4 Signs You Might Have a Food Sensitivity
When it comes to food allergies, making a diagnosis is pretty black and white. The typical allergic reaction occurs immediately after you ingest a certain food, and the symptoms—often a rash, hives, or swelling—are unmistakable.
But food sensitivities are a much sneakier sort. In many cases, symptoms don’t occur until several hours or even days after you eat a problematic food, and even then, they can be vague and difficult to link to your diet.
I never would have guessed I had this kind of issue in my own life but I did. I would be bloated, tired, couldn’t lose weight, and just couldn’t figure out what was going on. After an allergist did some testing for me, I found I had quite few sensitivities. For me, they most definitely showed up with migraines as well. I knew some of my main triggers, but not some of the underlying things. I was so lucky to have learned so much through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and the wonderful teachers we had there with so much knowledge that armed me with what I needed to turn things around. Was it easy? No. Do I still struggle? Sure I do. Just like you, i “relapse” but when I begin to feel headachy, bloated, more migraines, inflammation and more, I know I have to get back on that pathway to health again. I ask myself this question. If I eat xyz, it is worth having a migraine; or if I eat xyz, is it worth the throbbing pain in my joints from inflammation? It puts it in better perspective for me and motivates me to get back on my healthy lifestyle – again!
What is interesting though, and which you may not know, in the United States, food sensitivities have become an epidemic, largely fueled by the process of genetically modifying food. Gluten, dairy, corn, and soy are among the most common culprits. An estimated 18 million Americans suffer from gluten sensitivity alone, and those are the people who have figured it out! Millions more individuals experience symptoms suggestive of food sensitivities every day and have yet to identify the cause.
I am going to share with you, four signs you might have a food sensitivity, along with a brief explanation of how each symptom occurs. All of these have an impact on our health, our energy levels, and much more.
Fatigue
No matter how much sleep you get, you are exhausted. You find yourself dozing off during the day and are constantly grabbing sugary and starchy snacks for energy.
When your body is sensitive to a certain food, it causes an inflammatory response in your digestive system, causing your adrenal glands to release cortisol as an anti-inflammatory. This puts extra stress on your adrenal glands and leaves you feeling fatigued.
Weight Gain or Inability to Lose Weight
You’ve tried every diet out there, but nothing seems to work for you. You’re constantly hungry, no matter how much you eat.
When you suffer from a food sensitivity, it causes chronic inflammation, which impairs your brain’s ability to communicate with hormones, One of these hormones is leptin, which is released after you eat so that you feel satisfied. Without the brain receiving messages from leptin, you continue to feel hungry even after a big meal.
Migraines and Headaches
You notice that your headaches tend to occur when you eat certain foods … several hours after a meal, or even when you wake up the next morning.
A headache of any kind is a sign of inflammation in your head—hence the reason you treat it with NSAIDs. It’s not surprising, then, that food sensitivities could be to blame. A recent study showed that 56% of people who had been diagnosed with migraine headaches actually had an underlying gluten sensitivity.
Joint pain
You’re all-over achy, but there doesn’t seem to be any logical reason. You’re too young for arthritis, but you’re not a hardcore athlete, either.
Here we go again: Food sensitivities = inflammation. Here, you’re experiencing an inflammatory response in your joints.
If any of these symptoms resonate with you, there are a good chance food sensitivities are to blame.
I’ve been helping clients break through their fatigue by identifying food sensitivities for 4+ years and they can’t believe how much easier it’s been for them to start having consistent, stable, high energy throughout the day.
At this time of year, there are plenty of great foods to eat to help ground you, and some that can stabilize sensitivities (when you pick the recipes that suit your body). So for fun in October, I have created a series called “Crock-tober Fest” to help you to slow down and enjoy the season plus have some great recipes to energize you throughout the cooler weather.
Click the picture below and grab your copy now.
