The truth about food reactions
If it’s not intolerant to one of the common foods - like dairy or gluten - then it’s probably one of the ‘weird and wonderfuls’ lectins, histamine or sulfites. Right?
Published in Aesthetic & Anti-Aging Magazine. Issue 38, Spring - Summer 2021, Integrative Aesthetics, Nutrition
On the up side, it’s not just a ‘you thing’.
Research now suggests that food intolerances have increased significantly in recent years. Seriously, it does feel like we really are becoming allergic to 21st century?!
What are the 3 most common food reactions?
1) Food Allergies
True food allergies are immune-mediated reactions to foods. These reactions begin to cause symptoms immediately (from minutes up to 2 hours) after the trigger food is eaten, and symptoms can range from mild to severe (life-threatening). Symptoms usually include a rash, swollen or itchy tongue, runny nose, abdominal pain, vomiting, troubled breathing, coughing or wheezing, or a closed airway.
Food allergies can strike children and adults alike, but are more common in children. The good news - children can actually outgrow a food allergy. The bad news - adults can develop allergies to particular foods without having been allergic to them in childhood.
Immediate IgE reactions (the medical term for the above) most commonly occur in response to milk, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts, soya, fish and shellfish, and wheat. Interestingly, an allergy to milk and egg is much more likely to be outgrown than allergies to peanuts or fish.
2) Food Intolerances
Food intolerances are non-immune reactions to certain ‘parts’ of foods that occur when a person is lacking the digestive enzyme that is responsible for breaking down particular food components. Intolerances can cause (but not limited to) flushing, cold or flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea because the body lacks the appropriate tools to break down the trigger foods.
Common trigger foods and ingredients include lactose, sulfites, histamines, lectins, oxalates, salicylates, preservatives, artificial colors, fillers, and flavorings.
3) Food Sensitivities (the so-called ‘hidden food allergies’)
Food sensitivities can result in reactions that are delayed by hours or even days. These food reactions are usually associated with ‘gut issues’, and are thought to induce inflammatory responses in the body via cross-talk between gut and your immune cells. Symptoms of food sensitivities differ from person to person, and are wide-spread: migraines, headaches, dizziness, difficulty sleeping, mood swings, depression, anxiety, unintentional weight loss or gain; to irritable bloating, sinus problems, muscle or joint pain, and acne (the list goes on…).
Why are we seeing more of these kinds of reactions to foods?
The simple and straight-forward answer is: leaky gut.
In the case of ‘leaky’ gut, when partially digested foods filter into your bloodstream unregulated, the immune system begins to recognise the food as an invader. And so, the body reacts to the food inappropriately. A ‘wildfire’ (a chronic inflammatory response) starts in your body, causing all the unwanted symptoms.
For food sensitivities, there are so-called IgG tests on the market. But, these companies often offer empty promises. They promise to one) identify all foods that may be an issue for you, and two) solve your gut issues with an elimination diet based on your ‘red’ or ‘untolerated’ foods.
Published in Aesthetic & Anti-Aging Magazine. Issue 38, Spring - Summer 2021, Integrative Aesthetics, Nutrition
What is the best way to test for a food intolerance?
Here’s the truth. There is no ONE ‘magic’ test that screens for food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities unfortunately. As much as it may be marketed to you, in that way.
IgG testing will only test for a subset of immune-mediated food reactions. Food allergies (the igE kind) and the food intolerances (due to a lack of enzymes for specific foods) require their own unique assessments.
Plus, medical allergy boards consider IgG tests results invalid. In my experience, I have seen improvements in IgG-type food reactions based on IgG test elimination diets. But, ONLY when we repair the gut lining at the same time.
To prove my point: at my practice, I’ve seen many people who have been on elimination diet after elimination diet. And where does that leave them? At square one, that’s right. Because they’re not getting in gut-healing nutrients to resolve a ‘leaky gut’ situation.
And so, most of the time: before we even consider fancy, expensive testing; we start by fixing that leaky gut.
Say goodbye to leaky gut, say goodbye to a ton of adverse food reactions.
How do you treat adverse food reactions?
See your your integrative Dietitian Nutritionist.
Identify your ‘trigger’ foods with your health care professional: perform necessary testing, and medically-supervised elimination diets if indicated.
Get in gut-healing nutrients to repair your gut lining.
If you remember one thing: healing your gut is more about the nutrients that you need to get into your diet to heal a leaky gut, then it is about cutting out every possible ‘trigger’ food.
