You often hear that food is medicine yet, food can also be one of the biggest contributors to chronic health problems. Our bodies are alive because of the way the foods we eat either feed health or feed disease. You may think you already know this. No sugar and junk food, obviously, right? But food triggers can be much more subtle than the obvious greasy options you might think of.
Your body’s reactions to the foods you eat come from your unique biochemistry, microbiome configuration, lifestyle, stress level, and immune status. I have seen the healthiest foods flare up food intolerance symptoms in one person, contributing to inflammation in their muscles and joints, digestive problems, and brain fog, while the next person can thrive on those same foods. How can the same food be good medicine for one person and bad medicine for another?
Here are three reasons that could be triggering your symptoms
1. Food allergies: True food allergies come from an immediate and severe reaction of the immune system to some aspect of a particular food. Symptoms of an allergic reaction can include rashes, itching, hives, and swelling, or even anaphylaxis.
2. Food intolerances: Intolerances occur when your body is unable to digest certain foods (such as dairy) or when your digestive system becomes irritated by them. These are usually the result of enzyme deficiencies.
3. Food sensitivities: These are similar to intolerances, but it’s often less clear why someone reacts poorly to a certain food. Food sensitivities may result in a more delayed reaction, and you might be able to digest a small amount of the food without issues.
How to Start Healing 1. Get lab work done
To begin the healing process, it’s important to find your baseline. If you think food sensitivities are a problem for you, labs will help determine both the cause and specific sensitivity. This will allow you to make sure you’re addressing everything necessary for healing. This could include: Microbiome labs, Leaky gut labs, Histamine intolerance, etc.
2. Try an elimination diet
3. Make sure to rotate your food by eating a variety of vegetables, meats, and fruits
4. Amp up your gut healing with bone broth, intermittent fasting, suggested supplements, and Seeking help from a Functional Medicine specialist like myself. If you believe you are experiencing symptoms of food intolerance, it is always important to consult a medical professional before implementing any new diet or supplement regimen. Call today to schedule your next consultation 919-243-8146
