Food intolerance tests are helpful all year round, but there’s ample reasoning to have a test before you dive into the festive tradition of feasting on mince pies, Christmas pudding and roast turkey. Unlike food allergies, food intolerances can come and go in as quickly as a few months. So, testing for an intolerance before getting those loose-fitting bottoms on may just save you from post-meal bloating, discomfort and other embarrassing symptoms (the kind you don’t really want when distant family members are visiting).
Popular Ingredients over Christmas
There’s lots of food and drink containing wheat, barley and hops over Christmas. From freshly baked mince pies to home-made Yorkshire puddings to the odd pint of lager. All three of these ingredients are common food intolerances. If you notice bloating, gas or diarrhoea regularly after consuming these ingredients, it’s likely to be due to a food intolerance.
Non-Coeliac Gluten Intolerance
This is all without even mentioning the influx in gluten-containing foods over the festive period. Non-coeliac gluten intolerance is very common nowadays, with potentially as much as 13% of the population being sensitive to the protein. It’s likely that your Christmas dinner will be riddled with gluten-containing foods, so keep an eye out and check the ingredients. Especially if you’re aware that the substance doesn’t agree with you.
Keep your Diet Varied to Prevent a Food Intolerance
There’s also the possibility of developing an intolerance over the holiday season. This is because excessive consumption of a particular food or ingredient can trigger your body to become intolerant to the specific substance. You’d think that exposure to the same food over and over again would desensitise you to it, but it turns out that the opposite is true!
The best course of action is to keep it varied without introducing a bunch of brand-new foods. Avoid having leftover turkey for all of your meals – even if the bird could easily see you through to the new year. If it’s been a while since your last test, it might be worth getting another food intolerance test before the big day, to help you avoid any unwanted symptoms.
