Guide Book: Dietary Conditions

In order to gain a greater understanding of the new market for natural, whole food baking, I've research different conditions and diets that benefit from or feature this style of cooking.

Food Intolerance:
Food intolerance is having difficulty digesting certain foods and having a unpleasant physical reaction to them such as bloating, stomach pain, itching or rashes etc. Diagnosing food intolerance is an inaccurate science as there is not test, the individual must monitor there diet to determine what they react to. Unlike food allergies food intolerances don't involve the immune system with symptoms coming on slower in comparison to an allergic reaction. It's unclear what causes specific food intolerance but they can often be liked to conditions such as coeliac disease and lactose intolerance.

Coeliac Disease:
Mainly relates to those who suffer from Coeliac disease which is a common condition by which the small intestine becomes inflamed and unable to absorb nutrients as a result of an adverse reaction to gluten.  Gluten is a dietary protein found in three types of cereal, rye, barley and wheat. It is also in most breads, pasta, cakes and breakfast cereals. It is unknown what causes the immune system to react in this way as Coeliac disease isn't an allergy or intolerance but an autoimmune condition as the 'immune system mistakes healthy cells and substances for harmful ones and produces antibodies against them. Around 1 in 100 people suffer from Coeliac disease in the UK, however there is thought to be more with milder cases potentially being undiagnosed or miss diagnosed as other conditions such as IBS (irritable bowl syndrome).

Paleo:
Paleo diet is based upon eating the same food our cavemen ancestors ate such as fruits, nuts, meat and vegetables. The seven characteristics within the Paleo diet aim to maintain a healthy diet and reduce the risk of chronic disease. The underlying basis is that chronic diseases stem from the agriculture revolution with the addition of grains and diary. In addition it removes preservatives, additives and refined sugar, as those who follow the diet tend to avoid processed foods.
Main Characteristics:
- high protein intake
- low carbohydrate intake and lower gylcemic intake
- high fibre intake
- medium to high fat intake, focusing on mono and polyunsaturated fats
- high potassium intake and low sodium intake
- high intake in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
-balanced acid and alkaline levels

Veganism:
Vegans avoid all products made with animal by-products such as eggs, milk and butter in addition to not eating any form of meat or fish. As a result vegans get the majority of there nutrients from plant based foods, with a healthy vegan diet containing the following:
- at least five portions of fruit and veg a day
- carbohydrate based meals featuring potatoes, rice, pasta etc.
- some diary alternatives such as soya
- Beans, pulses and other proteins
- unsaturated oils and spreads in small amounts
- plenty of fluids.
These guidelines allow people who follow a vegan diet to consumer all the necessary nutrients you would gain from a normal diet. However soem supplements may need to be taken for vitamins such as B12 which is natural only found in animal sources. The vegan population within the UK has grown by over 360% in the past 10 years, its estimated that around 542,000 people aged 15 or over have adopted a plant based diet, up from 150,000 in 2006 according to a poll conducted by Ipsos MORI for the Vegan society and Vegan Life magazine. It is believed the increase is due to the perceived health benefits of leading a vegan lifestyle such as reduced cholesterol and blood pressure.  

Lactose Intolerance:
Lactose Intolerance is a digestive issue where the stomach can't digest lactose, a sugar commonly found in diary products. This is a common condition that effects people in different ways as how people react often depends on how much lactose they consume and how that effects them personally. Some sufferers may be able to drink a small glass of milk whilst others can't have anything containing lactose. Lactose intolerance is caused by the body not producing enough lactase which is a substance the body produces to digest lactose into two sugars glucose and galactose. The inability to digest lactose leads to it remaining in the stomach where it is fermented by bacteria, causing the symptoms commonly associate with lactose intolerance. It can develop at any age most commonly between the ages of 20-40, although young babies and children can also be effected. Furthermore it's estimated that around 65% of the worlds population has a reduced ability to digest lactose. In adulthood lactose intolerance is most common in those of East African descent.  

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS):
PoTS is a condition causing an abnormal increase in heart rate as a result of sitting or standing up. Common symptoms include dizziness, fainting, heart palpitations and weakness and fatigue.  Normally when you sit or stand gravity pulls a some your blood to the lower half of your body causing your blood vessels to narrow quickly and your heart rate increase slightly to maintain blood flow to the heart and brain. This is done without thinking by the autonomic nervous system within your body, however in PoTS the autonomic nervous system doesn't work properly causing a drop in blood supply to the heart and brain when you stand up causing the heart to rase in order to compensate for the loss of blood. Although there is some medication which can help manage symptoms, self-care measures are often more beneficial such as changing aspects of your diet.