Food Sensitivities
Food sensitivities or intolerances as opposed to a food allergy, happen gradually and isn’t life threatening. These intolerances develop over time, when we consume the same food day after day. Eating the same foods on a daily basis causes the body to become “sensitized” to the food. Food sensitivity reactions to certain foods might be subtle but uncomfortable. These symptoms usually occur within a few minutes but usually with 12-48 hours after eating the offending foods. Symptoms such as heartburn, headaches, difficulty getting out of bed in the morning, looking tired even after sufficient sleep, an inability to lose weight, bloating and relentless water retention can all be related to food sensitivities or intolerances. Unfortunately, these sensitivities will drive immune responses in our bodies such as inflammation, gastrointestinal problems, joint pain, and skin disorders.
The most common food sensitivity signs and symptoms include:
Digestive Problems:
- Abdominal cramping
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Gas
- GERD (reflux)
- Indigestion
- Heartburn
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Irritable bowel Syndrome
- Lactose Intolerance
- Nausea
- Vomiting
General Symptoms
- Arthritis (rheumatoid)
- Cellulite
- Dark under-eye circles
- Difficulty getting up in the A.M.
- Difficulty Losing Weight
- Weight gain
- Fatigue
- Headaches or Migraines
- High Blood Pressure
- Joint Pain or Stiffness
- Malaise
- Puffy eyes
- Water retention
- PH Imbalance
- Vaginal discharge/itch
- Candida
- Ingrown Hair follicles
- Scalp related issues
Emotional & Immunity Issues
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Food cravings
- Insomnia
- Asthma
- Chronic ear infections
- Chronic Sinus congestion
- Ear congestion
- Itching in the Ears or Mouth
- Post-nasal drip/Runny nose
- Seasonal Allergies
- Sneezing/Watery eyes
- Acne
- Eczema/Psoriasis/Hives
Food Sensitivity Testing
Laboratory testing is the best to way get to the bottom your symptoms. This is the easy way to find out exactly what foods are raising havoc on your immune system. You probably don’t even realize how bad you feel until we remove those foods from our diet. You might notice your energy level increases and getting out of bed is not so difficult. Headaches, joint pain and sinus congestion are no longer an issue. Brain fog disappears as mood and concentration improves. You suddenly realize that you are not crazy, the symptoms you were experiencing are real and weren’t in your head, they were in your gut!