YorkTest > Allergy or Intolerance? > Why Do I Have Trouble Breathing? - Food Intolerance & Respiratory Problems

Do you suffer from asthma, runny nose, frequent colds and infections or chronic congestion of the sinuses, ears and / or the nose? Frustrating sinusitis problems that do not ever truly seem to go away? Sinusitis and asthma can seriously limit the possibility to catch your breath, can cause pain, headaches and leave you feeling run down. Although they are at different ends of the respiratory tract, upper and lower, they may be linked. In fact, about half of all people with moderate to severe asthma also have chronic sinusitis, and since the primary age group for chronic sinus problems are working adults 20 to 65 years of age, their sinus problems are often co-workers problems since the pain and discomfort of sinus problems means 25 million missed workdays annually!
 
In terms of treatment your doctor may prescribe a nasal steroid spray to reduce congestion and swelling. If there is a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be given. Other drugs may be used to reduce the risk of attacks, and stop the pain and discomfort. Giving medicines to control symptoms is easy to do, however, along with their therapeutic effects, medicines can cause side effects, and often do not tackle the root cause. A large proportion of asthma sufferers, over two-thirds in one UK survey, perceive that various foods are causing asthma exacerbations. When such cases are assessed, the standard allergy tests are usually negative. It is clear now that it isn’t only factors such as pollen or house dust that are the triggers, and it appears likely that other reactions to foods may explain some of these cases.
 
The problem with attempting any dietary modification is that first you need to know exactly what to change. Currently the best accepted method for confirming food sensitivities is by elimination diet. This involves eating a restricted diet for several weeks. If there is no improvement during this time, it is assumed that the food type that has been restricted is not causing the symptoms, and the process is repeated with another food type. This method is very time consuming, and because it is difficult to test all the different combinations of food types that may be causing the problems, it is an ineffective process.
 
In one survey* of 461 sufferers’ of asthma, breathing difficulties, rhinitis, sinusitis, wheezing, tinnitus, catarrh and excess mucous production, 78% reported a reduction in their symptoms if they removed the foods from their diet that showed IgG food antibody reactions in their blood. The test that was used in the survey was the YorkTest FoodScan 113; it only requires a few drops of blood from a finger prick that can be collected in the comfort of your own home. 
 

The First Step test is a pre-screen which identifies whether food-specific IgG antibody reactions are detected or not. If food-specific IgG antibodies are detected then you can choose to embark on the more comprehensive Second Step FoodScan 113 programme. Included in the FoodScan 113 programme are two consultations with a qualified Nutritional Therapist who will help you look at how to manage any potential food intolerances.
 

Please call our specialists on 0800 074 6185 who will be happy to provide you with free, confidential expert advice and guidance on the First Step test. Alternatively click here for further information or buy now.

 

* Survey commissioned by Allergy UK and further analysed by the University of York: Originally published as Hardman, G. and Hart, G. “Dietary advice based on food-specific IgG results”. Nutrition and Food Science (2007) 37, 16-23.