Food Allergies

Permanent or fixed intolerances which are actual true allergies and sensitivities which we also tend to refer to as allergies. I say this because we frequently use the term allergies, as though they are same as sensitivities.

They are actually quite different.

True food allergies stress the immune system and trigger the release of immunoglobulins, whereas sensitivities are reactions that primarily start in the digestive tract. For more information, on the distinction between food allergies and sensitivities, click this link.

Testing for Food Allergies or Sensitivities

All of these are valuable but as with any test none are one hundred percent accurate.

Nonetheless, most people like to have some guidance to help steer them away from the foods that they should avoid.

I am providing some videos by experts in this filed who should be able to further educate on learning about gluten and other intolerances. To learn more click here.

Self -Testing

This typically means avoiding:

At the same time, a journal is kept listing everything that is ate or drank during this trial.

If after a couple of weeks, the person sees no benefit or reduction of unpleasant symptoms, then there is a decent chance that the individual may have no food intolerances.

However, if the person improves and has fewer symptoms, then they likely have some food intolerances.

To determine what foods they are intolerant, they just add one food every other day. (These of course are the high allergy potential foods which they have avoided for the past two weeks.)

If one or more symptoms, recur after adding a food back into the diet, then it is considered a potential allergen. The food is once again avoided for at least another month before it is tried another time.

One other note, anytime a reaction to a food occurs, it is essential that one wait until all indications of the reaction are totally gone before trying another food.

This process can be completed over and over again to determine one's food sensitivities.

It should be noted that if someone suspects that they have, may have, or has in the past had a strong reaction to a particular food, they should never perform any type of self-test.

This especially applies to someone who has had anaphylaxis in the past, or has ever had to use an EPI pen to help with a severe reaction.

These people cannot under any circumstances do a self-allergy assessment.

It is just too dangerous for them to attempt!

They instead must seek the help of a health care professional.

Other Common Allergens

The ones that we see most frequently in our health consulting practice are overwhelmingly: gluten, dairy and lactose, corn, soy, yeast, sugar, artificial sweeteners, food additives, nuts, and shellfish.

If these or any food causes stress to your body then it is simply best avoided.

This is especially true for foods that cause extreme stress to your body and overall health.

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