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1.) What are Food Sensitivities?
Food sensitivities are adverse responses to foods and/or food additives. They are different from food allergies in that they are more subtle and more common. Both food allergies and food sensitivities are mediated by your immune system and result in inflammation, but food allergy reactions, such as some people have to strawberries or peanuts, cause a sudden immediate release of inflammatory chemicals that can be life-threatening (called anaphylactic shock).
Food sensitivities are less overt, less immediate, and less overwhelming than food allergies, but the inflammation they cause can last longer and have far-reaching negative effects on your mind, brain and body.
Each time your immune system encounters a food to which you are sensitive, it releases a plethora of chemicals that result in, among other things, an increase in the permeability of your small intestine. The increased permeability makes it possible for immune cells to move in and out of the area without interference. In cases of true infectious challenge, this adaptation is very helpful, but in the absence of a “true invader” being present, it wreaks havoc on the tissues responsible for absorbing nutrients and processing each meal, especially when the offending food is eaten several times a day. The increased permeability causes “leaks” in the intestine (called Leaky Gut Syndrome). This disruption affects the absorption of nutrients, the processes of metabolism, energy production, healing and the elimination of toxins and wastes.
2.) What are Symptoms of Food Sensitivity?
Food sensitivities play a role in a multitude of common health problems and complaints by causing the release of immune chemicals each time you eat foods to which you are sensitive. Common symptoms of food sensitivity include:
Headaches Vomiting/nausea
Migraine Diarrhea/constipation
Fatigue Irritable bowel syndrome
Depression/anxiety Joint pain
Hyperactivity (in children) Fluid retention
Recurrent ulcers Intestinal gas/bloating
Aching muscles
3.) What Causes Food Sensitivities?
The development of food sensitivities may begin with a genetic predisposition, however the sensitivity response may be amplified by distinct immune and digestive system challenges such as:
- Improper digestion (imbalances in stomach acid and/or digestive enzymes)
- Imbalance in intestinal flora
- Drugs (antibiotics and antacids in particular)
- Immaturity of the digestive system (foods introduced too early into a child’s diet)
- Irritated or inflamed digestive tract
- Chronic stress
- Environmental chemical exposure
- Impaired ability to detoxifiy
The food sensitivity response may be perpetuated by repetitious consumption of problem foods.
4.) How do Food Sensitivities Influence Weight?
When one eats problem foods, the immune system becomes activated. Among other things, these inflammatory chemicals can cause the walls of the digestive system to become “leaky” (referred to as leaky gut syndrome). This increased permeability causes fluids to leak out of the many blood vessels found in the intestines and out of intestinal cells into the surrounding tissue. This fluid that leaks out “water logs” your body, and the fluid remains unavailable for metabolism overnight, and for morning elimination.
Because this fluid remains in your body, you gain weight. If you lose weight overnight or remain the same, it means you did not eat reaction-causing foods the day before and did not create a “leaky gut”. Each day you avoid eating reactive foods, you will be more likely to lose weight (and inches). The morning after eating a food, to which you react adversely to, you will likely weigh heavier.
A second cause for weight gain due to food sensitivities has to do with food addiction. People will often crave those foods they are most sensitive to. These foods, when eaten, temporarily cause the release of chemicals from immune cells, which causes a shift in levels of certain hormones and neurotransmitters. Poorly digested dairy and wheat actually produce morphine-like substances that act on the pleasure centers of our brains. Our body is then forced to create ways to readjust the balance. Sweet foods, simple sugars and other carbohydrates are then craved by the body as a means of restoring biochemical equilibrium, but instead creates an ongoing cycle that can lead to excess calorie consumption or even binge eating.
Food sensitivities can result in a whole range of problems, including digestive complaints, acne, eczema, headaches, arthritis, and asthma. Often, they are the result of toxicity within the body. Toxins impair the proper functioning of biological processes, one of which is the ability to neutralize and excrete toxins. The buildup of these toxic molecules can often manifest as increased immune response to food. Over time, these intolerances become more severe and extend to more foods and more environmental chemicals, leading one to become allergic to seemingly everything. However, once food and environmental intolerances are identified and eliminated, detoxification processes are repaired, and the intestinal tract is restored, many allergies will go away as the body becomes more capable of healing itself. Strength, energy, mood will all improve: total wellness will be rejuvenated!
5.) What do I do if I think I have food sensitivities or allergies?
Allergy Testing is the fastest, easiest way to identify your food allergens. Eliminating foods in which you are sensitive, cleansing your body, and restoring healthy bowels are the foundational aspects of healing. Food allergies may take years to develop, and therefore do not heal quickly. You may find relief within days of changing your diet, but full healing may take years. The 30 or 90 day programs are recommended for individuals with food sensitivities. For more information about the programs offered, click here.
If you think you may have food sensitivities but don’t know how to proceed, call or Katherine for a free consultation today!
