Food sensitivities and food allergies are not the same. When you think about food allergies, think about what happens when someone is allergic to peanuts or shellfish. That type of reaction is a classic representation of a true allergy. More commonly, we find ourselves dealing with what are known as food sensitivities. Food sensitivity will create low-grade symptoms such as bloat, constipation, fatigue, eczema, adult acne, and excess inflammation.
But Why
Over time, damage to the lining of our gut can occur. This isn't a problem in most cases because these cells repair themselves and replace old tissue with new. However, occasionally, the tissue isn't replaced with healthy cells and this can create a situation where tight junction cells start to separate and allow for food particles to move across the lining of the intestines. When this happens, the particles will stimulate the immune system and release histamine in the body.
Other things that can break down the lining or cause it not to heal properly include alcohol, bile acids, fructose, excess fat, and emulsifiers.
What Should You Do??
The first step is to identify which foods are creating this issue for you. We use a simple blood test called the ALCAT to test between 50 and 370 different foods, additives, molds, and other toxins to see what your body is reacting to. From there, a simple elimination diet removes those irritants followed by specific nutrient supplementation to heal the gut and allow the new cells to regenerate properly. In some cases, we may need to do additional testing to look at specific levels of vitamins and other minerals within the body that can impact the proper healing of your digestive system.
