As I write this, the Olympic Flame has just been lit opening the 29th Modern Olympic Games. The first Olympic flame was lit at the Amsterdam Olympics of 1928 and the Torch Relay was added to the ceremony in Berlin, 1936, at ‘Hitler’s Olympics’. It was not in the original vision of the founder of the modern Olympic movement, Pierre de Coubertin, in 1896, but he welcomed it as a powerful religious and artistic symbol that could be used to educate people in the ideals of the Olympic movement.

Image courtesy of Rick Sforza

These ideals, according to the Olympic Charter, are to

…contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.

Nothing wrong with that, you would agree, but as the pro-Tibet demonstrators would have us remember, there is a huge gap between that ideal and the practise of the host nation in its occupied territory.

Double standards

This is in stark contrast to the myth that the Olympics are the one place where politics and war do not hold sway, where small and great nations compete as equals. Advocates will point to the 2000 Sydney Olympics where North and South Korea competed under one flag and the disputed nation of East Timor as an independent state. But while China crushes protests with one hand and lights the Flame with another, we should remember that double standards are no stranger to the Games. Think of sports fans cheering on the great black American sprinter, Jesse Owens, while Jews and Communists were being driven from their homes in the streets outside the Olympiastadion. Think of the banning of South Africa for 32 years for its abhorrent racial policies while Sudan and Zimbabwe are still allowed to send teams. Think of the tit-for-tat boycotts of America and the Soviets in ’80 and ’84 and the abandonment of the Games during two world wars – would the ancients be turning in their graves? I think not.

Wars and rumours of wars

The ancient Greeks never let war get in the way of a good athletic contest in nearly a thousand years. By and large the Greeks kept to the Olympic Truce whereby all wars were put on hold for the duration of the games, but ever so often they let it slip. In 364 BC, the city of Elis lost control of the games to Pisa and launched an attack during the wrestling event in the Pentathlon. But the games went on, with spectators keeping one eye on the wrestling and the other on the streets outside where thousands of allied troops defended against the invading Eleans. A day later Elis regained control of the Games and declared them null and void. Let’s hope Paris won’t do the same to London in 2012!

For glory or for gain?

Nationalism, commercialism, politicking and dirty tricks were just as much a part of the ancient Olympics as they are today, with a continuous struggle to cleanse the Festival of Zeus of its baser trappings. There were idealists then as now, and officially the athletic contests were for glory, not for gain, with only an olive wreath and adulation for reward. But olive wreaths do not put food on the table as the Persian general Tigranes commented:

Good heavens, Mardonius, what kind of men are these that you have pitted us against? It is not for money they contend, but for glory of achievement!
(Herodutus, ‘Histories’)

Herodotus does not record Mardonius’ response, but no doubt it was along the lines of: ‘if you believe that General, you’ll believe anything!’ Just like today’s athletes aren’t forced to flog their medallions to keep the wolves from the door (well most of them, I haven’t checked eBay yet), the Ancient Greeks had no currency in olive wreaths.

Appearance fees

Olympic victors were set for life. They were given free meals at public expense, front-row seats at the theatre and public festivals, tax breaks and guaranteed appointments to the public service. They even received ‘appearance fees’ at lesser athletic events and prizes such as tripods, cauldrons, precious metal, oxen and women. (Homer, ‘The Iliad’, Bk 23). Now don’t get me started on the exclusion of women from the Games, I’m writing a whole play about it!

Breaching the amateur code

Some would say payment in kind does not breach the amateur code, but cash certainly does. The Ancients had no such quibbles. According to the Roman author Plutarch, in 600BC an Athenian Olympic victor could expect to receive 500 drachmai from the city coffers, a fortune in ancient times.

And if one’s hometown was not forthcoming with the loot, one could always defect. Fidel Castro was not the first leader to lose his athletes at the Olympics. Take the Olympic victor from Crotona, who was offered a better deal by the Syracusians to represent them at the next Games. The good citizens of Crotona were so incensed they tore down his statue and turned his house into a prison.

Bribes

In 1999 the modern Olympic Games was hit by the worst scandal in its history, after it was discovered that six members of the IOC had been accepting ‘improper gifts’ from cities bidding to host the Games. There’s nothing new there either. Although the ancient games were held at Olympia, a holy site dedicated to Zeus, the patron-god of the contest, there was an ongoing battle between various cities as to who would have the privilege of actually running the Games.

Just like today, control of the Olympics had very lucrative commercial spin-offs for the host city. In 668 BC we hear of a dispute between Elis and Pisa. The city fathers hired the tyrant Pheidon to ‘secure the Sanctuary’ in the name of Pisa. With the help of a well-trained army, Pheidon took over Olympia and personally presided over the Games. But by 664, Elis was once again in control.

Elis was usually in control and provided all the judges. But this didn’t stop Elean athletes from competing. Although writers from the time tell us that the Eleans had a reputation for fairness and it would have been a shock to other Greeks if they had been caught cheating. Bribery, however, was not unheard of, and Pausanius records with horror that ‘one of the Eleans themselves had fallen so low’ (Pausanius 5.21.16ff). The dirty judge was one Damonicus, who received a pay-off from Sosander of Smyrna to make sure Sosander Junior won in the wrestling contest.

Bad winds and cowardice

The punishment for such a crime was not death, as the purists of today would like to believe, but a simple fine. In fact fines were imposed for all sorts of things. One athlete claimed that bad winds had kept his ship from arriving in time to join the pre-games training session, but it was later discovered that he had been travelling around Greece winning prize money in other competitions instead. He was liberated of his earnings. Another poor chap, when during a warm-up session saw the form of his rivals in the notoriously brutal wrestling contest (where only biting and the genital hold were outlawed, but breaking your opponent’s fingers was well within the rules) decided that discretion was the better part of valour and withdrew from the contest. He was fined for cowardice.

Tainted gold

So from the olive wreaths of the ancient games to the gold medals of the modern, we see that this showpiece of human idealism fails to live up to its own standards. And yet, I’m still a fan. It would be hypocritical of me not to be. In the same way that the Christian faith sets up an ideal of human co-operation and personal fulfilment that it frequently fails to deliver, the Olympic movement is still a noble idea: if you aim for the stars you can always fall on the tree tops.

This side of heaven

The difference between the Christian faith’s ‘failings’ and those of the Olympic movement are that the former’s imperfections will be made perfect in eternity. For the Olympics, this side of heaven is all that it’s got. And though it fails, it also succeeds, wonderously. Like many of you I will be glued to the television screen this August, marvelling at the diversity of human talent from around the world and the awesome achievements of people who strive to make the most of their physical talents. I will be moved by the strength of character of many of these athletes, in particular the paralympians, and will rise to my feet and applaud every gold, silver and bronze won with sweat and blood.

As a Christian I can learn what it means to make the most of the gifts God has given me. And though I lack in sporting prowess, I am reminded that my artistic, relational and spiritual gifts should not be neglected. And though millions today watching the Olympics may not acknowledge God as the creator and designer of the human form, it is still a testimony to His greatness.

Eternal flame

While the Olympic flame burns in Beijing, may it be a lasting symbol of the flame of God’s Spirit within us. The symbolism of fire was not lost on Pierre de Coubertin, Adolf Hitler or even the ancient Greeks – fire purifies, fire ignites, fire illuminates, fire nurtures and, if not handled with care, fire burns. The torch was not part of the original games, but is based on the idea that young athletes would race to win the privilege of lighting the altar fire at the Temple of Zeus.

Sport as religion

In ancient times sporting and cultural festivals would be staged in honour of the gods. In this newly secular world, these festivals are now held to the honour of Man as God. Yet they cannot get away from religious symbolism in the staging of their spectacles. Nor can we get away from sport as a religious metaphor, as the New Testament writers remind us:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? (there were no silver and gold places in those days!) Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
(1 Cor 9:24)

To the glory of God

Sports stadia and theatres were once the temples of the ancient world. Some would say they still are. But rather than bemoaning the secularisation of sport and culture let us make every effort to reintegrate them into a Christian world view. Many of the new and growing churches around the world aim to meet in sports stadia; it is aligning Christianity with one of the world’s most successful religions: sport. The Olympian Eric Liddle famously said: ‘when I run I feel God’s pleasure’; let us remember that when we watch the Olympics this summer, and whatever we do, whether sporting or otherwise, let us do it all to the Glory of God.

A version of this article first appeared in SA Sports Illustrated as ‘For Glory and for Gain’ for the Athens Games, and more recently in The Plain Truth as ‘Olympic Spirit’ on the eve of the Beijing celebration.

Fight the flab, beat the bulge and count the calories. We’ve all heard the mantras of the weight-loss brigade and I can bet nearly every one of us could quote our height, weight and body mass index without giving it much thought. For example, I’m … no, I’ll reveal that little secret later.

But in recent years our weight, and our right to choose whether or not to change it, has stopped being a private issue and has moved into the realm of public policy. With headlines screaming: ‘Obesity could bankrupt the NHS’[1], the government and health authorities are working overtime to change the nation’s waistline.

Image courtesy of didbygraham

Celebrity campaigns

Celebrity campaigns in the UK such as ‘Jamie’s school dinners’, which have led to the compulsory reduction of junk food in schools and legislation to ban the advertising of unhealthy snacks on children’s television, hope to encourage the upcoming generation towards good eating habits. But the debate goes on. Who’s to blame: the parents; the schools; the media; the convenience culture?

An influential report in the British Medical Journal[2], which revealed that obesity took up 9% of the NHS budget, suggested that a fat helpline number be printed on the labels of larger-sized clothes. A report by the World Health Organisation revealed that over a billion people worldwide are overweight and that around 70% of all illnesses are weight-related.[3]

So our weight is no longer measured on a scale but as a financial cost to the system. And I bet it won’t be long before we can work out, along with our carbon footprint, exactly how much our weight ‘costs’.

A visible vice

As someone noted on a recent internet forum when I mentioned that I was doing this article, fat is a visible vice. Issues with overeating are far more difficult to hide than drinking, smoking and participating in reckless activities, all of which have negative affects on the NHS and society at large. Nine per cent of the health budget may be spent on the obese (people with a BMI of over 30) but between £300 and £400 million a year are ‘wasted’ on people with stress-related illnesses within the health sector alone.[4] Come on people: just say ‘no’ to stress!

Hang on, I hear you say, surely it’s not a bad thing to encourage healthier bodies and lifestyles. Of course not. Good health is a precious thing; but what concerns me in the politicisation of fat is the stigmatising of people who are considered a burden on tax-payers’ pockets. And that’s what it comes down to. Your fat is no longer your business because it has an impact on the girth of my wallet.

Vital Statistics

I am appalled at the way overweight people are now being portrayed as simply a drain on the system. And perhaps now is the point where I reveal my own vital statistics. Just when you were beginning to think, ‘oh here’s another fatty trying to justify her lack of self-control’, here are the metric facts:

• I am 1.57 m in height.
• I am 50 kg in weight.
• I have a BMI of 20.3 (well within the healthy range).
• My waist/hip ratio is 0.7 (apparently the optimum for fertility and brainpower!)[5]
• I wear a UK size 8/10.
• I am 38 years old.
• I have given birth in the last three years.
• I have no criminal record.
• I’m self-employed and …
• I recycle!

So by nearly every official standard I am a model citizen. At least on the outside. On the inside I am the same mix of good and bad, healthy attitudes and destructive insecurities as everyone else. And bringing it into a Christian context, I’m just as much a ‘sinner’ as my fatter neighbour. It would be easy to consider myself slightly more virtuous because at least I have my weight under control, but that wouldn’t be accurate. In my case, I’m naturally thin. I’ve never dieted, I only exercise moderately and I don’t always eat five fruit and veg a day. OK, I don’t stuff myself with food and only have small portions, but that’s because I don’t need any more. I’m not driven by the complex of physical and emotional compulsions that beset people with weight issues. I wouldn’t mind being a bit more toned and have a little less cellulite, but by and large, I’ve got a good package. The fact is I was born this way. To assume I’m morally superior because of it, would be like claiming I’m more intelligent simply because I’m a natural brunette (tempting though that is!)

Who are you to judge?

I’m well aware that there are people who have conquered their weight issues by sheer hard work, but they too should not be quick to judge. God has called us to love our neighbours and have compassion on those who fail to live up to society’s standards. And if He can have compassion on everyone who fails to live up to His standards (which is all of us), who are we to withhold that grace from others. Under-age single mothers, people with lifestyle-induced cancers, the millions of people suffering with sexually transmitted diseases, drug addictions, alcohol addictions, gambling addictions … who are we to withhold love and compassion from them?

Thin thoughts

Before we close this subject, I would like to say something about being underweight. As much as I’m concerned by the anti-obesity campaign, I’m equally troubled by the witch-hunt around so-called Size Zeros. There are serious health issues linked to being underweight, and young women, particularly, suffer the consequences of eating disorders in their quest to achieve an unattainable goal. But not every slim person is underweight, nor do they have eating disorders. All my life I’ve been on the receiving end of snide comments from larger people suggesting I’m anorexic or eat too little. At church functions some well-meaning fuller-figured person will pile food on my plate, suggesting I need to fatten up. And when my daughter was only six months old and comfortably on the 9th growth percentile, a health visitor told me to make sure I didn’t impose my ‘ideas about eating’ on her!

It’s a horrible feeling to think that there must be something wrong with you and in this way I can identify with overweight people. The truth is I’m not underweight. I’m the right weight for me. But even if I wasn’t, who are you to judge?

BMI Calculator

Weight (kg):

Body Mass Index

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a commonly used indicator of ideal weight, and is simply defined as the ratio of your weight to the square of your height.

Enter your info in our BMI calculator to find out your BMI (your data will not be posted to our server, stored in a database, or shared with anyone).

Waist-hip ratio

It’s widely recognised that BMI is not always an accurate measurement of a person’s health. For example, a well-toned 100 kg professional rugby player with a BMI of 30 may be far from unhealthy as muscle weighs more than fat. So some health professionals are moving towards using a waist-hip ratio (WHR), which is simply the ratio of your waist circumference to your hip circumference.

Although people’s weight and BMI may vary widely, as long as they have a WHR of around 0.7 for Caucasian women and 0.9 for Caucasian men, they are considered healthy. Asians may have a slightly lower WHR and Africans slightly higher but still be considered healthy within their ethnic group.

‘Size Zero’

Size 0 is an American dress size, the equivalent of a UK Size 4. However, it’s now become a derogatory label for any slim woman, and many so-called Size Zeros may not in fact be that size. Someone once called me a Size Zero, when I was actually a Size 8 (American Size 4) and I certainly hadn’t starved myself to get to that weight.

If you have any concerns about being over or underweight, visit your GP. For general health advice on weight issues and any other questions visit NHS Direct.

Footnotes

[1] BBC News 24, 15 December 2006

[2] ‘Obesity, Can We Turn the Tide?’, Laurence Gruer, George Alberti, Naveed Sattar, British Medical Journal, 16 December 2006

[3] ‘Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health’, WHO, 2007.

[4] ‘Workplace Stress’, NHS Employers, 2007

[5] ‘Waist-hip ratio and Cognitive Ability’, Lassek, W and Gaulin, S., Evolution and Human Behaviour, July 2007

First published in Plain Truth, January 2008

It’s sometimes called Honeymoon Sickness, as young brides, overdosing on sex, often book themselves in for a doctor’s appointment the minute they get back home. But urinary tract infections (UTI) are not just the domain of the recently married (although sex is a major factor), and with burning urine, aching backs and sometimes high temperatures; they’re far from romantic.

New brides

New bride Jane, 30, is a classic victim of Honeymoon Sickness. She wasn’t sexually active before she was married, and since her wedding night, has had six infections in eight months. “It’s very frustrating being newly married when sex causes so much pain. It doesn’t matter what position we do it in, or whether we use condoms or not. My doctor says that some women are just more prone to it than others (for example ones with a narrow urethra). I’m on a three-month course of Puromylon (an anti-septic of sorts) – I’ve only been on it a month, but so far it seems to be working.”

Research suggests that some women are indeed more prone to it than others, and a recent study indicates that it may have something to do with blood type. Further trials are needed for this theory to be proved, but if it is the case, then scientists believe that a type of vaccine may be developed to help chronic urinary tract infection sufferers like Jane.

Problems with the plumbing

Most women will have problems with the plumbing at some time in their lives, and it is listed as the second most common reported infection by British GPs. For some women it will be a mild or one-off occurrence, but for others it’s a long-term condition that needs to be managed. Men and children may also suffer from urinary tract infections, but they are far less common, although in men (particularly older ones), they are often quite serious.

Urinary tract infections are classified as either upper or lower tract infections. Lower urinary tract infections may be of the urethra (the tube which you urinate through), the ureters (the tubes that carry urine to the bladder) or the bladder itself – this is known as Cystitis. Upper urinary tract infections involve the kidneys (Pyelonephritis) – this is more serious than Cystitis, and will need to be treated with antibiotics. In more serious cases, you may have to spend time in hospital. Urinary tract infections spread from the bottom up, so typically, the kidneys are the last area to be infected.

Symptoms of urinary tract infections

The key is to catch it early. Common symptoms of urinary tract infections are frequent, burning urination (this sometimes just dribbles out even though you were desperate to go), lower back pain, abdominal pain or pain along the ureters, and cloudy, bloody or foul-smelling urine. If kidney infection has occurred, you may have severe pain in the kidney area, a high temperature, headaches, nausea or vomiting.

Causes of urinary tract infections

So what causes it? The urinary system is normally sterile, so when bacteria enter the tract and multiply, infection occurs. Because the outside opening of the urinary system (the meatus) is located near the vagina and the anus, bacteria that occur normally in those areas can enter the meatus and contaminate the urethra. Since the urethra in women is very short, it is easy for such bacteria to enter the bladder and begin an infection. The most common bacteria involved in a urinary tract infection is E-coli, that naturally and harmlessly lives in the bowel, but causes all sorts of problems if it gets into the wrong place.

Other vaginal infections such as thrush mimic the symptoms of a urinary tract infection – these are sexually transmitted and need to be treated separately. A doctor can test to see which infection is present and treat you accordingly. It is not uncommon to have a vaginal infection and a urinary tract infection at the same time, or back-to-back, and many women report that antibiotics used to treat a urinary tract infection can cause thrush. Urinary tract infections may occur when the urinary tract is irritated, bruised or inflamed – this causes bleeding of the tract wall, which in turn leads to an infection.

That’s why sex is one of the major causes. Vigorous sex may bruise the urethra or bladder, particularly when the man is on top. If this is your problem try changing positions. For some women, pregnancy may be the first and last time they experience a urinary tract infection. They are particularly common in early pregnancy when the urethra relaxes and infections spread more easily, and later, when pressure from the enlarging uterus may cause a small amount of urine to remain in the bladder and become stagnant.

Pregnancy and urinary tract infections

Anne, 43, says she has only had two urinary tract infections in her life – immediately after her two pregnancies, and each time after a dose of mastitis. She says: “It was awful – I’ve never had anything that affected my whole body so badly – particularly the pain around the back and raging temperature. But the doctor prescribed antibiotics which cleared it up completely.”

If you are pregnant and suspect a urinary tract infection you should go to see your doctor immediately, as it can possibly cause complications. But for other women, it is not always essential to see a doctor in the early stages of an infection. Most urinary tract infection sufferers learn to manage an infection on their own, by applying a range of self-help methods that are often discovered through trial and error.

Prevention of urinary tract infections

Christine, 60, says that over the years she has learnt to control her urinary tract infections. “During the first 10 years of marriage I had lots of infections, but I learnt to prevent them, and if that wasn’t possible, to treat them. The worst episode was triggered by wearing leggings – I only wear ‘body free’ tights and cotton undies and avoid bubble bath and biological washing powders.

If I do have an attack I drink lots of water, cranberry juice and citra soda. I even spread yoghurt (natural, of course) over the affected area, although this works more for thrush. Alcohol makes it worse and so do sugary things.”

Wearing tight, synthetic clothing is a common trigger, as they don’t allow your nether region to breathe and allow bacteria to fester. Bubble baths, perfumed douches and sanitary pads cause irritation, though for some women tampons have been found to be the culprit. Either way, frequently changing your pad or tampon will minimise the risk of infection.

If you are prone to urinary tract infections, horseriding and cycling can aggravate your condition, as can swimming in a chemically treated pool. Using a diaphragm may also trigger an attack and recent research has shown that spermicidal gel also causes problems.

If sex is your trigger, you should remember to empty your bladder before and after intercourse and wash thoroughly. And speaking of cleaning down below, wiping your anus from front to back will prevent those E-coli getting up the wrong tube.

The bottom line is that if you’re prone to urinary tract infections you need to learn to live with them. But by taking some precautions and treating symptoms aggressively when they first appear, you shouldn’t be heading to the doctor too often.

Home remedies for urinary tract infections

• Drink a glass of water every half hour to flush out bacteria.
• Drink cranberry juice – a urinary antiseptic (can also be drunk before and after sex as a preventative measure).
• Make your urine alkaline by drinking milk, bicarb in water or citra-soda.
• Avoid acidic food and drink including alcohol, coffee and fruit juice.
• For pain relief take paracetamol not aspirin (makes urine acidic).
• Keep warm – a hot water bottle helps.
• Avoid perfumed soaps, deodorants etc and shower rather than bath.
• If symptoms don’t disappear in 48 hours, see your doctor.

When God stocked the world with edible plants and animals, he said that it was good. Adam and Eve were told to eat from any tree in the garden, bar one. But, as they were soon to discover, too much of a good thing could be harmful.

According to Alex Gazzola, health writer and author of Living with Food Intolerance, staples of the Western diet such as wheat and dairy products may provoke adverse reactions ranging from upset stomachs and rashes to tiredness and migraine. It is often food that we overdose on that contributes to intolerance. Unlike food allergies, however, food intolerances can often be managed by cutting down on foods or avoiding them for a while, rather than excluding them permanently from our diets.

Estimates of the number of sufferers in the UK differ wildly from 2% to 60% of the adult population. Whatever the true number, we didn’t have to go far to find three women who suffer from some or other form of intolerance.

Wheat intolerance

Twenty-eight-year-old Kelly Anderson-Whaling from Newcastle upon Tyne, is typical of many people with food intolerances. “My symptoms started three years ago when I moved out of my mam’s house. Instead of the well-balanced diet I was used to, I started eating lots of pasta. I noticed that three or four hours after eating, I would get gripey pains and either diarrhoea or constipation.” Her symptoms got progressively worse and she noticed that eggs, dairy products, rice and bread also caused adverse reactions.

After a year of living with her symptoms, she went to her GP who said she might have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, often linked to food intolerances, and suggested she stay off the offending foods for a while. She did and had almost immediate relief. She stayed on the diet for around eight months, but then started to slowly introduce the foods again. “I’m trying to find the right balance,” said Kelly. “I find that if I have more than one egg a week, I start to feel poorly. Pasta still causes problems, so I stay away from it.”

“Kelly’s experience is a common one,” says Alex Gazzola. “People lead busy lives, don’t feed themselves properly and suffer intolerance reactions. The cure, quite often, is boring and cheap: healthy, varied, home-cooked meals, carefully prepared and eaten slowly. It looks like she has a mild wheat intolerance, which became more serious when she began over-eating pasta. In Britain we mistreat pasta by overcooking it. We also eat too much in one sitting – massive, overflowing platefuls. To Italians, this is unthinkable. Very modest portions, cooked al dente, will ensure better digestion. Kelly is right in aiming for a balanced diet and moderation. I’m sure she could try a small portion of pasta at some point in the future without negative side effects.”

Gluten intolerance

Elizabeth Lawson, 42, from Bedlington in Northumberland, has a far more severe form of intolerance. Her symptoms started when she was 7, feeling ill whenever she had milk, a classic sign of lactose intolerance. It re-emerged in her early 20s, so she cut out milk from her diet. But when she was 40, she noticed she also felt ill soon after eating any gluten-based products. ‘Gluten’ is the generic name given to a mix of proteins found primarily in wheat, but also in rye, barley and oats. To confuse matters further it is ‘hidden’ in less likely suspects as processed meat and vegetables (by way of batters and bulking agents), additives in condiments, various drinks including malt-based beers and rye-based spirits, and may even be found in certain medicinal ingredients.

“I began to feel very poorly with wind, constant abdominal pain, confusion and tiredness,” said Elizabeth. She noticed that her symptoms disappeared when she went to visit her mother. Her mother had been diagnosed with coeliac disease 10 years earlier and kept a completely gluten-free house. Coeliac disease is an auto immune disease often diagnosed in middle age, triggered by gluten in the diet, with potentially serious repercussions of intestinal damage and weight loss. The symptoms may masquerade as gluten intolerance or wheat intolerance, so it is essential to consult your doctor if you experience recurrent digestive problems. Other possible life-threatening causes such as bowel cancer or a twisted bowel, also need to be excluded.

This is exactly what Elizabeth did, and after a series of tests it was confirmed that she didn’t have coeliac disease. However, her lactose intolerance was confirmed as she has a lactase deficiency – the enzyme that allows us to digest lactose (found in milk).

Migraines

“I don’t have coeliac disease, thankfully, but seem to have severe gluten intolerance. The consultant agreed that I should stay off gluten if it makes me feel better,” said Elizabeth. Worryingly, her 14-year-old daughter is showing similar symptoms including migraines. Her doctor says they will investigate further when she’s 18, but in the meantime, she’s also staying off gluten.

“It’s not as difficult as you would think,” says Elizabeth. “I just make sure I prepare all meals myself and avoid processed foods. I also make my own bread. Most supermarkets these days carry gluten-free products and alternatives. Even my church is trying to help us by getting gluten-free communion bread!”

“Elizabeth’s case of serious non-coeliac gluten intolerance is quite rare and, in some quarters, a controversial diagnosis,” says Alex. “But she’s wise to stay clear of gluten. It highlights the importance of going to your doctor, being referred to the right specialist and together reaching as clear-cut a diagnosis as possible, as well as excluding more serious conditions.”

Meat intolerance

Tammy Wright, 32, from Blyth in Northumberland, has an unusual meat intolerance. Initially, she couldn’t tolerate red meat, but over a period of 10 years, it progressed to chicken and fish as well. After a couple of years of treatment, including medically supervised exclusion and inclusion of meat, she and her doctor agreed that it would be better if she stuck to an exclusively vegetarian diet. “I have recently discovered that I am increasingly unable to eat wheat, potatoes, quorn products and grapes,” says Tammy, a mother of two. “I mainly cook my meals separately from the rest of the family, but we eat at the same time. I am lucky that they like vegetarian meals and we do sit down and eat the same thing at least once a week. Shopping is a nightmare as we have to always look at the labels to make sure there are no hidden animal derivatives, wheat gluten or potato starch.”

“The intolerance to potato starch is extremely unfortunate,” says Alex, “as it is used as a wheat replacement in lots of gluten-free products. She should experiment with gluten-free grains such as amaranth, quinoa and millet as well as a wide mix of nuts and seeds to replace the essential fatty acids she’s missing from not consuming fish. Pulses, seeds, chocolate and dark dried fruits will give her an iron boost necessary because of the absent meat.”

Kelly, Elizabeth and Tammy are all learning to live with their dietary limitations. For Kelly there is hope that she will be able to eat a full balanced diet again, which, after all, is what we all should aim for.

How do you know if you have food intolerances?

First appeared in Woman Alive as ‘When Food Makes You Feel Bad’, March 2006)