I haven't yet found a source that I would feel I could trust. I do not trust anything I have found on-line so far.
My doctor rejects the idea that it could be a food related problem and so I get no joy from getting any advice from him except for medication. The attacks are now on a weekly basis and I am desperate for a solution!
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I was not impressed with your bit on allergy-Are Clare or Ainsley medical-think not. You should have had Professor Warner and a person from the Anaphylactic association. I have a son who could have this anaphalytic reaction to eggs fish or nuts,. I think you are trivalising the problem. Yes I do agree that some people especially the celebs do get on the band wagon. I think you should readdress this report with people who know what they are talking about not a cook or a horse racing corespondent !!!!!
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In 2 months in 2000 I lost 2 stone in weight, was very ill after eating and was pale. I had allergy tests and nothing came back positive. I had other intrusive tests done in hospital and they came back negative. The hospital discharged me and said there was nothing wrong...meanwhile I had cut out lots of things out of my diet and was going paranoid that everything I ate would make me ill.
I insisted to my doctor in 2002 that I wanted to see a dietrician and I had an appointment with one at hospital. We discussed my symptoms and she said they were compatible with severe intolerance. After weeks of keeping a record of my diet she looked at it and said it was wheat that was the problem. Little known fact is that wheat is used in lots of things as a thickener...anything with modified starch, rusk in meats etc
Gluten is only a part of the wheat kernel and just because it's gluten free doesn't mean it's wheat free.
Nightmare when shopping!
Because I'm intolerant (my body has decided not to absorb wheat and rejects it) I cannot have wheat free on prescription. But I can prove it by eating a biscuit and I'm down and out for a day or two.
Alot of people are mildly intolerant to some foods eg. onions, peppers...those things that cause us to be bloated or windy...and there are other serious intolerances which are very life restricting!
Regards
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The accuracy of this piece of journalism was in my opinion pretty poor. In fact I would go as far as to say appalling.
Clare Balding was confusing food allergy and food intolerance. Unfortunately this is very common in the media. Suggesting that food intolerance or food allergy is a "fad" is very dangerous. Both myself and my daughter have very serious food allergies and eating out is very difficult as a lot of restaurants don't take food allergy seriously. What they don't realise is that in some cases the consumption of a small amount of an allergen can cause an anaphylactic shock and unless treated immediately, this can result in death. The allergen could have been introduced to the meal by cross contamination during preparation. Food allergy and food intolerance are very serious subjects.
In addition the article suggests going to your GP to find out whether or not you have a food intolerance or allergy. Obliviously the researcher for this piece has never tried to get a diagnosis. Most GPs do not have the time or inclination to get involved in diagnosing food intolerance. They tend to be a bit more proactive when in comes to food allergies. Once the GP accepts that there may be a food related problem, finding a specialist in food intolerance and or food allergy can be very difficult.
If anyone ( and I include the BBC researcher) wants to know more in depth about food allergies and intolerance then I can suggest and excellent book on the subject:
" The Complete Guide to Food Allergy and Intolerance" by Prof. Jonathan Brostoff and Linda Gamlin. It is published by Quality Health Books and can be ordered direct form them by calling 01548 511378.
No I do not get a commission on sales :-) A few years ago I was diagnosed with quite a serious a food allergy and this book has helped me understand why I react to food the way I do.
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My doctor after saying I had IBS was of absolutely no help whatsoever.
I adore bread and cheese but if I eat either I get Diarrhea and then end up with muscle spasms, and have difficulty walking. I had to insist to see a dietician when i at last got a concession of some vitamins but I have given up asking for further help.
It is only to be concluded our National 'Health' Service does not like to see people healthy and only bothers when you are ill, which is too late as the likes of Jamie Oliver are discovering.
Some serious research is urgently needed with this condition before those who have a problem are buried like most doctors' problems!
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I totally agree with pblogger. The BBC should readdress this report using experts in the field such as Proffessor Warner and Professor Brostoff.
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people that say they have a food intolerence want to try is sometime then they would relise it a really serious problelm to have. I was diagnosed in 2008 with celiac's. today i'm 19years of age, you try and find a birthday cake without making it
or going out for a meal with family to celebrate. it is not only a problem for me but also the whole family.
these celebs want to try it sometime.
just wanting to make simple sandwich is a problem. I'm lucky that I can get flour on perscription, but it is still a pain, because you have to cook. shop bought bread is not very tasty.
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sollysoo, unfortunatley IBS is used too frequently by GPs to "fob off" patients. Try and get hold of a copy of the book I mentioned above, it will help you on your approach to your GP.
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my son is 13 years old, and was diagnosed as being milk and lactose intollerant when he was just 6 months old, he had chronic d & v, with a huge weight loss. we did do food challenges over the years, but every time we did the symtons came back, he also was diagnosed as having chronic asthma at the same time. last year he was also diagnosed as having a wheat intollerance, and has some of his food on prescription. he would love to have a mr whippy ice cream, or go to mc donalds, but unfortunatly these things are things that he has never had, because of the ingrediants that they put into their foods. this is not through choice it is a medical condition, and it has also put him in hospital on a few occassions. i do get annoyed when people say that a lot of it is in the mind! IF ONLY!!
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Dear bbc,
| cannot believe your comments on food intolerance !!.I am a 42 year old male and suffered from I.b.s for 14 years,I was told by my doctor (after having numerous scans, check ups with a gastroenterologist) that it was somthing i would have to live with Not very pleasant,imagine having a upset stomach every day of your life.It was only when i had a food intolance test done privately i found out i was intolerant to cows milk.Since i have cut this out of my diet, ive improved dramaticaly.I feel that you calling it a "fashion fad" is rediculous,i for one love all cheeses,yoghurt and all cows milk products.i think you need to get your facts right ! I for one felt insulted by the comments your panel made this evening.Most gps dont agree with intolerance testing, thats why i went private as you probably wouldnt get this done on the NHS. Why dont you ask doctors why these days they dont like prescribing anti-biotics, which i beleive caused my problems in the first place !!!
Living with food intolerance is an apsolute
nightmare,especially eating out,it also comes at a cost financilly.
glen lay cambridge uk
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I intend to make a formal complaint about this piece. Might I suggest that if any other people on this blog were upset/offended/annoyed that they also make a formal complaint. Just go to this link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/complaints_stage1.shtml
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tesla1966 - yes I too think antibiotics could be the cause. I was prescribed tetracycline for more than 10 years for seborrea [very greasy spotty skin]. I would have given antibiotics a very wide birth had I known.
I would swop my food intollerance for greasy skin any day now.
Also of no help was the advice from the DHS during the 80s that you could live on sandwiches. Government departments - what are they good for??
ChrisDD1 Thank you - will look out this book.
As you age you realise how wise your Granny and Mother were!
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The information given on the show made me so angry (and I'm not one to shout at the tv!!). They suggested that an allergy and intolerance are one and the same - what utter rubbish! I am 28 and have suffered from IBS most of my life. I have been tested for allergies by my GP and when they came back negative, they basically said there is nothing we can do as they do not believe in intolerances. I am INTOLERANT to gluten, diary, nuts and msg's...I can eat them therefore not allergic but if I do, I swell up by an extra clothes size or more, suffer from awful stomach pains, gas, headaches and constipation and it makes me so weak, tired and grumpy I just want to lock myself away from the world. It most certainly is not fashionable or trendy - it affects my social life as I tend not to eat out in restaurants or at friends - I feel like a pain and get very embarassed, it causes me to be depressed as am in pain and bloated most of the time.
Saying it is in peoples heads is the general reaction I get from most GP's, it's more likely that they don't know what to do and its easier to blame it on your mind. It makes me so angry!!!!!!!
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Most doctors and indeed dietitians have very little understanding about food intolerance.
I had arthritis for over 26 years, and only got better when I took a food intolerance test (a pinprick of blood was posted to the lab) and followed the advice. All my arthritis symptoms disappeared when I removed the offending foods. I am still symptom-free 12 years later.
I was so happy when my life was transformed that I joined the lab and after a while became its M.D. (now retired and still symptom-free!)
From the various trials and studies carried out with different universities and hospitals it became evident that identifying and omitting problem foods led to a successful outcome for between 70-75% of people taking the particular test and following the nutritional advice that followed.
People who suffered from IBS, migraines, skin problems, joint problems, rhinitis etc.were the main beneficiaries who often had a wide range of non-life threatening but uncomfortable disorders.
Despite remarkable successes which led to considerable relief from symptoms for the majority of people, there followed a period in which many so called experts said:
1.Food itolerance doesn't exist - Untrue!
2.It's dangerous to remove certain foods - Untrue! - there are always substitutes.
3. Go to your doctor - why? Most people we studied had been to see their doctor on average six timnes without getting better and the "professionals"were found mainly not to understand the subject very well, and rarely were able to keep up to date with the emerging evidence.
I would suggest people who suspect they may have food intolerance and who have symptoms which haven't responded following advice from their doctor contact allergyUK or Action Against Allergy or contact laboratories who do understand the problems. These may be able to help.
Well qualified nutritionists in my experience have a better understanding than dietitians who are very negative towards the subject.
Knocking food intolerance seems very fashionable by a number of so-called experts - yet it is a fact that most people benefit from finding and recognising problem foods. The parmaceutical industry and parts of the food industry have too much interest in this area.
The BBC have never really dealt with this subject very well, and I would call for a proper analysis and assessment of the evidence for and against food intolerance, and what may be done when it exists and impacts so negatively on the lives of so many.
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Before you get so called experts like Ainsley Herriott and Clare Balding to comment on food intolerance, perhaps you should get some real experts to tell you the real facts.
I am a State Registered Nurse and have had food intolerance for 10 years. The only way to test for this is go on an elimination diet. I suggest that the reading of Prof. Brostoff and Linda Gamlin's book "The Complete Guide to Food Allergy and Food Intolerance is a good place to start. In my own case I started have severe facial flushing, aching muscles, severe weakness to the point I had difficulty getting out of bed, shakes, going freezing cold and of course diarrhoea. I did not know what was wrong with me. I had numerous tests and nobody could find the cause. My GP attended a lecture by Prof Brostoff and decided that perhaps food intolerance was the cause of my illness. He put me on a lamb and rice diet. I got better and then got worse. I took out the rice and got better. I subsequently found I could only eat meat and tropical fruits and nothing else. I lost so much weight my family thought I was going to die. I went to see Prof Brostoff who tried various treatments. Nothing worked. He then recommended I try a treatment called Enzyme Potentiated Desensitisation. This took about six treatments before I began to feel better. Ten years on, I still have an occassional treatment, but I can eat almost normally. It really irks me, when people confuse things. Celiac disease is specifically related to the gluten part of grains. Food intolerance does not necessarily involve wheat. It can be any food.
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Today's show was very dismissive of a chronic condition that is very difficult to diagnose, not really dealt with in the
NHS and which can have major effects on wellbeing and the ability to function professionally.
I have long been diagnosed with IBS and tried laboratory food intolerance testing (yorktest) two years ago to see if that could help.
I found I have intolerance to several foods and the effects of eliminating them from my diet were major, including:
-a huge improvement in my immune system, I was getting bronchitis several times a year which often involved a week off work and have been free of it for two years now
-considerable increase in energy
-weight loss
-lack of food cravings
-dramatically improved concentration
-no more need to sleep in the daytime.
While these may not be life threatening symptoms, they add up to a significant reduction in the quality of life and ability to work effectively.
Maintaining an elimination diet is difficult, not least because it feels like I'm making an unnecessary fuss. The dissmissive tone of this article will not help.
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Thank you ChrisDD1 for posting the complaints link.
Following your link, I also have now complained officially to the BBC-let's hope they do something about it. How dare they insult people who are disabled by allergies and severe food intolerances, and say 'it's all in the mind' or 'a celebrity fad'. Would they dare to belittle people because of their religion or colour or race? So why is it OK to upset disabled people?
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Not all intolerances are minor or insignificant. My two daughters have hereditary fructose intolerance - this means they can eat nothing sweetened with sugar, sucrose, fructose or anything that mimics these. This includes almost all fruit and veg. Eating these foods causes irreparable liver damage. Doctors called us fussy parents for eleven years before we found a magazine article that led to diagnosis.
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My wife had all sorts of health issues, her Drs refered her to a number of speciallist at the local hospital. Every one proved negative. In the end they refered her to a be psychologist he said she was not in need of his skills. I asked the Drs about food intolerence and blood tests and asked if it might Candida Albicans but was basically told no. We then paid £250.00 for a private blood test. Dairy products, wheat, gluten and gliden were implicated. Within a week of removing these from her diet and also taking Probiotics to rebuild her gut flora after all the anibiotics etc she had been perscribed over the years. Now after a month or two she has improved her whole demena. Without self diognosis we would still be in termoil health wise. The medical people will not look at the proof of our actions.
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hi cabentley I too used yorktest for a food intolerance test, (cows milk intolerance)I was never offered this on NHS even after 14 years of suffering from IBS (typical diagnosis) I feel the nhs could have saved themselves a huge ammount of money if they had offered it to me (it cost £320 then,2 years ago) in the first place.As i said earlier i had numerous scans,intrusive check ups,visits to a gastroenterolagist (sorry bout spelling).All of which must have come at ahuge cost to the NHS!.But as most posts state doctors sadly dont or wont recognise it.It seems the (non proffesional) panel on tonight shows are not in any possition to comment on it. Ignorance or what !!
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we have a little girl who is now 5 who suffers from food allergies. she has to avoid all dairy,nut,fish,egg,baked beans and kiwi fruits. we knew she had allergies from a few months old but kept getting fobbed off and told she was too young to be tested. Finally 4 years later after constant visits to the doctors and dieticians we managed to win our fight and get her tested. which is when we found out all of the above allergies. she now carries an epi-pen. all i can say to other parents is keep fighting for those tests. it could save your childs life.
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The feature about Food Allergies and Intolerances was ill informed, one sided, and made light of a potentially serious medical conditions. Living with allergies and intolerances is difficult. My daughter has two medically diagnosed intolerances. One of the main problems is other peoples uneducated assumptions that the intolerance is a fashion statement. This has lead to my daughter being given food that has made her ill. I can be sure that far from providing information and eduaction your article has made this situation worse.
The most offensive and inaccurate parts of the item were the statements "what we are kind of implying is that people are making it up" by Adrian Chiles, and by Claire Balding "if you have in intolerance, you might get slight bloating, you might get a rash, you might get a mild headache". This is completely misleading. The symptoms of intolerance are recognised to be much worse than this. Intolerance would not result in a rash as stated by Claire Balding (a sign of an immune reaction and therefore a full blown allergy). Comments such as "if people think they might (laughs) have an intolerance", "everyone banging on all the time about food intolerance", "its no wonder we are all paraniod about food", "its actually quite trendy to say I've got a food allergy" are at best misguided.
Why on earth was no medical person involved in this discussion?? I urge the BBC to redress the balance by carrying a feature on what it is like to live with an allergy and an intolerance. Please get medical advice before airing such an article!!
My experience of food INTOLERANCE (not made up thanks): My daughter was ill from birth. I had repeatedly visited Doctors and Health Visitors as she suffered terribly with reflux, wind, and diahorrea. At three months I demanded that my GP tested for lactose intolerance, and the test came back positive. I had been breast feeding, and she was even reacting to my own milk. Even with the diagnosis I was given no information or help from the NHS. At 6 months we ended up in A&E, as my daughter was passing blood every time she opened her bowels. It was only at a specialist childrens unit that we were able to get the full diagnosis, milk, lactose and soya intolerances. My daughter has been and continues to be brave. She has to endure trials every few months where she is fed a few teaspoons of milk or soya, they have so far made her very ill. All the dairy substitues avaliable are soya based, so not suitable for her. She has never had chocolate, ice-cream, cheese etc, and can't even eat most breads. Our life is hugely affected by this.
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As an 18 year old student who has suffered from coeliac disease for nearly 17 years, it infuriates me that the BBC cannot differentiate between an allergy and intolerance. The irony for me was in the blatant contradiciton, particularly in terms of the coeliac sufferer. He, like me, suffers reactions to gluten but they are a result of intolerance. What was particularly worrying was that Clare Balding seemed to claim that those suffering intolerances are 'faddy' and that coeliacs could suffer life threatening reactions. We can react severely to gluten but these reactions cannot be compared with say, an allergic reaction to nuts.
At the beginning of the piece, I was glad that the BBC was striving to show that many people are 'faddy' and claim to have intolerances and allergies, without any real basis other than because its 'cool'. It wasn't made clear that you do not necessarily need to be diagnosed to have a food intolerance or allergy
This is a difficult topic. Self-diagnosis is controversial. I have done voluntary work for the Oxfordshire Coeliac Group and we often have members who are not coeliac but have self diagnosed and as a result feel better. We also have people that clearly exhibited symptons linked to coeliac disease but refuse to make themselves ill, just to get a diagnosis.
This piece should have been (at the very least) done by The One Show doctor and should have had more medical content and more research should have been done.
Perhaps the BBC will take the liberty to use a dictionary next time.
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estammers1. Your comment about making yourself ill to get diagnosed brings up a point.
I was given a blood test for this but have only recently learnt that it came back negative because I had been avoiding the wheat and dairy. So the doctors are useless. No wonder the NHS sucks up money like the Sahara.
Thank God for Self help. Nor are we stupid as most GPs seem to believe!
I have just emailed a complaint about this item.
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What a damaging/flippant section on food allergies/intolerances. How can she be paid for researching that article to come up with a like like its a fad ... Its sexy!! She should try living with an intolerance to Gluten and see if its something she would do out of choice!
Where was the mention of lack of support/interest from Doctors which make people resort to self diagnosis?
I have been told by the Doctor its clear I have a Gluten Intolerance but it isn't picked up by the blood test as I haven't got Coeliacs (yet)... Also I did what most people would do if they think they are allergic they cut it out - which has apparently hampered the testing. So I haven't got an official diagnosis, can't get food on perscription etc ....where was the advice on how to get diagnosed! Awful awful excuse for a program - they should be ashamed of themselves.
Lisa - Reading
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Having been diagnosed last year by a consultant as having a Salicylate Intolerance plus having an allergy to milk I was told to go home and Google it. To date other than taking an antihistimine tablet every day I get no help or advice -there doesn't seem to be any. My salicylate intolerance means I can eat virtually no fruit or vegetables as salicylate is a natural substance that protects fruit and veg from disease and fungus it also means all herbs and spices are forbidden. It is also a man made chemical in Asprin and other medicines and in many other products such as shampoo perfumes washing powder etc etc. It makes eating very difficult and worrying as my symptoms are swelling of the mouth, tongue and throat as well as bloating and IBS like symptoms - I am off everyones dinner party list!!!It is very difficult to diagnose this intolerance as there is no test and only by giving the Consultant a diary of all I had eaten for 4 days prior to a bad attack did she know what the problem was I was lucky she knew about it as it is very rare but apparently more cases are being heard of as people are being encouraged to eat more and more fruit and veg, as I was doing, thinking I was doing the right thing. I would now say to anyone everything in moderation. Believe me this is very real and I would love to think that in a few years I would be able to enjoy fruit and veg again but I dont hold out much hope.
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What is sexy about going out for a meal and having to explain you can't eat certain foods without fear of taking ill!!
Also, a Gluten Free Diet is NOT slimming. It is not something you would adopt as a fad diet to loose weight! If anything you can put weight on eating Gluten Free substitute food.
This has done far more harm than you realise. I have had trouble in restaurants to make people understand how serious a Gluten Intolerance is.... This type of program has just made that job even harder.
The BBC has the responsibility to report accurately with qualified professionals and I think they should be made to re address this imbalance.
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PS Apple cider vinegar is a good antidote when you've eaten something that you are sensative to.
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Where's the comment i made before you put my PS up????????
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Dr. Arthur F. Coca, a renowned physician, developed the Coca Pulse Test for allergy elimination over 40 years ago. ...
Try this people!!!!
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Well done The One Show. You have just made my life even harder to cope with. As a serious allergy sufferer Shopping, eating out, even dining with some family and friends is a constant nightmare. Seperate food cupboards, fridge space, breadbins. Its not a joke to some of us. Its life threatening. Even the slightest cross contamination of food can land you in hospital for days. One of the biggest problem is the lack of understanding by many many people and perhaps The One Show is just another body of those.
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I was highly concerned by this programme.
Firstly those with intolerances/allergies/auto-immune diseases such as coelaic find it hard enough to be taken seriously without this show making it seem that we are part of a 'fad'.
Secondly this may mean people don't want to go to their docs in case they feel stupid.
Thirdly the show was factually incorrect - coeliac is an auto-immune disease, not an allergy or intolerance and does not present with swollen lips etc (this would be seen in an allergy).
Fourthly (my last one!) - at the moment there is great concern some people with coeliacs are undiagnosed this can have serious health implications such as increased risk of cancer or other auto-immune diseases. So this show may hinder this further .
I found the show highly biased (something the BBC seems to think it really shouldn't be at the moment) and irresponsible.
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Well BBC you seem to have made a bad piece about food intolerance and received deservedly a number of complaints.
This is such a shame when you have the power to inform and educate but you have trivialised the subject, and done a considerable dis-service to your licence payers and viewers.
Why not attempt to put this right with proper examination of this subject?
This is a challenge - will you respond?
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I couldn't agree more I think they need to redress the issue in an informed manner. The programme was damaging rather than informative and, as it is a health issue, should be treated with considerable care.
Socalledexperts is right to ask them to put it right.
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I have to say I feel some of you have missed the point of this article on the programme. I have been totally insensed over the past years by people claiming to suffer from serious allergies when they clearly don't. As a lifetime nut allergy sufferer (full anaphylactic shock) I have felt as many of you have, embarrassed and limited by having such a problem. Why anyone would like to have it like some kind of badge of honour is beyond me.
I think the public in general need to be reminded about the seriousness of having such an allergy both in awareness in identifying it , say, in children and also in knowing when something is not an allergic reaction and just a dislike to a certain food.
In my opinion it was reported well and raised the issue of mis (self) diagnosis well.
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To Pebbles240
I don't think the majority of people have missed the point and it was NOT well reported.
They did not really address the seriousness of proper allergy sufferers and focused more on the fact people copy celebs and its sexy to have a fad intolerance. They could have focused on the seriousness more and said of the laughing approach they took to condeming the majority.
They could and SHOULD have focused on ways people need help being diagnosed etc.. If more support was available more people would be diagnosed correctly and less reason for people to resort to self diagnosis which, yes, a percentage of people will get wrong.
They focused too heavily on the people who mis diagnose. It came across very flippant which will make earing out difficult for people with real allergies as its okay to assume they have a fad.
Very badly represented in my, and the majority of peoples, opinion.
Lisa - Reading
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Re Pebbles240
I don't think anyone didn't get the point, it was such a basic report how couldn't we have got it. Our problem was with how it was conveyed. The medical information was factually incorrect and they further hindered the publics perception of allergies/intolerances etc. Although I was lucky enough to be quickly diagnosed with coeliac others have real problems being taken seriously. All people are concerned about here is the lack of balance and factual clarity within this report.
Perhaps the one good point they made is that people should get any allergies or intolerances checked - whether they get taken seriously when they do is another thing.
Frances - Cambridge
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i was very very disappointed with the one show last night. you had an excellent opportunity to put a good piece to the nation about food allergies/coeliac disease and totally messed it up. my daughter has coeliac disease and i am struggling to get people to understand the seriousness of it. you 'lumped it in' with faddy diets and made it sound very trivial. it is NOT something that should've been looked at by your sports presenters and tv/showbiz critics. it should've been spoken about by a doctor or some other medically trained specialist. very disappointed. maybe if YOU were suffering from coeliac disease you would have put a different spin on it. bbc please do better next time.
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The whole point of the report was on those who 'claim' they have allergies when they do not and in particular the taking of internet tests, or on the street private test which are part of quack doctoring. I did not feel that it was attacking sufferers like me who are seriously alllergic.
Reports on this programme are short and focused. This was not a report on actual allergy sufferers other than to give a baseline to what serious suffering is. If I did have a criticism it was in placing allergy sufferers and coeliac sufferers in the same pot as these problems are very diffferent in their nature.
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Pebbles 240 -
I agree that their point may have been a real one but I think most people felt concerned by the lack of true medical information in the show and that perhaps a more useful programme would have been a little more balanced. If they didn't have the time don't show it. If they plan to do a short piece it needs to factually correct, something it was not- as you point out in the difference between coeliac and allergies.
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Well, what an article!! A discussion on a serious medical topic and not a medically qualified person in sight. Your article on Food Allergy & Intolerance was appalling and has probably done enormous damage to those people unfortunate enough to genuinely suffer from severe reaction to foods.
Whilst I may have to accept that certain "celebrities" may claim to have intolerances, and that magazine readers may be inclined to follow them, your programme did nothing to scare them off this practice - if that was the programme's intention. What it certainly did, however, was trivialise the problems experienced by THOUSANDS of genuine sufferers who have to find a way to cope with the effects every day of their lives.
Apart from 45 seconds interviewing Anthony, the Coeliac sufferer, the rest of the article consisted of non-experts laughing their way through the programme or opening their comments with "I think" or "we're kind of implying that people are making it up" or "it's sexier to have an intolerance than to be on a diet". There was total euphoria when Clare Balding enlightened you with a new word - "Cyberchondria".
My mother became Coeliac when she was 70, after years of stomach and diarrhoea problems that went un-diagnosed to the point that she had lost so much weight she almost died! It was only a comment by a doctor, who had come across some reference to Gluten Intolerance and Coeliac, that lead to her being diagnosed as Coeliac.
Our daughter has also proved to be Gluten intolerant and her reactions to gluten products is extreme and debilitating. When dining out she has to be certain that the food she gets does not contain Gluten. Recently, at one of London's top restaurants, she asked the waiter to check with the Chef that her choice would be Gluten-Free. He told her he "thought" it was. She insisted he go and ask the Chef. After some considerable time he returned, saying it was OK. When she tried it she was convinced it wasn't OK and when she pursued this with the waiter he said the Chef had been busy so he just hung around in the kitchen before telling her it was Gluten-Free. The Restaurant's Manager's response was that he would "smack his hands"!
The above is only a hint of the Food Intolerance/Diagnosis issues. Perhaps it may assist you to understand that we need HELP, not TRIVIALSATION.
You have set the clock back for us in "educating" food providers, shops, restaurants.
Bob, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
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No, all too often people are not "too tolerant about food intolerances"! Those who suffer from this, frequently encounter the arrogance of the unafflicted! The experience of many is that it is not solved or even much helped by "a visit to the doctor". No wonder all that is left to them is self diagnosis with all its inherant dangers, and made almost impossible by the fact that food labelling is both confusing and woefully inadequate. To imply that perhaps many are chosing to have these often quite humiliating symptons over a period of maybe ten, twenty years or more because they are somehow "trendy" or aping celebrities is not only insensitive but also quite frankly insulting!
Has any really serious study been made of quite how far our diet has changed over the last few decades and how this may have some link with the apparent rise of food intolerances? I may be mistaken but I seem to remember that bread used to be made with wheat, water and yeast and very little else. Reading the list of ingredients now contained in our mass produced bread, is like reading the contents of a chemisrty lab! And soya seems to get everywhere! It's in bread, biscuits, cakes, possibly vegetable fats and goodness knows what else not to mention the fact that it is often fed to the animals we eat!! The Institute of Food Research states that "about two-thirds of all manufactured food products conatin derivatives or ingredients made from soya". I'm not disputing that soya in reasonable quantities may be harmless or even beneficial to many people. But has anyone ever seriously studied the cumulative effects of the amount now fed to the population on mass? What chance do we have as individuals to make informed choices about what we will or won't eat?
Finally to come back to a point made at the beginning of the programme - if we are paranoid about what we eat, surely that paranoia is repeatedly fed by the mass media!!!!!!!!
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With regards to last nights show I think the public are aware of allergies and intolerances. I have had a nut allergy which I need to carry epi pens around for and have been in hospital with it for around 11 years. SInce the birth of my son who is now 5 I have experienced great changes in my health. The explanation could be a blood transfusion given to me too long after having lost blood on child birth. But it could aslo be to do with pesticides and chemicals we inhale from foods and cleaning products.
Over the last 4 years I have developed allergies to egg yolk, lactose and casein, potato, deadly nightshade family foods and the list does go on.
Gp's need to be more aware of allergies and take people more seriously.
The dietician I spoke to was great, cut something out of the diet and see if health improves, but still keep a balanced healthy diet.
The coelic disease I can say from personal exprience is horrid, hair falling out, lethargy, weight loss, dirrohea, nauseua, vomiting and the list goes on. These are some of the syptoms I had for about 6 months until GP decided to take me seriously.
Don't give up, you know if your body doesn't feel right.
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As a newly-diagnosed Coeliac I was excited to hear that the BBC was going to speak to a Coeliac about what it's like and how it impacts his life. I was somewhat disappointed on how brief the piece was, although I can understand that it is a fast-paced show with a number of topics on offer.
However, I became extremely concerned when it became apparent that Coeliac Disease appeared to be put under the umbrella of "food intolerances or allergies". Even I, as a novice Coeliac, know that it is in fact neither of these, but an auto-immune disease caused by a reaction to gluten in food.
I agree that it is important not to embark on a wheat-free diet as a "fad" way of weight control; in fact I am very much against any kind of fad-dieting on principle. However, I am extremely disappointed that Coeliac Disease was treated as something that people may only "think" they have, instead of a much misunderstood and, importantly, UNDERdiagnosed condition which is in desperate need of being better understood.
I believe that the BBC missed a tremendous opportunity to positively increase awareness and understanding of Coeliac Disease, and fervently hope that they work more closely with Coeliac UK (the national charity dedicated to the cause) in order to redress this slight.
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I think that your show made a good point in that "food allergies" are now forming the basis of some fad diets, however as the mother of a 21 month child with Coeliac disease, I can assure you that some food intolerences are very real.
When discussing the issue of food allergies and food intolerences after your report there was some notes that you failed to include. Yes Coeliac disease is an intolerence and not an allergy. This is not a diesase that anyone will "grow" out of and can seriously effect the health of the person who is affected. It is just a shame that you did not emphasise the fact that this diease is an auto-immune diseaseand not an allergy that develops and that there is no cure.
When discussing my daughters diet some people believe that she is just a faddy eater. I can assure everyone that after spending one week in hospital with her health deteriating daily and being put through the stress of many tests including a small intestine biopsy, this disease is not a fad.
Thank-you for covering this disease, it is always nice to see coverage, as many people in the UK are unaware that this even exists, like myself before my daughter became ill.
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Well what a disappointment. I was initially really pleased to hear that coeliac disease was to be discussed on The One Show but horrified after watching the article. I am a coeliac and for years was fobbed off that it was just IBS (which in itself is horrible and debilitating)and it was all due to stress etc. BBC viewers need to be correctly informed by someone who understands the difference between intolerances, true allergies and auto-immune diseases such as coeliac disease. Coeliac UK is working so hard to promote the awareness of the disease and its symptoms and I would urge anyone with a suspected intolerance to any food substance, to see their GP and request further investigations. Come on BBC do the right thing and apologise for any confusion this article has no doubt caused.
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I have Coeliac and i thought your programme last nite did not go into enough detail of what being a coeliac involves and how to manage a gluten free diet!
plus how expensive it can also be when you go out food shopping, next time please allocate a longer slot...
great programme by the way...im addicted :)
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Dear One Show,
I thought that your piece on food tolerance was extremely insensitive and inaccurate.
If somebody has unpleasant symptoms when they eat a certain food group and is free from these problems when they do not, they are going to stop eating them. It is as simple as that. We are not imagining these problems and very much resent the implication that we are.
As for help from the medical profession in this sort of problem, there is none. Elimination of foods in the diet is the only way to assess the problem.
It do think it is possible that there could be a stress element underlying these problems or maybe an environmental element, but that does not change the facts or solve the problem.
So please One Show, try to believe that people that eliminate certain foods from their diets are not raving loonies looking for problems, not people trying to hide a diet fad and not people that think it is fashionable to do so.
How nice to be able to eat anything and not have to pay the price afterwards. I envy you people.
Best wishes
Upset of Totland Bay
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I was disturbed to hear the dismissive attitude of the BBC to this problem. I have suffered for almost ten years from food, chemical, and inhalent intolerance. Tests at the Allergy Clinic confirmed that I am intolerant to most foods (headache, sinus problems, catarrh, itching, coldness, restless legs, sleeplessness, sore tongue, stomach problems etc.). The problem is the frequency of ingesting foods, as my body rejects most substances after about two to three days. This means I have had to be on a four -day rotational diet for almost ten years. I was heartened to read the post from strausswaltz saying that EPD cured her problems. I had neutralisation therapy which did not work. I would be interested to hear more. I also value Prof.Brostoff's book and believe there would be far fewer visits to the doctor if people were aware of this problem.
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Well personally Im amazed that anyone could think a person with COELIAC DISEASE is a fussy eater or on a faddy diet. My disease was mediacally diagnosed 16 years ago by bisopsies. If I eat anything with Gluten (a protein found in certain flours and grains) then my small bowel is stripped of its mucosa (the lining) . This results in malnutrition, weight loss, chronic pain, stomach upset, anaemia and much more. I have spent much time in hospital with related problems. Long term complications are osteoporosis and if the diet is not managed properly this can result in permanant damage and even some cancers. If anyone still wants to say Coeliacs are fussy eaters....bring it on!!
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I have to say that I am most dissapointed that the BBC can 'make light' of food intolerances. My daughter now 5 was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease (gluten intolerance) aged 18 months following a weeks hospitalisation following weight loss and persistant vomiting. She then had to endure an endoscopy under full anaesthetic 2 days before xmas to confirm the diagnosis, before we could change her diet in order to make her feel better and be able to put back n some of the weight she has lost. She cannot have MacDonalds, Pizza Hut etc etc and it is very difficult for her at friends birthday party's when they are having party food & cakes which she cannot have.
She does not have a choice if she ate a 'normal' diet she would end up hospitalised again and would probably permanently damage her gut.
Althought she can have basic food stuffs on prescription (bread mix, flour, plain biscuits) this is only whilst she is eligible and once she is 18 or no longer eligible she will have to pay for her prescriptions for food which she has to have.
I think if the BBC is going to have such an item on prime time TV they should ensure they can follow it up and publicise it correctly.
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There were parts of the item about food allergies which I agreed with but I did not think the presenters handled this subject with a proper amount of respect concerning the many people who do have 'diagnosed allergies'. In my family I have both coeliac and dairy allergies - all properly diagnosed. I can say from experience that it is not something that is pleasant to live with and, as your presenters demonstrated is sneered at by many people 'as being trendy and jumping on the bandwagon' .
I agree that there is an element of this and that so called 'celebrities' have helped to create this situation but before sneering and making assumptions people should actually think about what it is like for someone with a genuine allergy to have to put up with this kind of response.
As for eat cheese until you are 75, yes that would be lovely and my daughter would absolutely love to do just that but she is allergic to all dairy and just one mouthful makes her horribly ill. She adores cheese and chocolate but cannot eat either. She cannot go into a restaurant and order anything off the menu without checking everything first - it is amazing how many dishes do not state on the menu that they contain dairy but when they arrive are smothered in cheese - not helpful. She even has to pay extra for a cup of tea/coffee if she wants Soya milk, that is if the restaurant bothers to stock it!
So instead of just dismissing allergies as being trivial why not do a show about the effects and difficulties people who do have allergies encounter - this would nicely balance out last night's item which must have had genuine sufferers tearing their hair out.
antidairyfairy
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I watched your programme last night expecting to see a article which would help people understand Coeliacs desease,in the end it made me think that anyone may consider me following a fad diet and if I now go out for a meal which comes with coutons they may just take them off instead of making me a new meal.I think you set the Coeliacs society back 10 years after all the hard work they have done to get the press to recognise this illness.
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When I heard the one show were doing an item on food allergies I knew it would make me angry. I was right, it did. Yes those of us with allergies don't make good dinner guests, but if that's all you've got to worry about I'll swap places with you.
I've been diagnosed with severe allergies to wheat, rye, oats, barley, nuts, raw egg and sunflower seeds. On previous occasions when I've eaten these things I've had to go to hospital for treatment as my mouth and throat close up and I can't breathe.
I do get annoyed with people in the office who say they're avoiding wheat when they're just on some faddy diet, but is it too much to ask for a serious item on allergies, rather than interviewing someone who works for a celebrity magazine?
Imagine standing in M&S food hall and knowing that you can't eat most of the things that are in there. Imagine not being invited to dinner parties because you're too much trouble. Imagine not being able to enjoy meals out with your friends and families.
I know I'm crabby about it but it makes my blood boil that people with properly diagnosed allergies are brushed aside with a snear that they're just on some faddy diet or even worse attention seeking.
Glad that's off my chest!
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We have always loved watching the One Show, but not last night's one. You didn't get it right!. You almost mocked, what is to thousands of people, a very serious medical problem and it is not an allergy, it is a medically registered disease.
Gluten attacks the lower abdomen/intestines, in certain cases, it destroys the inner lining of the bowel, which is like thousands of little fingers, these small fingers extract all the good vitamins, from your digested food. Gluten attacks the immune system and these fingers are destroyed, so you are no longer able to absorb any goodness from your food, you lose weight, your blood goes haywire, your calcium levels drop, it is a very serious condition and it is for life!.
My wife, who is a coeliac and I run a Gluten Free Group in Crawley, West Sussex, called The Crawley Gluten Free Group. This charity offers help, to all sufferers from Gluten, whether diagnosed Coeliacs, or IBS sufferers, or just people having an intolerance to Gluten.
We have 70+ members, who all share their knowledge of survival in a world full of Gluten. Take a good look at our web site, get your researchers to look at the video, see www.glutenfree-crawley.org.uk, over 83 different countries have opened it and downloaded thousands of pages, so this is a world wide problem and you didn't help us at all!. Perhaps if you do the subject again, you will make sure your people and especially the presenter, are all better informed.
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My youngest daughter had undiagnosed coeliac disease from shortly after she turned 1 year old.
We thought that her almost daily vomitting would pass. We couldn't understand why she was so miserable. A few months later, our GPs thought it was just a virus or something and pretty much to stop bothering them. A few months later, the A&E department at the hospital didn't know what to make of it. They came up with severe constipation. They told us that all the blood tests were negative. We had to assume they tested for everything relevant. I asked several times for details of the tests but never got a clear answer, just general fobbing off.
We didn't know about coeliac disease at the time so we carried on feeding her food with gluten in without realising the damage it was causing. We found out a few weeks later that the hospital had messed up the blood tests and not actually tested for coeliac disease or lactose intolerance. The paediatrician's instinct was that it couldn't be coeliac disease because the symptoms didn't match. So he advised we cut out cows milk. It turns out he got that completely wrong.
Luckily for us, by the time she'd deteriorated to a 9kg miserable, lethargic lump of skin and bone with a pot belly, we resorted to consulting a private paediatrician that we could not afford, who knew IMMEDIATELY on seeing her, that she had coeliac disease. He could tell by her miserable demeanour. The blood test and biopsy confirmed coeliac disease within weeks. In fact, the doctor had never seen such a high reading on the blood test. He was concerned that she was on the verge of nutritional crisis.
A month after commencing a gluten free diet, she showed big signs of improvement. She's now a normal two year old girl. A repeat of the blood test in a March will hopefully confirm that she's pretty much back to normal.
She went through more than six months of chronic symptoms which caused plenty of misery, simply because her parents, several local GPs and the local hospital were not sufficiently aware of coeliac disease.
I can vouch that COELIAC DISEASE IS NOT A FAD and it is certainly not a lifestyle choice.
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I too have coeliac disease and I did indeed think the programme was very uninformative and to some extent wrong. The presenters did not seem to have done any research on the disease. I was only diagnosed 4 weeks ago and I was looking forward to some informative information on the disease but I was dissapointed. It has simply made it even harder to explain to people why having coeliac disease is a big deal and not just a faddy diet.
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I am inclined to agree with the One Show’s verdict that it is currently fashionable for people follow self-diagnosed food intolerances as I have experience of a number of individuals who frequently cut out different ‘allergens’ from their diet, however, I think the Show has missed the point.
I was diagnosed as having Coeliac Disease five years ago after living with chronic pain, suffering weight loss and having severe deficiencies in a number of vitamins due to the auto-immune disorder. Similarly, my partner suffers from a severe nut allergy which has resulted in his hospitalisation on a number of occasions. Despite our very obvious symptoms, we both had to fight to be diagnosed by GPs and have very restricted diets that are frustrating to say the least.
To suggest that all individuals with such symptoms are following fads or are ‘cyberchondriac’ does not only discourage people with similar symptoms from visiting their GP, but it also reinforces the general consensus that society seems to have- that people with allergies are merely following restrictive diets as it is fashionable to be different. People need to be encouraged to both go to their GP in confidence if they believe they have an intolerance and society needs to realise that not everyone who is following a specific diet is attempting to lose weight.
The One Show needs to readdress their report and encourage those who have symptoms of food intolerances to get them checked with their GP in case it is something more severe. Or perhaps someone from the Show could follow a gluten free diet for a week and realise how difficult it is to follow the diet, how disgusting most of the food is and how isolating allergies and intolerances can be?
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I was Diagnosed 7years ago with coeliac disease last night program did not give enough info on coeliacs and the problems we have on a day to day basis. I was luck to have a good GP Practice that recognised my symptoms and got the relivant blood test done followed by a endoscopy .Days out can be a night mare you have to take food with you although resturants are getting better in providing meals /snacks there is a long way to go.Food Manufactorers frequently change there recipes making it even more difficult to keep to brands that you like .Coeliac uk is a god send for regular updates and information without them id be completely lost
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My Dad suffers from Pea allergy and it certainly is nothing to do with his head. One of his symptoms is that he struggles to breath. However if any food come into contact with peas at any point he has a reaction so we have to be really careful and be aware with what the food in restaurants come with otherwise he could have a serious reaction.
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I watched the episode on Food allergies and intollerances and found the whole thing a complete joke.
To hear Ainsley say that someone he knew had an intolerance and after years of avoiding the foods that caused his problems he tried them again and found that he was no longer intolerant.
My fear here is that people may believe that if they have a food intolerance they may in time become able to tolerate the foods again. As my 12yr old daughter has Coeliac disease I wonder how many people may now feel that they may "Grow out" of this illness if they stear clear of the foods long enough? As we are aware with this disease there is no cure only a lifetime of staying away from the gluten altogether and feeling well does not mean they are able to start gluten again. I felt his comments were extremly misleading.
My daughter was diagnoised with a stomach biopsy earlier this year. I had no idea what a struggle this disease would have in teaching other people about her illness, having to explain to her school that we would prefer that she was not given the "cooker classroom" as her form room (even though we wrote to the school about her illness) they had no idea that she would be at more risk being given such a classroom to attend twice a day during which other users would be cooking and preparing foods, I was shocked that we had to send detailed informatin to them pointing out the problems she may face in school and what to look out for in her symptons.
Another example was recently there was a school trip to France arranged and I spoke to the school to whether they could arrange a gluten free diet whilst she was away, to which the teacher replied "Oh another child with a food FAD"!! I was totally gobsmacked with this comment, this only proving more and more to me that not enough is being done to educate people on Coeliac Disease to ensure comments like this are not used again.
Therefore I was hoping that your food allergy slot on primetime TV would hopefully educated and inform people about this disease. But, I feel all you did was spend lots of time talking about people who are "Faddy" eaters and little time about those that really do have a very serious disease.
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I was so angry to hear the comments about food intolerances being "all in our heads". I have suffered from a dairy intolerance for most of my adult life and, yes, I have been diagnosed by a doctor. It would be fair to say that it has affected my life quite considerably especially when eating out or visiting friends. I now take my own food with me when staying with friends or family. It is an embarrassing and painful condition and why anybody would want to "pretend" to have an intolerance is beyond me. Wherever I go I need to know where the nearest toilet is and having to disclose to complete strangers that you have this condition is incredibly embarrassing. During the last few years attitudes have changed towards people like me, your comments have taken us back to when we were considered attention seekers or weirdos.
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The article about food intolerences was based solely on the assumption that the general population is not capable of judging for themselves when a change in diet is beneficial. The presenters made themselves look foolish, but more importantly they have undermined a large group of people. I shall not watch that rubbish again, it was about as intellectual as a BNP rally.
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I too have an intolerance to Gluten which was diagnosed following an endoscopy.
Unlike some of the other people listed here who have serious immediate reactions, no-one would have realised and mine went undiagnosed for over 20 years until my father, aunt and sister were all diagnosed. On looking at the family history my father's family have the unfortunate habit of dying between 57 and 62 from bowel related cancer - which is one of the long term implications of Coeliacs.
I have been Gluten free for over a year now and whilst I didnt realise that I was ill, the anaemia and skin condition that I had suffered from for 20 years have all cleared in that time.
The fact that we have been diagnosed will hopefully mean that we can break the family habit of an early grave.
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I was extremely disappointed with the discussion on food allergies and intolerances. I have suffered with bowel problems for as long as I can remember and was fobbed off with an IBS diagnosis. Finally at 26 after blood tests and an endoscopy I was diagnosed as coeliac. Coeliac is an auto immune condition caused by an intolerance to gluten. It has varying symptoms and is linked to many other problems such as unexplained infertility, joint problems, weight loss, depression, diabetes.. and so on. Adapting to my new lifestyle has been difficult to say the least. I find that I now avoid eating out were possible as I am looked upon as an 'awkward customer'. I already feel that people do not take this condition seriously and The One Show did nothing to help the general public to understand this life long condition. Tony Hart was on for a matter of seconds where a quick explanation of coeliacs disease was explained. But just minutes later in the discussion on the show it was made to sound more like an allergy. I just wish people would make more of an effort to understand the difficulties faced by people with this condition. Clare Balding went on to say it is 'sexier' to have a food intolerance. Since I was diagnosed I feel anything but sexy. I feel like the person nobody wants to invite round for dinner, the customer no restaurant wants to have to serve, the person who's condition is far too complicated to understand... so why bother. It's a very lonely condition.
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My husband and I watched the One Show specifically because I knew they were doing an article on food allergies and intolerances. We felt that it was a joke of a report.
My husband is a Coeliac sufferer. He has Graves disease which is an auto immune condition which affects the thyroid gland and as a result is more prone to auto immune conditions such as this.
He has never been formally tested for Coeliac disease as even though he discussed his symptoms with the specialist at the Thyroid Clinic we were never told that there was a known link between the conditions and that it may be possible that he had Coeliac Disease. It was only by our own research that we discovered the link between the 2 conditions and thought this may be the cause of his ongoing health probems.
We asked for tests for him and were promised the referral only for us to wait 3 months before giving up and him deciding to go gluten free himself (They had forgotten to refer him!). He will now have to do the 'Gluten Challenge' if he wants a full diagnosis. He is definitely not willing to do that, as it would mean going back onto gluten for up to 6 months before being tested. Luckily our GP has backed him all the way and agreed that it would be unecessary for him to do that.
Food intolerances are definitley no laughing or faddy matter and the sooner they are taken seriously the better for lots and lots of people.
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I am disgusted that it has even been suggested that it is all in our heads. I have suffered with coeliacs disease for 3 years now and the change in diet has been a struggle the food is not as nice and finding good food is a task, the pain and symptoms of ingesting gluten are extremely unpleasant.
It is difficult to eat out anywhere as food offered is often plain and boring and staff often treat you as a 'fussy customer' as if we were on a fad diet.
coeliac disease is not sexy imagine asking someone on a first date to find they are a coeliac and then having to go to the hastle of finding somewhere to eat, then ask them if they think its sexy there date has coeliacs or ask any coeliac if its sexy to be in pain and discomfort from the side effects of eating gluten.
people need to understand what its really like to be a coeliac i think Clare needs to follow a allergy free diet to see what its really like before making comments that its in our heads because why anyone would eat gluten free food for the fun of it is beyond me.
nut allergys get taken seriously so why dont other food allergys and intolerances just because they are not instantly life threatening?
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Absolutely unbelieveable.... I was expecting some reference to the debacle of last night (27th) and nothing was mentioned.
Do you really think adding a paragraph that mentions Tony Hart's condition was real has helped at all? You would have to specifically look at the page for this program AND it doesn't offer any help for any one with an allergy.
The problem lies in informing the public at large that we are not faddy eaters and we're not doing it to be sexy (as if!). The people that the message needs to be relayed to are not going to see this small update to a subpage on the website. The only way to get the damage reversed is to re address it asap on their program. In my opinion anyway.
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I have been a Coeliac for nearly 3 years, having had it undiagnosed and misdiagnosed as IBM for probably about 7 years. The bit on the One Show didn't really go into the problems that also happen with eating gluten. For example, in my case because I was misdiagnosed for so long my bone density was affected which meant that when I broke my wrist last year my bones crumbled and it took 15 weeks to heal. I'm only 38.
Eating Gluten accidentally is not pleasant and it really annoys me when we're seen to be faddy eaters .. we are not .. it is extremely important that our food is not cross contaminated. What annoys me the most is the labelling on packages where product that don't need to contain gluten, do. It makes buying food a complete and utter nightmare.
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I am in terrible pain right now and have been all day just because someone used my butter by mistake and put crumbs in it. I started a new job three weeks ago and had to suffer all day at work because people watched the one show last night and think I was making it up " it was just in my head" well believe me this pain is very real
its hard enough trying to get people to understand what coeliac disease is without the bbc saying is just a fad this disease is very hard to live with and can make you very depressed
thanks to the one show I am now even more depressed
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I was diagnosed with coeliac disease when I was 3 years old, so my condition is blantantly not 'in my head'.
I think that the show last night did not really show how serious the conditon truly is, but seemed to say that the majority of people only live on gluten free diets as life choices, when there are plenty of people that have no choice.
Often, when in a restuarant, when I ask about the food, people seem to not understand that I actually have a medical condition. The One Show last night did not help this, for it seemed to only back up this view people seem to take, that a gluten free diet is only a life choice.
xx
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The media always get it so wrong! I have Coeliac Disease, Severe Allergy for which I carry an Epipen, and type 1 diabetes.
I always feel as though others judge my strict diet as nothing more than a celebrity enduced weight loss plan, and do not treat my need for a special meal with the seriousness they should.
This will never change until the media takes the lead and portrays Allergy, Intolerance, and Coeliac Disease for the serious medical conditions that they are. Unfortunately the media asumes we are a minority group, even though food intolerance alone affects 45% of the population. I know the media sees us all as a niche/minority group from personal experience as I have recently created Allergy Chums Allergy Awareness products for children and a product called Chef Note. Despite bombarding both the BBC and ITV with the statistics involved and numerous letters explaining the difference my products can make to the lives of people like us they continue to either ignore me or respond with explinations of "oh its off topic" "its not mainstream enough" "Allergy & Intolerance is a niche area" It is time the media realised we are quickly becoming the majority as our numbers rise, not the minority, and we need accurate coverage of our conditions or nothing will change.
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I was very dissapointed with the show i felt that they just laughed as people with coeliac and believe me its not a condition to laugh at i was daignosed 2 years ago having suffered with ibs for 9yrs and migraines for 5yrs and then over a 6 month period had constanted problems till i saw a new GP at my surgery who asked if i'd heard of coeliac's had test and found it was. since having the right type of food my health has improved greatly felt like a new women. so please before u laugh at people with a intolerance please now your facts.
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As a parent of a 2 year old with Coeliac disease I would like to point out that her gluten free "diet" is not a fashion statement. She's not trying to lose weight. As I mentioned in my previous post, she lost so much weight whilst she was undiagnosed, she looked like a famine victim - she was severely malnourished.
She has to avoid eating anything containing gluten - it is a necessity. As other coeliac's have posted, one crumb of normal bread in the butter is enough. Continuous ingestion of gluten, even in tiny amounts (current EU legislation requires that gluten be present at less than 200 parts per million for a product to be labelled gluten free - soon to be reduced to 20ppm I think).
Eating foods that do not contain gluten ought to be a relatively simple task, since gluten is only present in wheat, barley, rye and oats. This should basically rule out major commercial brands of bread, biscuits and cereals.
That leaves fruit, veg, meat, seafood, rice, dairy, etc.
The trouble is that lots of produced foods have wheat flour or barley malt in the recipe, where you wouldn't really expect them. Even more likely is that the factory or kitchen will also be exposed to wheat flour since it is a staple part of our national diet. So there's the risk of some cross contamination.
For instance, rice crispies ought to be ok, but if you look at the ingredients (which becomes an everyday chore), you find that they contain barley malt. Same goes for vimto cordial. I even found that crab sticks have wheat flour in. Sunday roast is ok so long as you've got a gluten free gravy.
Most restaurants and pubs that we visit don't know much about coeliac disease and as a result have no provision for the fairly simple task of separating gluten containing ingredients. i.e. chips are ok if they are fried in oil that is not used for any other purposes (like onion rings or fish in batter). Many do not know which dishes have gluten in since this requires exact knowledge of the ingredients. This could all be addressed given better awareness of this real, lifelong condition.
Thankfully, Coeliac UK (www.coeliac.org.uk) do a great job maintaining a "bible" of gluten free products and fast food restaurant dishes etc. They are also actively campaigning to raise the awareness of Coeliac disease. I don't expect they're very pleased with the way the article on the show turned out. It could have been so much more productive.
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I have received this from the Deputy Editor via the complaints page:
"We're sorry if you were disappointed with the item and felt we
belittled the dangers of being intolerant or allergic to types of food, this was
certainly not our intention.
The item was never meant to be a detailed report or discussion about the
differences between being intolerant and allergic. Instead it was a brief
overview of the fact there is a rising number of people who, through
self-diagnosis, are opting for restrictive diets, which are in themselves
dangerous and blaming it on a food allergy, intolerance or sensitivity, when
that's not the case. As Azmina Govinji, a consultant nutritionist &
dietician from the British Dietician Association explained, in the report the
figure of the number of adults with a true food allergy is 2 - 3%.
We wanted to emphasise the importance of visiting an expert, like a doctor who
could diagnose correctly and proscribe treatment if required.
By introducing our contributor Andy, who has Coeliac's Disease, we wanted
to show the effect having an allergy can have on your life, that it can be
dangerous and therefore not something to be taken lightly. This was not a film
about Coeliac's Disease and we did not intend to get into a dialogue about
it either which is why we didn't discuss it in detail.
Clare Balding's brief description of symptoms was not supposed to be a
definitive guide. Emphasis was placed on everyone reacting differently, as Clare
said: "you may get slight bloating" and "you might get a
rash".
The purpose of this item and the overriding message running through was to
highlight the importance of seeing an expert for advice if you think there is
something wrong with you."
Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact us. "
They don't get it nor do they care.
Sorry One Show you have lost my estimation.
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I have had various allergy tests including- skin prick test, patches on my back for a week and also been in hospital where i went on a diet of spring water mixed with a powder substance. I drank this mixture a few times a day for a few weeks, i had no food at all for the first week to clear my system, then i tried plain boiled rice for two days to see if i had any reaction, then plain roast beef for two days, then plain baked potatoe, continuing with the mixture at the same time.This went on untill i built up a basic diet that diddnt affect me. This really worked for me, my eczema and asthma improved greatly, untill i got to the stage where i found i could eat a little of foods that irritated me now and then. I was also allergic to cheap metals ( so gold only please) therfore to replace metal clothes fastners, zips, ect with other things. I still suffer from asthma and eczema and continue to moniter my diet, there is a great book called 'The Allergy Bible' by Linda Gamlin, this helped me to understand the difference between allergy and intollerence, it also gives good advice on ways of using steroid ointments and loads of other stuff Lynkay3
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Sollysoo- I got the same reply, I have written to OFCOM. No matter what their intentions were (as stated in their letter) if their report concerned a health related issue it has to be done responsibly, something I feel they did not do.
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I likewise got that response from the BBC. They completely missed the point on self-diagnosis. Some people do send a piece of hair off but a large proportion of people self-diagnose because: their doctor is not offering the help, removing the food stuff makes them feel better. Not all self-diagnosis can be viewed as irresponsible.
Also what really annoyed me was this comment: "The item was never meant to be a detailed report or discussion about the
differences between being intolerant and allergic." Are they completely insane? I didn't expect it to be a detailed discussion about the differences but they are completely different and the terms were used in conjunction, which was highly confusing if you don't know the difference.
Also what is a true allergy? Is that something that is diagnosed because not everyone can get a diagnosis or is willing to make themselves ill just to get one.
Did you also notice that when talking about the coeliac contributor, the Deputy Editor called coeliac disease an allergy. Yet again there is no understanding of the difference.
This response has made me even more angry. Someone who doesn't understand the difference between an allergy and an intolerance is trying to fob me off. Its like being in a restaurant where the waitress doesn't understand and thinks you are just fussy!
The BBC can be assured this isn't the end of this matter.
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I agree, the reply from the Deputy Editor showed a total lack of understating of the issues. The response is just a "fob off". Well I don't think the BBC should get away with this and I for one will be making an official complaint to Ofcom
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I too, got the same email from the DEPUTY Editor.... I think I will follow you guys to Offcom I know of a few other people who have already done that...I have emailed a response back to the BBC and thought you might like to see it : (Yes it goes on sorry)
Thank you for your response. I would be very grateful if you could relay these comments to the Deputy Editor who is obviously quite keen to play down the effect of this article:
You may feel that: 'The purpose of this item and the overriding message running through was to highlight the importance of seeing an expert for advice if you think there is something wrong with you."
However, the reason people have complained is this is not the message that was actually really delivered. The piece was delivered in a sneering fashion with big cheesy smiles and laughing with terms used as its 'sexy to have an allergy'. The overriding message that was delivered was the fact that the majority of people do not have confirmed allergies and its a fad/its in their heads/they grow out of them in a few years. It didn't really warn people how dangerous this was really - it gave the more dangerous message that people make it up.
How more difficult do you think it makes it for genuine people to eat out when the majority of Joe Public think its made up? Utterly dangerous. As you mentioned, people can become seriously ill or die if its not taken seriously and, regardless of the intentions, your article did not deliver that message.
Also, it doesn't cover the fact that the medical professional are no where near clued up enough to assist with allergy/intolerances and fob people off for years - leaving them no choice but to self diagnose. No one would adopt Gluten Free food out of choice. Its by no means a healthly lifestyle choice - far from it. There are numerous instances where people are only diagnosed with Coeliacs after years of damaging themselves. I have read numerous articles were people have taken 10+ even 20 years to get a diagnosis. My Grandmother was in her 70's and close to dying before they found it. To stop years of ill health people have to resort to self diagnosis due to the inadequacies of the medical assistance available. Its that type of message that has to be relayed and NOT the country is following Celeb health plans - please!
My complaint is it was delivered by people who aren't educated to comment - full of 'I think' and 'I believe' statements. The severity of the problem was highlighted by the shock displayed by Ainsley when Clare pointed out how contamination of bread in a toaster can make someone ill. He is a high profile chef and he was unaware of this. The article merely condoned this lack of knowledge by saying 'hey its okay the majority of people are faking it'. Yes some are but there are a number of reasons why. A high percentage are incorrect in the diagnosis through the lack of assistance but you know what? 2/3% aren't faking it and will now be taken less seriously.
Your article may not have been designed to be a serious look at food allergies BUT the way it was handled didn't cover the point you intended either. It was dangerous and irresponsible and should have rectified this on last nights show. I wonder how many licence payers will now take ill in restaurants as a result of your sloppy programming.
Written explanations will not resolve this problem - it can only be rectified through the media of your program. It doesn't need to give advice to people suffering with this complaint - it really does need to serve as a vehicle to explain to the public the dangers. And hey maybe a medical professional rather than a sports commentator would be a good place to start.
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My daughter is coeliac and when she comes to visit, she uses Toastabags from Lakeland. She puts her bread in one then can use the toaster without contamination. They can be dishwashed too.
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The report failed to convey the severity of Coeliac Disease. I was 1st diagnosed in 1957 aged 9months. My parents were told I would grow out of it. I had problems all thru childhood but, it wasnt until after the birth of my 3rd child that I managed to get re-diagnosed aand went on the diet aged 26. Because of this I have many problems healthwise including long term depression and loss of feeling in my fingertips and toes. I feel its also important to point out that although the availability of gluten free food is better than it used to be there is a severe shortage of savoury items like sausage rolls and sausages that dont cost a fortune. I recently treated myself to Sainsbury's gf jam doughnuts @ £1.99 for 2, I couldnt just eat them, they had to be warmed in the oven and then rolled in sugar. They were awful so I wasted all that money, and with the prices all increasing as they have even a packet of custard creams is now too expensive. The high prices should be looked into.
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A further comment havin g read comments about coeliac food. You can eat Sainsbury's own rice krispies.
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can you imagine being 5 years old and going to your friends parties having to take your lunchbox with you, not been able to have the 'party' food and definitely no birthday cake. having to have your mum or dad stay at the party just in case you are sick or need your epipen. not been able to have mc donalds, not been able to go to friends houses for dinner. not been able to queue at the ice cream van with all the other kids. not been able to go in the shop and buy most if not any sweets. it's a lot to deal with and heartbreaking for any parent when your child is sobbing uncontrollably because they,ve had enough and just want to be 'normal'. i think it would be great if the one show could do a more indepth item on this subject as there are a lot of parents and individuals who just don't know where to go for help and feel like they are banging their heads against a brick wall. the information is not widely available of where you can go for help gp's certainly don't know themselves. this is your chance to help people get to the information they need and to redeem yourselves. please take these comments and others on board and lets see something positive come out of all these negatives. COME ON ONE SHOW YOU CAN DO IT!!!!
Cassie holmes (a brick wall head banger!)
redditch
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I think it is really irresponsible of the bbc to even suggest that people make these things up. There are enough people out there that are all too happy to label you as a faddy eater, as a food fad follower, as a difficult person, as a latest diet follower etc. etc. without the bbc making these remarks as well. OK so maybe their intention was not this but did they really have to use the phrase "is it all in our heads?" because no doubt this is just going to fuel those bigoted people that beleive it is and confirm in their minds that yes we are all of those things.
I have coeliac disease, as did my mother, as does my brother and I'd just like to say that people that label you with these negative tags have quite clearly never been ill. Just to give you an idea what it is like, my mother in law once used a stock cube I couldn't eat in a recipe, now a stock cube is pretty small right? so you'd think well it can't make you that ill right? wrong! having eaten this meal she made, which was divided between 4 people so actually I only ate a quarter of a stock cube, I proceeded to be ill. I had to go to the bathroom about half hour after eating it, which was about 8pm. I then proceeded to go to and fro from the bathroom at least every half hour until 4.30am in the morning. So there you have it in all it's glory, and it isn't even the actual going to the bathroom bit I really hate, it's the stomach pains and the constant feeling like your insides are being subjected to going through a washing machine cycle. Basically it's pretty much like food poisoning except that you can get these symptoms every single time you eat anything if you aren't extremely careful! Now, if you'd been ill like this the number of times I and many other coeliacs have been, would you really be eager to go out and try new foods knowing full well you might get looked upon as some fussy eater and knowing full well you might get "food poisoning"?
Even hospitals cannot cope and they are supposed to completely understand the issues, my mother had cancer and one day whilst I was visiting her in hospital her food came up for her and what was on it but a bowl of sponge and custard! She was so out of it she'd have eaten it if I hadn't taken it away.
Aside from that, a lot of the food tastes absolutely dreadful, ok so it's better recently but it didn't used to be so why for the life of me anyone who didn't HAVE to eat the stuff would CHOSE to is completely beyond me!
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GeordieLostInSpace - your post #99 sums it up rather well.
toaster bags are indeed very useful
gluten free bread and biscuits and cakes are very nice, but hey, there's plenty of other foodstuffs out there (as long as you thouroughly interogate the ingredients!)
For a "bible" containing a list of gluten free products, see www.coeliac.org.uk
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"Cyberchondria" is a very clever, amusing and perhaps sometimes appropriate word which no doubt sparks much mirth and merriment among the medical profession and others. Here is another word, not so linguistically clever maybe but on occasion just as appropriate - "igno-arrogance" - much in evidence among those who don't know, don't suffer and don't care!
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Oops! I meant to say that gluten free bread and cakes are NOT very nice!
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gree with mesmerizingcommenter's comments. The article made me angry as I have been suffering with sometimes very painful ambominal issues for about 18 months now. I have been back and forth to the doctors many times and been diagnosed with Asthma, Depression (I decided to ignore that one) amongst other things. I had 3 months of a total exclusion diet - it prooved nothing. I then put onto a wheat-free diet for 3 months - no change. The frustrating things is that if I was diagnosed with Coeliacs, I could get all the speciallist flour, bread and other foods I needed to eat on prescription, but as I was not, it was costing me a fortune to live.
I have had an Endoscopy and Colonoscopy to ensure there is nothing more sinister going on - all clear.
I have asked for test to identify what is causing the intollerance - and my doctor just smiled and said - there are no such tests - they don't work. SO, they have just called it IBS. I still have no idea what the trigger is though.
In the end, I decided I would totally ignore the doctors advice. I have gone back to eating a normal balanced diet, including wheat, diary, etc. (but reducing the amount of fruit / veg I eat). I saw some improvements, but not total I kept a food diary - that didn't really tell me much, so it is a case of having to live with the pain and discomfort as my doctor has told me there is nothing more they can do.
So, you can see why this made me angry. If there is tests to identify the causes of such intollerances as the dietician seems to be implying, then please let me know how I can take them.
So please One Show - don't preach the idealistic approach when reality is that these things are not available.
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I have had Coeliac for nearly a year and I still have problems with getting food that I like and that I can eat. You really don't realise how much stuff has gluten in until you need to check. It is also difficult because shops keep changing their stock and their ingredients.
I have also found that I am Lactose intolerant as well, so find simple food whilst I am out is even more difficult. People don't realise how serious coeliac disease is, they don't realise that because your body has reacted to gluten in such a way that your body is not getting the nutrients from the foods you eat therefore you are more likely to get colds and flus, and you loose all energy.
Being on a gluten free diet is a life changing thing, it s not just for a short while until your body recovers it is for life, and I wish my eldest daughter would realise this as she has been diagnosed as well.
PLease help me with any ideas of how to get an 18 year old girl to try other foods that are gluten free because at the moment she is eating chocolate, and only the evening meal that my husband cooks.
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I just read NEfarian's message and would like to offer some help. I am an 18 year old girl and have had coeliac for over 14 years.
The best thing your daughter can do is just try everything, most things she probably won't like but some things she will. In terms of prescription products, the Glutafin fresh bread is really good. I currently don't get it because I'm at uni and as the bread comes in a box of 8 loaves, i don't have enough room. It is really good though and I used to freeze it. At 18 she should still be able to get free prescriptions. When she turns 19 this will alter but there is a very complicated form available from the NHS , which helps with costs. If you contact Glutafin and Juvela (major gf manufacturers) they will send samples to try at no cost to yourself.
Also Coeliac UK is a great help and help keep you informed of changes and the little food bible is a Godsend. Although, I tend to just read labels, i find it much quicker.
The local coeliac groups are always willing to help. I know your daughter probably won't want to go to their events but they are a good place to start sometimes.
The other thing is perhaps try to get your daughter involved with the food preperation, not only does it help get to grips with the diet but it also helps in later life. Unforunately, for coeliacs cooking is a necessity.
If I can be of anymore help or there are any questions you would like answers to, please let me know. I wish you and your family the very best. Please tell your daughter that although she has a food intolerance it should not affect her life. In fact eventually it will be hardly an issue and I know at the moment that is hard to believe but it gets easier.
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Far from being a faddy diet Coeliac Disease is a very serious condition that can hide under the radar yet cause long term irrepairable damage to the sufferer.
I was diagnosed at 32, 3 years after the birth of my first child. At time of diagnosis I was 6st.7 (and 5'3), my nails flaked, my hair was falling out and, most disturbing, I was constantly tired and would often vomit or have diorrhea without 'a good reason'.
Post diagnosis I learnt that because I had coeliac disease my body had stopped absorbing vitamins, and the symptoms I exhibited came from malabsorbtion. My body had learnt that a protein in gluten was a toxin and rejected it. Although I always had this genetic condition the 'trigger' for my illness came from the stress of pregnancy.
Looking back, I recall other times in my life I was a hair's width away from diagnosis: the time at 18 I told the doctor I was constantly tired yet was told to stop being vegetarian, or later at 24 when I told another doctor I slept alot and was prescribed Prozac, long periods of anemia, and anemoria, at 8 weeks pregnancy being told the intense cramping I experienced was hormones. (Then there was my reputation for being a lightweight and vomiting after 2 pints of (wheat based) lager.)
Post diagnosis and sticking to a strict gluten free diet I recovered quickly and am now very healthy.
And for those cynics who think its in the mind, or a little bit of gluten is ok - I took my 4 year old to a seaside Wimpy about a year after diagnosis. Nostalgia or greed overcame me and I couldn't see the harm in 1 burger and a thick shake. Driving back on the M2 I had to pull over to be sick, to the very bottom of my stomach, bile, cold sweats, shaking, diorrhea, body going into shock, and fainting, thankfully on the hard shoulder. I haven't knowingly touched gluten since though I've been caught out a few times.
Because of the nature of the disease and the malabsorbtion, Coeliac Disease can be the hidden cause, or has been linked with, of many other illnesses too - bowel cancers, diabetes, miscarriage and many others. My friend and fellow sufferer has never been sick, but has always suffered from anemia.
If you think you may have Coeliac Disease or be wheat intolerant you can easily get a GLIADIN test from your GP, which will tell you whether you have a possibility of Coeliac. Further investigations are then neccessary.
I haven't given up my travels or socialising, and I don't feel I miss out on any foods (except pork pie!).
Thankfully, and unlike the One Show, most people who find out about Coeliac Disease are very understanding and don't write it off as a fad.
If you want more info contact Coeliac UK or search our groups on Facebook.
:) Sassyl
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I got the same standard letter as everyone else from the Deputy Editor. I have sent the response below to the BBC Complaints - I don't think OFCOM can regulate the BBC over issues of accuracy, views, and opinions, so people need to send a second response back to the BBC who can escalate the response.
While I thank you for your response to my complaint I feel that you have rather missed the point. I understand that the format of your program is to provide short articles however:
1.Your report was unbalanced.
2. Your report was factually incorrect.
3. You chose to tackle a serious medical condition without a medical professional present in the studio to offer the correct facts.
4. Your report has made the lives of people with serious medical conditions more difficult.
None of these issues can be addressed by writing letters to individuals who choose to complain to you. We know the facts, and know how badly wrong you got this.
Some of the damage you have caused could be repaired, if you run an item to show the general public what it is actually like to live with an intolerance. Will you do the right thing and use your program to address your mistake?
Please ask yourself - would you have broadcast an article that said that "what we are kind of implying is that people are making it up" in relation to any other serious illness eg. diabetes?
From your program forum I'm sure you can see the ammount of hurt, anger and distress you have caused to many of your viewers.
Please BBC - make amends for this dreadful mistake.
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I now i am a wee bit later commenting than you guys sorry. Had to learn 'how to blog' Anyway i truly believe that the 1 show hasn't done any credit to the cause of coeliacs at all. I have been dignosed for about 4.5 years now. I was first dignosed with asthma; and told possibly that i was starting the change of life early - NO KIDDING!!! Blood test revealed that i was severly aneamic and had to get a ten week course of iron injections. It was months and months later after speaking to a blood doctor at the hospital who suggested that as i wasn't retaining iron in my blood that i may be coeliac. Contact my GP who said that my thyroid was borderline underactive so he said that it all made sense now and i was no doubt a coeliac. It infuriates me no end that veggies can have their stamp on food - and quite rightly so. That however is a lifestyle statement and is a choice. Coeliacs have this condition thrust on them and are left to bloody well get on with it. The dietician at my local hosp told me she didn't know much about it but i was on it for life. Great eh!! From the comments that i have read every one seems to have had similar experiences. Coeliac Disease is an auto immune disease from my understanding it not an allergy. I sometimes feel that Coeliacs are wandering around in limbo like the lost people that no one wants to now. I am astonished at the amount of thick chefs there are who don't even know what gluten is and let alone its properties. I have mailed several chef shows and breakfast shows trying to have this highlighted. I haven't had as much a reply to thank me for my mail. Gluten free food is our staple diet and we have to pay for prescriptions if we are not other wise eligible and our 'bread' purchased from a supermarket is around £1.99 per loaf. It is time that food is properly labled and that manufacturers are TOLD to display a GF symbol.
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As a medically diagnosed Coeliac for 18 years I feel that the show gave a misleading view of Coeliac Disease as a 'faddy' food issue. Whilst I accept that food allergies and intolerences are terrible to those who suffer from them I feel that the show should make it fully understood that Coeliac Disease is a serious auto-immune condition. Since my diagnosis I have found that there have been improvements in the labelling of foods in relation to gluten but also find we still get a rough ride and in many cases go without if unsure. If people have nut, dairy, egg allergies are vegetarian or choose to eat organic produce it is much simpler as the majority of the produce is labelled. However as a Coeliac we receive very little help in labelling of produce and inclusion of gluten when eating out (many chefs are ignorant of gluten too). Maybe the show could cover Coeliac Disease with the same sympathy as would be given to Diabetes for example and not regarded as a 'faddy' food topic
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The One Show did no favours to coeliacs in UK.
About 1 in 100 people have coeliac disease in this country.
However only 1 in 5 have been correctly diagnosed.
If you are not correctly diagnosed with coeliac disease you can develop serious health conditions such as cancer or osteoporosis.
The One Show could have helped to find the missing coeliacs but instead it gave misleading information about symptoms of the condition.
The BBC should feel ashamed that it not only caused offence to coeliacs by suggesting a strict gluten free diet (the only effective treatment ) can be a lifestyle choice but it also cast doubt on people with other food sensitivities.
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I am also a coeliac and I find it hard enough battling ignorance in my every day life, the last thing coeliacs need is misportrayal on reputable shows like the one show. I used to be a journalist and I know how hard it is to get detailed information across in a short item but its unforgiveable to lump an auto immune disorder that requires medical confirmation and lasts a lifetime with other unconfirmed reactions to food and talk about a gluten free diet as a lifestyle choice. I would love to eat gluten but not only does it make me ill it causes malabsorption problems leading to malnutrition and is linked to serious conditions like osteoporosis and bowel cancer.
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Regarding your feature on food allergies, I so wish you had explained coeliac in finer detail.It is a very difficult disease to live with and restaurants and eateries in England have a lot to learn. Dining out is a nightmare, I have been in a restaurant where the only option was a green salad and they couldn't even guarantee the oil and vinegar dressing was glutein free!! Catering staff should know about ingredients they are using, they need educating. I would so enjoy going into a restaurant and ordering a glutein free meal without drawing any attention to myself. People look at you and tutt, thinking you are just being neurotic. Your programme was missleading in including coeliac with food intollerences- it couldn't be further from the truth. MrsMEnglish
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I wish it were really that simple 'are we fussy about food' quite simply NO my son is Diabetic Type 1 Insulin dependant and a coeliac just to make it worse still he has a real problem with foods. He eats mainly smooth and dry textures as his mouth is hyper sensitive to certain textures also, some of his other senses will not allow him to try/tolerate new foods. He is unable to eat potatoes, rice, meat, fish, vegatables as he gags and is sick! I am tired of the dietician referring to my son as a 'fussy eater' he isn't he genuinely cannot eat new foods and gets frustrated and upset having such a limited diet. I have got the matter investigated and the outcome is give him supplements (As if I wasn't already). I've had all the 'looks' in resturants off others and numerous people saying he's just being fussy starve him then he'll soon eat properly (What amazing advice a diabetic coma springs to mind). It is a genuine issue and the people who tutt are ignorant and need to stop being dietest towards others! Dietest why not we have every other 'est' going don't we???
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Very disappointed that the BBC missed an opportunity to positively enhance the lives of those with coeliac disease. Instead they effectively dismissed 1 in 100 of the population as faddy eaters which will really help us all when we try to eat out in future.
When I eat so much as a single gluten-containing breadcrumb my abdomen visibly swells whilst I writhe around in excuciating pain and I then spend the next few weeks with diarrhoea whilst I lose a stone in weight leaving everyone around me to constantly ask me if I feel ok seeing how I look white and gaunt. Or did I just imagine all of that?
Perhaps the One Show could make amends by doing a serious piece on Coeliac disease with the help of Coeliac UK and a gastroenterologist to ensure the accuracy of the content, and perhaps some of you would like to try a gluten free diet for a week and see what it's like? You'll soon realise that its a fairly miserable pursuit that anyone with any sense would not do out of choice.
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The feature about Food Allergies and Intolerances was ill informed, one sided, and made light of a potentially serious medical conditions. Living with allergies and intolerances is difficult. I have been diagnosed with Coeliacs Disease for the last 2 years and this is a something I will have to live with for the rest of my life. It is not a "Fad" or a "life style choice" the choice was made by my body and if ignored could lead to serious problems long term. The more people that are aware of this disease the better. We should not feel belittled by the media and their throw away comments on a serious topic. I thought the BBC stood for good public service broadcasting.
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My life was hell for over 20 years. I was as thin as a rake, in considerable pain, bloated, tired with constant need to be near a toilet.
My experience was that the medical profession cannot entertain the idea that food can be a problem, yet we are what we eat and we are all different. Why do medicinal trials reveal a range of reactions to the same prescription, and if it is true for prescription drugs why is so strange to think that the chemical combinations present in food will not have adverse effects for some. One man's meat being anothers poison is so apt.
Enlightenment came for me when I was taken ill with gastroenteritis and after a period of fasting reintroduced different foods one at a time. I was fine until I ate food containing onions.
I have since met three others who are intolerant of onions.
The problem is that even onion powder can trigger a really nasty and sustained attack of really debilitating illness.
Eating out is a problem because quite frankly some waiting staff tell lies when they are asked about onion content in the dishes on the menu. There is always the chance that a severe intolerance could become an allergic reaction.
A favourite action of unscrupulous restaurants is to remove the onion from a salad and present as an onionless salad. Having come in contact with onion the salad has onion juice on it and is like poison to my system. Similarly, preparing foods on cutting boards used for onions creates the same problem. Over the years I have been amazed at how uninformed catering staff can be about the contents of the food they are presenting.
Ingredient lists for soups, sauces, really any prepared foods, have to be scanned each time I buy, as I have discovered that ingredients constantly change.
I think the foods we are eating are too complex and simple cooking of fresh food allows you better control over the content of your diet. This has worked for me
I hope that this may inspire some others to keep trying and give them some hope.
Bon appetite!
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Does anyone in government or at the BBC ever read these comments.? I too have had terrible times because of milk and wheat intolerence. I was fobbed off by my doctor and only got to see a bowel specialist after much pressure and insistence. I was then told I had IBS but was not given any indication as to how to aviod it! I ended up having a private allergy test and am now fine if I aviod these foods.
I am a professional who wants to get on with life. How can anyone suggest that so many of us WANT to waste time running to the Doctors ? The arrogance of those 'responsible' for our health care, and those programme makers who sensationalise topics like this by using wrong emotive terms such as 'fads',is immoral.
I am thankful every day that I am verbally able and lucky/careful enough to have the funds to turn to private research and advice about my allergies!....Who, in our society, is going to help less fortunate individals?
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I have two girls both of which have multiple food allergies. My eldest is 4 years old she is allergic to milk,eggs,soya,dairy,nuts,wheat and gluten. my youngest is 10 months and she cant have wheat,gluten,milk,soiya,dairy or tomatoes. It has taken me just about four years to get some where with doctors because there is such a lack of knowledge about allergies and intolerences. Up until a few weeks ago My children were being told they had food intolerances but have since been told that because the blood tests they had done came back negative does not mean they dont have allergies. Only because there reaction is so quick they have now been told it is more allergy.
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