What's a Food Allergy -- and What's Not? | Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter | TED

People often confuse food allergies and food intolerances.

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

大家常把食物過敏 和食物不耐症搞混。

But it's important to know the difference

但，知道其中的差別十分重要， 因為兩者需要的治療方式不同。

because they each require a different treatment.

So what is the difference?

那麼，差別是什麼？

[Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter]

〔關於人體，珍‧甘特醫師主持〕

A food allergy is your body's immune system

食物過敏是你身體的免疫系統

responding to specific proteins in certain foods.

對某些食物中的 特定蛋白質產生反應。

For instance, in shellfish,

以甲殼類為例，

one of the triggers for allergic reactions is a protein called tropomyosin.

有一種肌原纖維蛋白質 會觸發過敏反應。

And with peanuts, it can be a reaction to one of its many proteins.

至於花生，有數種蛋白質 可能造成過敏反應。

When a food particle enters the body of someone who's allergic,

當食物粒子進入到過敏者的體內，

the body's immune system perceives it as a problem, an invader.

身體的免疫系統就會把它 視為問題，視為入侵者。

Just as your body might respond to a virus as a threat,

就如同你的身體把病毒當作 威脅時可能會產生反應，

with food allergies,

就食物過敏來說，

part of your immune system sees the protein of the food as a threat.

你的免疫系統有一部分會將 食物的這種蛋白質視為威脅。

The allergic reaction can be thought of as a disproportionate

可以把過敏反應想成是免疫系統

and inappropriate response from the immune system to the food.

對於食物產生一種 不成比例且不妥當的反應。

Allergic reactions can range from being mild:

過敏反應的範圍從輕微：

tingles in the mouth, hives and rashes,

口中的刺痛、

蕁麻疹、疹子，

to being extremely severe, like having trouble breathing.

到極度嚴重：比如呼吸困難，

And they can even be life threatening.

甚至有可能造成生命危險。

Allergic reactions, with some exceptions,

除了少數例外，過敏反應

almost always happen quickly,

幾乎都很快就會發生，

within 30 minutes of eating or exposure to the food.

在吃到或接觸到食物的 三十分鐘內發生。

A food intolerance, on the other hand,

另一方面，食物不耐症

is usually our body having trouble digesting certain foods.

是我們的身體很難消化某些食物。

Unlike allergies, food intolerances are not related to the immune system.

不像過敏，食物不耐症 和免疫系統無關。

For instance, being lactose intolerant

比如，若有乳糖不耐症

means you don't have enough of the enzyme that breaks down the lactose in dairy.

就表示你沒有足夠的酵素 可以分解乳製品中的乳糖。

Intolerance to certain foods can often result in digestive issues,

食物不耐症通常會導致消化問題，

including bloating, diarrhea or just generally feeling unwell.

包括腹脹、腹瀉，一般性的不舒服。

Intolerance to food can happen pretty quickly too,

食物不耐症也有可能很快就發生，

but could also show up in the next few days.

但也有可能在接下來幾天才出現。

In other words,

換言之，

if you experience unpleasantness from something you've eaten a day before,

如果你因為前一天的食物感到不適，

most of the time it's not an allergy.

通常不是過敏。

There's a third kind of reaction

除了過敏和不適症以外， 還有第三種反應。

that's neither an allergy or an intolerance.

For example, celiac disease is an autoimmune condition

比如乳糜瀉是一種自體免疫疾病，

因為吃了含麩質的食物而引發。

triggered by eating foods containing gluten.

Celiac disease may share some similar symptoms to a food intolerance,

乳糜瀉和食物不適症 有一些相似的症狀，

such as bloating or belly pain.

比如腹脹或腹痛。

But unlike celiac disease,

但和乳糜瀉不同，

food intolerances don't damage the small intestine.

食物不耐症不會傷害到小腸。

So with all these real but nuanced differences,

所以，知道有這些真實 但細微的差別之後，

what's the best way to get a proper diagnosis?

想得到妥當的診斷， 最好的方法是什麼？

Don’t get one of those “do-it-yourself at-home food-sensitivity” kits.

別去買那種 「DIY 家用食物敏感」檢測包。

Those tests are not scientifically proven to do what they purport to do,

那些檢測稱聲的功能 背後並沒有科學證明支持，

and they aren't reliable diagnostic tools.

也不是可靠的診斷工具。

If you wonder whether you have an allergy or an intolerance

如果你想知道你是否有 過敏／不耐症／乳糜瀉，

or celiac disease,

talk to your doctor.

和你的醫生談談。

They'll be able to recommend the right course of action.

他們能建議你正確的行動步驟。

And in the case of food allergies, an allergist is your go-to person.

如果你有食物過敏，

你應該去找過敏症專科醫師。

The two common ways they'll be able to diagnose you

他們常用兩種方式來為你做診斷，

is by taking a really good food history

取得非常好的食物歷史記錄，

and giving you an oral food challenge

並幫你做食物激發試驗，

by giving you certain foods and seeing what happens

也就是讓你吃某些食物， 看看會發生什麼事，

in a medically safe and controlled environment.

試驗環境會注意醫學面的 安全並做好控管。

An allergist can also come up with a plan

過敏症專科醫師 也可以提出一項計畫，

in case you're exposed to a food you're allergic to

萬一你接觸到你過敏的 食物時可以用得上，

and may even be able to recommend treatments for some of those allergies.

甚至可能可以針對其中 一些過敏建議適當的治療。