TORONTO (December 20, 2011) – People generally attribute fatigue, weight gain and discomfort to overeating during the holiday season, unaware that these symptoms may be the cause of food intolerance. In fact, common food intolerances, such as to pork, coffee, cocoa bean, sugar, bananas and oranges – all common ingredients in holiday fare – may contribute to “The Holiday Five” that many people usually chock up to indulgence.

“Experiencing fatigue, bloating and weight gain is common when you have food intolerance,” said Dr. Mubina Jiwa, ND, a Naturopathic Doctor and assistant professor at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine.  “The way to break this cycle is to determine which foods you have an intolerance to and eliminate them from your diet.”

The holidays are a time for sweet treats, yet sugar(1) and aspartame have been shown to increase inflammation in the body, and potentially cause an intolerance resulting in headaches, muscle pain and other chronic conditions that are based in inflammation. Although our bodies can manage most common ingestible items in moderate amounts, if you have an intolerance to these ingredients, the symptoms can be more lifestyle altering.

The HEMOCODE food intolerance system  measures for adverse reactions to 250 common foods and additives that often manifest in a number of conditions including chronic fatigue, headaches, sleeplessness and weight gain, and can help determine which foods you should avoid in order to live healthier and more comfortably.

Available at all Rexall and Rexall Pharma Plus stores across Canada, the HEMOCODE food intolerance system is a simple non-invasive finger stick test.  Using a drop of blood, the system scans the body for inflammatory reactions to common foods and additives. With many upcoming office parties and family gatherings, weight gain is a serious concern for Canadians. Is overeating causing the weight gain or is it food intolerance?  Food intolerances can make the body less efficient as additional resources are spent trying to fight the intolerances, resulting in lower metabolism and thus more pounds.

“I recently taught an accredited continuing education course on food intolerance for pharmacists with the Canadian Council for Continuing Education in Pharmacy,” said Dr. Jiwa. “One of the course elements dealt specifically with having the pharmacist identify a consumer’s concern and having him or her consider that it may be food related.”

A pharmacist can walk you through the HEMOCODE program, assist with the blood sample, send the sample for analysis, and within 7-10 days, review the results with you in person and discuss a plan to eliminate any offending foods. Problems with weight gain will begin to disappear as the body starts to feel better and work more efficiently; resulting in more energy to exercise again. Understanding the cause and effect of food intolerances and making the necessary dietary adjustments, will make it easier to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

About the HEMOCODE Food Intolerance System

Owned  by  Gemoscan  Canada,  Inc.,  the  HEMOCODEFood  Intolerance  System  is  a  patented, personalized nutritional program that includes a proprietary state-of-the-art blood assessment that identifies and delivers relief from the individually unique symptoms of immuno-based food intolerances. With nearly 30 percent of U.S and Canadians suffering from food intolerances, a

team  of  nutritionists and medical practitioners developed the HEMOCODE Food Intolerance System  to  take  the  guesswork  out  of  deciphering  what  variety  of  250  common  foods  and additives  can  potentially  offend  and  adversely  affect  personal  wellness. Customer-specific reports, nutritional guidelines and recipe books are accompanied by consultation with health-care specialists.

For  more  information  please  visit  www.hemocode.com,  www.rexall.ca or  a  Rexall  or  Rexall Pharma Plus drug store location.

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(1) Isabelle Aeberli, Philipp A Gerber, Michel Hochuli, Sibylle Kohler, Sarah R Haile, Ioanna Gouni-Berthold, Heiner K Berthold, Giatgen A Spinas, and Kaspar Berneis., 2011  Low to moderate sugar-sweetened beverage consumption impairs glucose and lipid metabolism and promotes inflammation in healthy young men: a randomized controlled trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.