Over the past decade there has been a significant increase in both childhood and adult food allergies and sensitivities. Fortunately, living with these conditions has become less challenging, thanks to the availability of a greater selection of foods that meet the needs of people with dietary restrictions.
Dr. Susan Blum, an Armonk resident and a Functional Medicine practitioner in Rye Brook, has worked with an increasing number of patients complaining of symptoms resulting from eating particular foods. “The first thing we need to do is define a food allergy and a food sensitivity. A food allergy is an immune system reaction to a food that occurs shortly after eating the food. It can manifest itself in reactions such as hives, rashes, difficulty breathing, abdominal cramps and tongue swelling. On the other hand, food sensitivity is defined as an intolerance or reaction to food that does not produce this kind of response. In my practice, we see many patients with both conditions,” said Dr. Blum. Read more: