BEFORE YOU START . . .

IF YOU are on medication, have significant medical problems or troublesome gut symptoms, we recommend you consult a health professional before starting our plan. There may be medical reasons for your symptoms, such as undiagnosed coeliac disease or inflammatory bowel disease, and these may require further investigation or management.

If you are underweight, suspect you have a food allergy, have other significant medical problems or are frail or unwell, we would not advise embarking on this programme.

Fortunately, food allergies are relatively uncommon. But if you suspect you have one, see your doctor and get tested — it could be life-threatening. Allergy symptoms normally occur within minutes of being in contact with or eating the relevant food. Reactions can include a raised, itchy, blotchy red rash; vomiting and/or severe gut symptoms such as diarrhoea; wheezing and difficulty breathing; itching or swelling of the lips, tongue and palate; or, sudden collapse.

Once your doctor has helped identify the food, you can avoid it and, if needed, keep emergency medication to hand.

An allergy is different from a food intolerance, which is a non-allergic hypersensitivity.

In Thursday’s paper we’ll tell you more about how you can identify and tackle food intolerances.

Always seek urgent medical advice if you have severe abdominal pain; unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite; have a change in bowel habit; suffer from anaemia, diarrhoea or vomiting.