by Dr. Marita Schauch, ND, Tall Tree Integrated Health Centre –
There is no doubt that our society is much more health conscious than even just a few years ago. Soy-free, gluten-free and dairy-free are just a few buzzwords that circulate the health and wellness world, restaurant menus and recipes. We’re finally beginning to understand the need to optimize our diets for sustainable wellness; however, this is largely due to the rise of food sensitivities.
My patients often ask why they’re suddenly unable to digest certain foods, have allergic reactions, or feel sensitive to certain ingredients. Food sensitivities involve the immune system whereby an immune reaction occurs that leads to inflammation in the body. Some causes for this immune reaction may include: stress, a diet of processed foods and refined sugars and/or a history of considerable antibiotic use.
Food sensitivities may manifest in different ways, such as:
• Food or environmental allergies
• Asthma
• Skin reactions like eczema, hives or psoriasis
• Autoimmune diseases (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus)
• Chronic pain, joint pain
• Mood disorders, such as depression and/or anxiety
• Digestive issues, such as bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation
• Symptoms such as fatigue, difficulty concentrating and headaches.
Luckily, there are a few ways we can lessen the potential to develop these sensitivities:
1. Improve your digestive health. It’s important to optimize your gut health and improve digestion in order to prevent food sensitivities. Starting your day with hot water, lemon and ginger, taking a digestive enzyme before eating, staying hydrated between meals and taking a daily probiotic to increase the healthy bacteria in your gut may all be helpful in improving overall digestion.
2. Avoid genetically-modified, inflammatory foods. Genetic modification increases the potential for immunologically active proteins, which increases the likelihood for immune reactions in the body. Look for non-gmo labels on food products, and shop organic and local as much as possible.
In order to lessen the burden on your gut and improve its function, work on eliminating or lessening your intake of inflammatory foods, such as gluten, soy, corn, eggs, dairy and non-organic meats.
3. Eat organic as often as possible. Fewer pesticides and chemicals in the growing of organic food causes decreased stress on our immune systems, which can make us ward off food sensitivities more easily.
Visit and support your local farmers markets.
4. Vary your diet. It’s easy to get in a rut with eating the same foods over and over again. However, this can increase your chance of food sensitivities. If we have even a slight immune reaction to a food, it can continue to build if we eat it over and over.
I recommend planning ahead to ensure that you’re eating a variety of foods throughout the week.
