Understanding Food Sensitivities

An increasing number of people are gaining awareness around the impact of food sensitivities on their health. Surprisingly, studies suggest that as many as 20% of the global population may suffer from some form of food sensitivity, ranging from mild digestive discomfort to severe chronic health issues.

Due to the complexity and diversity of symptoms, identifying and managing food sensitivities is an essential aspect of personal health. This article explores the nuances of food sensitivities, their impact on our bodies, and advanced testing techniques that we use to support people in discovering and managing food sensitivities that are unique to them. By leaning on cutting-edge technology, sufferers can gain hope and direction in navigating this often-misunderstood health challenge.

Symptoms & Implications for Health

Food sensitivities arise when a person's immune system responds to particular foods in a way that differs from the immediate, life-threatening response of a food allergy. These sensitivities often result in delayed and less severe reactions that are usually mediated by IgG antibodies, as opposed to the IgE antibodies involved in true food allergies.

Symptoms of food sensitivities vary widely and may include digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation, skin problems like rashes or eczema, joint pain or inflammation, headaches or migraines, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and mood changes like depression. Prolonged exposure to foods that trigger sensitivities can lead to chronic inflammation in the body, which is linked to several health problems such as autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

As a result, it is essential to identify and address food sensitivities to improve a person's overall health and well-being, especially those with chronic conditions where inflammation is a significant factor.

Top 10 Symptoms & Manifestations

Food sensitivities can impact various aspects of health. Here are the top 10 conditions or symptoms often associated with food sensitivities:

1. Digestive Issues:

Digestive symptoms include bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). These symptoms tend to occur several hours or even days after eating the offending food, causing significant discomfort.

2. Skin Problems:

Your skin is a reflection of internal inflammation caused by sensitivities. Symptoms include skin issues like eczema, acne, dry skin, and rashes.

3. Fatigue:

Consistently feeling tired or experiencing a lack of energy, even after a good night's sleep, can be linked to food sensitivities. This may be due to the body's effort to deal with the inflammation or imbalances caused by the offending food.

4. Mood Disorders:

Symptom manifestation from food sensitivities can show up as mood swings, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.

5. Joint Pain:

Systemic inflammation caused by food sensitivities can present as joint pain, joint stiffness, and swelling.

6. Headaches and Migraines:

Histamine intolerance and protein degradation in certain foods can trigger headaches or migraines.

7. Respiratory Issues:

Food sensitivities can trigger a runny nose, sinus congestion, or asthma.

8. Weight Fluctuations:

Unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight may sometimes be linked to inflammation, reduced metabolism, and compromised gut health caused by food sensitivities.

9. Brain Fog:

Mental fogginess presents as difficulty concentrating, remembering, and memorizing. Inflammation caused by food sensitivities can be associated.

10. Autoimmune Responses:

Evidence suggests that chronic exposure to foods that trigger sensitivities may contribute to or exacerbate autoimmune conditions.

Advanced Functional Lab Tests to Identify Food Sensitivities

Vibrant Wellness Food Zoomers

The Vibrant Food Zoomers provide the most in depth and accurate look at true food sensitivities - because they are tests that examine immune responses to peptides within these antigenic foods, compared to all other food sensitivity tests which measure antibodies to whole proteins, which are rarely actually what our immune systems are exposed to in real life during digestion.

Currently, the Vibrant Food Zoomer menu includes:

• Wheat Zoomer: to detect sensitivity to thousands of peptides in gluten and wheat, celiac disease, intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”), and wheat allergy

• Lectin Zoomer: to detect sensitivity to 17 high lectin foods and 7 high-aquaporin foods

• Corn Zoomer: to detect sensitivity to peptides in corn, including GMO and non-GMO varieties

• Grain Zoomer: to detect sensitivity to many commonly consumed grains

• Mammalian Milk Zoomer: to detect sensitivity to all peptides in goat, sheep, donkey and camel milk

• Dairy Zoomer: to detect sensitivity to all peptides in cow’s milk

• Egg Zoomer: to detect sensitivity to peptides in egg white and egg yolk

• Peanut Zoomer: to detect sensitivity to all known antigenic peptides in peanut

• Nut Zoomer: to detect sensitivity to multiple tree nuts

• Soy Zoomer: to detect sensitivity to peptides in soy, including GMO and non-GMO soy

• Seafood Zoomer: to detect sensitivity to multiple species of fish and shellfish, including parasites common to ocean fish

These tests can be bundled together at a discounted price with four or more Zoomers on the same patient on the same draw, email hello@revivedroots for a custom zoomer bundle.

Vibrant Wellness Food Sensitivity Complete

The Food Sensitivity Complete panel assesses sensitivity to 209 common foods in the Western diet and food additives such as preservatives, artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, food dyes, and pesticides, which can cause chronic inflammation and increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut). If you are diagnosed with or suspect intestinal permeability, autoimmune disorders, or chronic inflammation you may benefit from this panel. You can purchase the test kit with a live interpretation through our LabShop.

How Do The Test Results Inform Treatment Plans?

For patients with food sensitivities identified by testing, the treatment typically involves a structured approach that allows for progressive healing. The ultimate goal is for you to have as much dietary flexibility as possible after you follow a more simplified approach to support healing.

Nutrition & Dietary Interventions

A structured approach to identifying food sensitivities involves the implementation of an elimination diet that we like to call phase one of healing. It’s simple and refined, not restrictive. In this phase, you must completely avoid the foods identified as sensitivities for around 3-4 weeks while closely monitoring any changes or improvements in symptoms.

After this period, each food is strategically reintroduced to determine if there are any adverse reactions. If symptoms return, it indicates that the specific food should be avoided for an additional 3 to 6 months. Throughout this process, you ideally receive supportive care, including nutritional guidance, to ensure a balanced diet. The protocol calls for careful planning and ongoing support for efficiency and effectiveness.

Gut Healing Herbs and Supplements

For those struggling with food sensitivities, certain herbs can be incredibly beneficial in healing and calming the gut. Turmeric, which contains curcumin, is famed for its powerful anti-inflammatory effects. This makes turmeric a great option for reducing gut inflammation associated with food sensitivities. By reducing inflammation, turmeric can help heal the gut lining, improve its function, and potentially lessen sensitivity reactions. I do caution excessive therapeutic dosing of turmeric.

Slippery elm contains mucilage and polysaccharides that form a protective coating on the gut lining. This coating soothes the inflamed mucosa and promotes healing in the digestive tract, making it a helpful option for those with food sensitivities. By restoring the integrity of the gut barrier, it can reduce the likelihood of negative reactions to food moving forward.

Marshmallow root is another herb that is rich in mucilage, which helps to soothe and protect the gastrointestinal lining. Improving gut health can lead to a decrease in the severity of food sensitivity symptoms.

These are just a few of the herbs we may use in our therapeutic approach as each person we work with is unique.

Nervous System Regulation

Stress can have a significant impact on gut health, particularly for individuals with food sensitivities. The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, which is activated by stress, releases cortisol, affecting functions such as gastric emptying and increasing colonic contractions. Additionally, stress can increase intestinal permeability, allowing unwanted particles to enter the bloodstream while also causing sterility of the gut microbiome. Managing stress is critical for those with food sensitivities, as it can help alleviate gut-related issues and sensitivity symptoms. Effective stress reduction techniques, such as meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises can be wildly helpful.

Optimize Your Health with Personalized Guidance

If you resonate with the insights shared in this article and desire to reclaim your health from the woes of food sensitivities, our personalized 1:1 coaching and advanced lab testing are just for you. Book a discovery call to learn more, or explore our cutting-edge functional lab tests through our LabShop. All tests come with a live interpretation so you can better understand how to use the findings for efficient and effective healing.

The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider before taking any dietary supplement or making any changes to your diet or exercise routine.