Do you suffer from a runny nose, itchy eyes, irritable bowel, bloating, mood swings, fatigue, reactive airways, acid reflux, migraines, difficulty sleeping, joint pain, nausea, acne, bladder issues, hives, rashes, dry skin, weight gain, chronic inflammation, etc.?
Have you ever considered your symptoms might be a reaction to one or more foods you are eating?
Many people run to the pharmacy for an over-the-counter antacid or to their doctor because they are experiencing chronic health issues. They overlook the possibility that their chronic health problems might be coming from adverse reactions to food or a leaky gut.
Adverse food reactions can be broken down into three categories: Food sensitivities, food allergies, and food intolerances. If you have one or more food sensitivities, you might not be aware of them because often there is a delayed reaction from the time you eat a certain food until the time when symptoms appear. Food sensitivities are the result of an unhealthy gut, often called a leaky gut. This condition reflects increased intestinal permeability from an imbalance in the GI tract affecting the immune system. Actual symptoms may vary from person to person, but the underlying condition is the same. The gut is an ecosystem and when it is out of balance it affects digestion which in turn impacts the body and the brain.
Food allergies are an actual immune reaction to a particular food. They often cause more immediate symptoms such as hives, sneezing, bloating, abdominal pain, etc. The severity of symptoms will vary from person to person. The most common trigger foods for allergies include but are not limited to: milk, shellfish, gluten, wheat, eggs, tree nuts, soy, peanuts. With a food allergy, the more you ingest the offending food, the more intense your symptoms can become.
Food intolerances are a little bit different. They are the result of not producing enough digestive enzymes to break down the particular components of the food such as protein, fats, carbohydrates, or fiber. Food intolerances are a non-immune reaction, unlike a food allergy. They can, however, cause a lot of physical discomfort because the body is unable to properly break down the food. This results in physical symptoms ranging from a general malaise to inflammation, abdominal pain, cold or flu-like symptoms, headaches, digestive upset, and more.
If you think you may be suffering from reactions to certain foods, the best place to start is eliminating from your diet the most common trigger foods for a while and see if the symptoms subside. Then, you can gradually add in one food at a time and see if the negative symptoms resurface. It is important to pay attention to how your body feels.
If you are still struggling with adverse food reactions and want help to determine the underlying cause, please reach to me for help. I have helped many people resolve chronic health issues by uncovering food reactions and resolving digestive issues.
