Have you ever wondered if you might have a food sensitivity? I recently wrote a blog about how I had unwittingly developed one. You can read the blog by clicking: HERE.
What does a Food Sensitivity, (Food Intolerance) look like?
In some cases it can be pretty easy to assess whether or not you are reacting to a food when your symptoms are directly related to your digestive system, such as:
- Heartburn
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Intestinal pain
- Cramping
- Gas
But what if you are experiencing symptoms relating to:
- An autoimmune disorder?
- Arthritis?
- Mood disorders (depression/anxiety)?
- A heart arrhythmia?
Many people would not think that these symptoms could be related to the food they are eating daily. As I mentioned in my last blog, undigested particles of foods can pass through an hyper permeable gut lining (leaky gut) and enter the bloodstream. The body tries to protect itself by launching an inflammatory response. Inflammation is characterized by redness, swelling, pain and heat. This reaction can result in a variety of negative symptoms in the body. The really tricky thing is that symptoms relating to a food intolerance can show up within minutes or within days of food consumption.
What can you do?
The 4 R’s…
Step #1 – Remove
First off, you have to remove the offending foods and/or toxins from your diet. Most people start off by giving up caffeine, alcohol, processed foods, and hydrogenated fats. The typical culprits often include gluten containing grains, dairy, corn, eggs and soy.
Step #2 – Repair
The next step is to begin to repair the intestinal lining. This will start happening automatically by removing the pro-inflammatory foods. Specific nutrients that can help with this process include: l-glutamine, omega 3’s, zinc, Vitamin A, C and E, and turmeric.
Step #3 – Restore
Restoring good bacteria to the gut can be achieved by supplementing with probiotics as well as eating fermented and prebiotic foods. The good bacteria needs to outnumber the bad in order to maintain a healthy intestinal tract and to help fight illness.
Step #4 – Replace
Finally it is necessary to support the digestive system by ensuring that there are adequate enzymes and hydrochloric acid to aid in the breakdown of nutrients. Functional habits like chewing food until it is mush will help to improve the body’s ability to stimulate enzyme. Something as simple as not chewing gum will ensure that those precious enzymes are not wasted…
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Everyone is different, but there is a chance that you may be able to re-introduce some of these foods after following the 4 R’s. Some people, myself included, can follow a Rotation Diet meaning I can enjoy some of these foods once in a while without symptoms.
It’s very important to keep in mind…
It is NOT alway the food that is the problem – it could be the health of the gut 😉
Stay tuned for my upcoming blog where we’ll be discussing the latest laboratory testing to assess gut health along with more tips on how to take care of your tummy…
Until then…
In good health!
Glenda
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REFERENCES:
http://www.foodsmatter.com/allergy_intolerance/food_intolerance/articles/hunter_huntley_food_intol.html
https://www.fluidsiq.com/food_about.php?lang=en
http://kellybroganmd.com/its-not-all-in-your-head-problem-foods/
http://drhyman.com/blog/2011/03/17/gluten-what-you-dont-know-might-kill-you/
http://www.drperlmutter.com/gluten-sensitivity-may-involve-gut/
