Food sensitivities, what are they?

Also known as ‘intolerances’, food sensitivities are more common than most of us think, mostly because we aren’t aware of what they are. What we do know is that they can be painful, and can impact on our lives in ways we did not know possible. They are also far more common than a food allergy, something it is important to note.

What do we need to know to catch them and what can we do about it?

Food sensitivities are often missed, as the symptoms are usually delayed by several hours, meaning we are quick to blame something else. This is further complicated by the fact that two people can have the same sensitivity, but experience different symptoms, making them harder to catch.

Realising that you are sensitive to certain foods is also not the end of the world that it is sometimes painted out to be. People can usually tolerate a reasonable amount of the food that they are sensitive to, but if they eat too much they will get symptoms as their body cannot tolerate certain amounts. Furthermore, making it more vital for us to catch them, food sensitivities can even trigger the onset of a chronic illness or make symptoms worse.

Having identified what foods you are sensitive to, it is essential that you do eliminate these foods from your diet for at least a month. This may sound hard, but never fear, you can re-introduce them after this stint away from your delicious foods.  However, we would advise that you slowly re-introduce the culprit food back into your diet so that you can gauge how much of the food your body can tolerate before the symptoms kick in.

Probably the most important aspect of the process is actually receiving your results. For some, they may not look as you hoped, but with advice from our in-house nutritionist, you can take the next step in regaining control of your health and diet. Focusing and redesigning your diet, our nutritionist will ensure your body is still getting all the nutrients it needs through alternative sources. Moreover, they will discuss with you whether you need to eliminate a certain food or food group from your diet.

So, having mentioned earlier, how do we catch food sensitivities?

Many people think that a reaction to a food sensitivity is digestive related, but below are seven unsuspecting and very surprising signs that you may have a sensitivity:

Fatigue

Common culprits: Dairy, soy, corn, gluten

Joint Pain and Muscle Aches

Common culprits: Soy, gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, yeast, sugar, peanuts

Headaches

Common culprits: Processed foods, cured meats

Weight Gain

Common culprits: Refined carbs, added sugars, highly processed meats

Mood Swings

Common culprits: Wheat, dairy, fruit

Anxiety and Dizziness

Common culprits: Fermented foods (wine, aged cheese, cured meats)

If you believe you are experiencing any of these symptoms up to 48 hours after eating certain foods and are worried about it, then why not speak to our expert team? They are available 24 hours a day/7 days a week via LiveChat. If this isn’t for you, feel free to email us and we promise to reply within 24 hours.