Meet the Experts
Food Intolerance Awareness is backed by some of the leading experts in the field. Here we meet our experts and find out their thoughts on Food Intolerance.
Our Patron, Dr Hilary Jones
"Hello I’m Dr Hilary Jones. I am delighted to be patron for this new initiative designed to help people who suspect they have food Intolerance. We wish to help people develop awareness about food intolerance; help them understand if they have it and what they can do about it if they do.
As time goes on we would like to develop training programmes for healthcare professionals as well as carry out further research in this still largely unknown and often misunderstood area.
Many people have already been helped and our aim is to help people in a straightforward way to understand more about this difficult subject."
Dr Peter Whorwell, Professor of Medicine and Gastroenterology
"Nobody disputes the existence of food allergy where an individual has an immediate, sometimes very serious, reaction to something like shellfish or nuts. In contrast, food intolerance is an extremely controversial topic with many people considering it accounts for a variety of illnesses, particularly those associated with digestive symptoms. However, the medical profession are very sceptical about the role of food intolerance in any illness and some doctors completely dismiss the subject as an irrelevance. The truth probably lies somewhere between these two points of view.
There is now an increasing body of evidence that food intolerance, as opposed to food allergy, may be incriminated in some illnesses. However, the mechanisms involved are poorly understood and will require much clarification if the sceptics are to be persuaded to change their view.
The most reasonable stance to take at the moment is that of an open mind, recognising that this is a field that needs and deserves serious, high quality research. Unless this happens, the public at large who generally already accept the concept of food intolerance, will be at the mercy of those ready to exploit their need to have their perceived 'food intolerances' confirmed "
Dr Anton Emmanuel BSc, MD, FRCP
Dr Emmanuel obtained his medical degree from London University and is a Consultant Gastroenterologist and senior lecturer in Neuro-gastroenterology.
“I am delighted to see the initiative in establishing this Food Intolerance Awareness group. Food Intolerance is an important issue with many people with irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. Many patients report that particular food stuffs worsen their gut symptoms. In some, alteration of diet plays a major part in the management of their condition.
Extensive medical evidence for dietary manipulation is lacking in the scientific literature and hence medical practitioners are often hesitant to formally recommend it. Research has to be done at the core of the group’s activity and I am pleased to be involved with some such studies at UCH."
Angela Beecroft - Clinical Nutritionist
"As a Clinical Nutritionist with a special interest in Paediatric nutrition it is my view that food intolerances, and the increase in Atopic diseases such as Asthma, Eczema and the like, are caused by a dysregulation of the complex collection and balance of the micro-organisms which normally inhabit the Gastrointestinal Tract. This in turn leads to loss of Immune tolerance and is the foundation for much of the illness we see in the Western World. The Gastrointestinal tract is the least understood of all Immunological tissue yet is the site of the greatest interaction with the environment.
This I believe will be the future of medicine and am delighted to be part of Food Intolerance Awareness which informs, educates and empowers the individual."
Liz Tucker, Health Wellbeing Consultant
Liz Tucker is a well know Health Advisor, regularly appearing on radio and television and contributing to a whole range of mainstream magazines and newspapers.
Keen to promote personal health awareness in both work and private environments, Liz runs a range of lifestyle health, stress and weight related courses at Champneys where she is their Health and Wellbeing Consultant.
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