HOW TO DEAL WITH FOOD SENSITIVITIES

 

If specific foods are meant to nourish us, then why do we often have an uncomfortable reaction after eating them? Food sensitivities happen to be quite common. Different than true food allergies, food sensitivities are annoying but fortunately not life-threatening. The issue is that food sensitivities are hard to pinpoint since they often show up many hours after eating or drinking something that you’re sensitive to. You could have a breakfast that’s problematic which may not even affect you until late in the day or in the evening. Symptoms such as (IBS) irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, skin problems, fatigue, insomnia, etc. can come on mysteriously yet you most likely won’t need an Epi-Pen or have to run to the emergency room.

Remember those little pin pricks going into your back as a kid to test for allergies? That uncomfortable procedure was called the (RAST) Radioallergosorbent Test and it measured what are called (IGE) Immunoglobulin E antibodies. These antibodies are associated with true food allergies. Then there are other blood tests that look for food sensitivities which are detected by different antibodies called (IgG) Immunoglobulin G antibodies. One blood test that we commonly use in our office is called The Pinner Test. When we have food sensitivities, they cause antibodies to be deposited into our tissues. The body tries to fight them off by causing inflammation which may be the root of our unpleasant symptoms. Additionally, too much inflammation and weight gain go hand in hand.

Many foods that are healthy can still be problematic if you can’t digest them. Some people lack the enzymes to break down specific foods. In this case the intolerance to those foods may be more permanent. For instance, if your body does not produce enough of the enzyme called lactase to break down lactose found in dairy products, this is a perfect example of how an intolerance begins. Just having one cup of milk can cause stomach bloating, gurgling, cramps and diarrhea. While lactose intolerance is a worldwide phenomenon, there are many other intolerances that are not as obvious. We also know that in recent years there has been a movement against wheat and gluten due to their allergenic effects. Other foods commonly linked to allergies or intolerance are:

  • Peanuts
  • Tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, cashews)
  • Soy
  • Eggs
  • Yeast (found in most commercial breads, soups, dressings, sauces and baked goods)
  • Citrus fruits (oranges, lemon, lime, grapefruit)
  • Shellfish
  • Night shade vegetables (potato, tomato, eggplant and peppers)

Sorry if that sounds pretty depressing and those foods make up the bulk of your diet. It doesn’t mean you have to stop eating all those things forever. And it’s not always just narrowed down to the usual suspects. We need to also be aware of these factors in addition to the actual foods themselves:

  • Preservatives
  • Overload of naturally occurring chemicals in foods such as the caffeine in coffee, tea or chocolate, Xenoestrogens excreted from plastics
  • Chemicals, chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals and antibiotics in our water
  • Glyphosate (a toxin) which is sprayed on our fruits and vegetables
  • Genetically modified versions of our foods are all messing up our body’s ability to function optimally

By making some modifications, not only will we feel better, but weight loss may follow. Food allergies and sensitivities are recognized by the body as toxins. The more chemicals and toxins your body is holding on to, this will cause fluid retention, swelling, and toxic build-up storing in your fat cells. Continual exposure to foods that your body can’t tolerate eventually beats up your immune system, making it harder to stay healthy, in shape and feel good if you never give your body a break. With multiple food sensitivities, you become more susceptible to having frequent colds, yeast infections, and chronic headaches since you’re constantly being bombarded by foods that perpetuate this cycle.

As mentioned earlier, there are lab tests to detect food sensitivities. Yet they are not always 100% accurate. When you have an IgG food sensitivity – unlike an IgE food allergy – it’s possible your results can change depending on when you take the test. Results can vary through the course of several months. I’ve seen many cases where a client’s report shows multiple sensitivities and after following three months of avoiding those foods totally, they come up clear of those sensitivities on the next lab test. True food allergies are usually something you have for a lifetime, whereas sensitivities can come and go. Some women even have temporary food intolerances from hormonal changes that come on mysteriously before their period, mid-cycle or during or after pregnancy.

While lab testing can be a useful indicator for what foods may be bothering you or contributing to weight gain, there is a less clinical way of figuring it out on your own by experimenting with “Elimination Diet.”

The goal is to eliminate potentially toxic foods or those foods you consider to be suspect from your diet for a period of weeks. Included in this not so fun (but well worth it) experience are the following foods:

  • Processed foods: Anything in a box, bag, can, or frozen (with the exclusion of plain frozen fruits and vegetables)
  • Nightshade vegetables: Potato, tomato, eggplant and peppers (since they are inflammatory)
  • Sugar and artificial sweeteners: Stevia™ is okay
  • Dairy products (milk, cheese, whey, yogurt, cottage cheese)
  • Wheat and gluten: Stay away from gluten-free versions if trying to lose weight (i.e., bread, pasta or pastries made from rice or potato flour)
  • Soy (tofu, tempeh, soybeans, edamame)
  • Coffee: It creates inflammation which contributes to weight gain. Switch over to green tea
  • Alcohol (wine, beer and mixed drinks are loaded with sugar and yeast)

For the best success, stay as organic as possible. Since chemicals such as glyphosate and other pesticides are often sprayed into our fruit and vegetable supply, that can also be triggering an allergenic response. Although expensive, organic selections will free you up from worrying about GMO’s, hormones and antibiotics creeping into our food. Make sure to drink lots of clean, purified water – never from the tap and free of flavorings or carbonation. Once you start adding artificial sweeteners to water or bubbles, it becomes acidic. Fresh water helps to alkalize and detoxify the system while excreting all the by-products from things that are irritating us.

When to reintroduce foods back into the diet:

The first few days of eliminating most of the foods you are addicted to it will most likely be rough. It’s normal to have cravings, feel a little tired, perhaps even experience a pubescent break out. That all can be part of the detoxification process. After a week, most people feel more energized, have better digestion, their skin clears up, headaches come on less frequently and they just look better. The body gets a break from being inflamed and, as a result, weight loss usually occurs.

Since it’s not realistic to stay on a restricted program for a prolonged period of time, you will eventually start reintroducing foods back in the diet. The best way to do this is to start a journal. Do each food one by one. Don’t just go back to your old ways and add everything back all at once since you won’t know what is making you sensitive if you have a reaction. For the first week you may reintroduce eggs. If you feel okay with them, week two you may decide to bring back yogurt. Then week three you may want to have some tomatoes (which are part of the nightshade family) with your eggs. If at that point you feel sensitive, you can then determine that the tomatoes are bothering you and not the eggs so much. Keep doing this slowly and work to be in tune with your body.

Get creative with your meal planning and even seek out a nutritionist if you need some guidance along the way. It takes some preparation and planning ahead, but with the right maintenance you can continue to feel good and keep the weight off.