Hidden Food Sensitivities

You may also be wondering what is a food sensitivity or intolerance? This is a term used to group any abnormal reaction to foods. This may include:

• IgG sensitivities: Slow acting immune reactions leading to gut problems, mental fog and much more. This is in contrast to the true allergy which can be an emergency situation.

• Lack of enzymes to break down a food as seen in a lactose intolerance. This can be due to genetics or problems with the liver, gallbladder or pancreas.

• Histamine Intolerance: Build up of histamine or other byproduct found in food. This can produce skin rashes, flushing anxiety, and vertigo symptoms.

• Abnormal reactions to food additives like pesticides, sulfites, amines and nitrates.

• Abnormal reactions due to underlying Candida or bacterial overgrowth. Some bacteria will feed off food producing gas or acid reflux.

The above are called hidden food sensitivities because they are often hard to uncover. They can also be a complicating factor in many chronic health conditions.

In adults I often see these contributing to leaky gut and inflammation. In kids, I often see skin rashes like eczema and behavior/mood improvements. I have also seen weight loss and even improvement in blood sugar control. 

Certain dietary practices can lead to food sensitivities as well.  You may have heard me talk about the ketogenic diet. It can be a fantastic diet when planned well. After a few months, however, we find that many develop a food sensitivity to coconut oil or other popular foods on the ketogenic diet. This can lead to a feeling a little laggy after a few months on the diet. So if you plateau on keto this is an avenue to look further into!

As you can see food sensitivities include a vast collection of challenges. Addressing your food sensitivities can have far-reaching benefits to both our gut and overall wellness.