How to travel with food allergies and intolerances

Food allergies and intolerances have a way of arriving unannounced. For the allergy sufferer, eating can be a minefield. The last thing you want to experience is a flare-up while you’re travelling abroad. 🤧Are you a traveller who suffers from an allergy or intolerance? How do you travel with food allergies? Do you know the difference between an allergy and an intolerance? Let’s find out more now.

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Food allergy

What is a food allergy? It occurs when your immune system reacts to an allergen. The immune system produces antibodies called immunoglobulin.

When antibodies and allergen meet, it triggers the release of histamine and other defensive chemicals into the body. The body’s immune system sees the food as an invader and takes action. Symptoms are usually immediate.

Did you know that it’s common to have an allergy as well as an intolerance?

So what is a food intolerance?

👉The Smart Travelista’s Guide: How to travel with food allergies is the guide to navigating food allergies while travelling.

Food intolerance

An intolerance is a range of reactions caused by eating an offending food. It affects the digestive tract and is the most common trigger of gut symptoms.

Symptoms can happen immediately or be delayed. The symptoms appear once food hits the digestive tract, which can be within 6-8 hours of digestion or the next day when your body processes the food to waste material.

Intolerances are often mistaken for allergies. It’s very common to have an allergy and an intolerance.

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So, the major differences between a food allergy and an intolerance is the part of the body it affects. Allergies hit the immune system and intolerances attack the gut. So how do you avoid food allergies while travelling?

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How to avoid food allergies while travelling

To avoid allergy flare-ups, try these suggested tips:

• Avoid eating out at restaurants

• Cook your own food if accommodation has facilities and allows it 🍳

• Buy supermarket food. The less processed the food the better. Raw is great especially fruit. 🍓

• If travelling in a foreign country, learn how to say what you are allergic to in the local language. 🍝
• Bring allergy medication with you just in case.

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