food sensitivity

Food sensitivities are a symptom

A food allergy and a food sensitivity are two very different things. Food Allergy A food allergy is an IgE mediated immune response. There are three types: 1. IgE-mediated (Example peanuts, shellfish) IgE-mediated food allergy symptoms normally occur immediately in connection to certain foods. The symptoms can be hives, difficulty breathing, skin rash, itching, coughing, and others. An example is an allergy to peanuts or shellfish. 2. non-IgE-mediated (Example Celiac Disease) Non-IgE mediated conditions can have delayed symptoms.A food sensitivity, on the other hand, does not involve IgE antibodies. 3. mixed IgE/non-IgE-mediated (Example: Atopic dermatitis/EOE)   IGE Skin Prick testing IgE skin prick testing is a reliable, trusted, and proven method of testing for true food allergies.   So what causes food sensitivity? A food sensitivity is the symptom of an underlying problem. Just like when you get a headache and you take a pain killer. The pill works to stop the pain, but the cause of the headache is still there. Food sensitivities indicate a deeper problem, such as: • Low stomach acid • Lack of certain digestive enzymes • Poor diversity of good gut bacteria or an overgrowth of bad gut bacteria • Intestinal permeability • Certain medications/antibiotics • The poor functionality of certain genetic variations • Mold exposure • Histamine intolerance • A combination of any of the above   IgG testing IgG tests are not endorsed or recommended by any of the well-known and trusted main allergy organizations. They are also not scientifically proven. The production of IgG antibodies to foods is a normal immunologic reaction. IgG food sensitivity tests are dangerous since they require the person to eliminate many different foods or food groups in order to “fix” the problem. However, doing so can cause further problems such as nutritional deficiencies and an unbalanced gut microbiome.       Sources: Gocki J, Bartuzi Z. Role of immunoglobulin G antibodies in diagnosis of food allergy. Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2016 Aug;33(4):253-6. doi: 10.5114/ada.2016.61600. Epub 2016 Aug 16. PMID: 27605894; PMCID: PMC5004213. Beyer K, Teuber SS. Food allergy diagnostics: scientific and unproven procedures. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005 Jun;5(3):261-6. doi: 10.1097/01.all.0000168792.27948.f9. PMID: 15864086. Hammond C, Lieberman JA. Unproven Diagnostic Tests for Food Allergy. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2018 Feb;38(1):153-163. doi: 10.1016/j.iac.2017.09.011. PMID: 29132671. Stapel SO, Asero R, Ballmer-Weber BK, Knol EF, Strobel S, Vieths S, Kleine-Tebbe J; EAACI Task Force. Testing for IgG4 against foods is not recommended as a diagnostic tool: EAACI Task Force Report. Allergy. 2008 Jul;63(7):793-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2008.01705.x. Epub 2008 May 16. PMID: 18489614. Carr S, Chan E, Lavine E, Moote W. CSACI Position statement on the testing of food-specific IgG. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2012 Jul 26;8(1):12. doi: 10.1186/1710-1492-8-12. PMID: 22835332; PMCID: PMC3443017. https://www.jaci-inpractice.org/article/S2213-2198%2817%2930704-3/fulltext#sec2 https://www.aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/conditions-library/allergies/igg-food-test https://www.aacc.org/science-and-research/scientific-shorts/2022/what-is-the-clinical-utility-of-food Gargano D, Appanna R, Santonicola A, De Bartolomeis F, Stellato C, Cianferoni A, Casolaro V, Iovino P. Food Allergy and Intolerance: A Narrative Review on Nutritional Concerns. Nutrients. 2021 May 13;13(5):1638. doi: 10.3390/nu13051638. PMID: 34068047; PMCID: PMC8152468.

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Why your gut health is so crucial.

Disclaimer: This is an educational and informative post, nothing in it is meant to take the place of medical treatment, neither does it claim to treat, cure or diagnose any condition.   Immune System About 65% percent of our immune system begins in the gut That is where the immune cells are produced. The Immune system is the way our body protects itself. So if the body is fighting an infection or bacteria then Cells are released in order to fight those foreign invaders. That’s whole process is very important, without it, we would die from this the smallest thing.   Microbiome There are 40 trillion different microorganisms that  make up our gut microbiome. So we have this whole universe that resides in the gut. The microbiota are made up of different types of organisms that live inside the gut, that each perform their own function.   Brain Health 85% of the neurotransmitter called serotonin is actually produced in the gut and serotonin is so vital for our mental health. Without it we can get anxious more easily feel depressed. It’s our feel good hormone and that is so important for us. So if our gut that is not working correctly, that is going to affect the production of that serotonin.   Indications that your gut is not working correctly. How will you know? First of all, food sensitivities and in this case, I’m not talking about allergies or immune conditions but at what your body is struggling to digest. If you have noticed a new sensitivity and you are reacting to more kinds of foods than in the past, and if that appears to be getting worse, then it’s definitely time to start looking at your guy’s health. Another indication is digestive symptoms like bloating, abdominal pain, maybe lots of flatulence and headaches.  Those are all possible indications that you could have something wrong with your gut health. Diet and nutrition, obviously, a huge factor. From not  eating correctly to eating the wrong things or not getting the right amount of nutrients from  food.   Genetics This is why I like to do The DNA Health test with my clients. This test in particular, is what we call the foundation genetic test because it looks at all the different biological Pathways in your body. Such as insulin sensitivity, it looks like your detoxification pathway, methylation pathway, lipid metabolism, vitamin metabolism and oxidative stress. Certain genetics, that could be maybe deleted or not working to optimal and functionality. Vitamins Two very important vitamins connected to gut health is Vitamin D and vitamin B12.  And both of these, Vitamins have a link in how gut lining actually works. If these vitamins  are lacking it could increase intestinal permeability. So many things that affect our gut health such as diet, lifestyle, our environment, food, meditation and even the way we were born and if we were breastfed or not.   Prebiotics and probiotics Prebiotics are food products that feed probiotics. What are some of those prebiotics? Such things as onion, garlic and bananas. Probiotics are live microorganisms that benefit the gut and the also many different strands and and each of those different strands and have a different function in the body. A word of caution: in some situations probiotics can sometimes be detrimental. It is a fine balancing act because you can also overpopulate your gut Flora which can create more harm than good.   Fiber Fiber adds bulk to our stools and helps the body to eliminate waste products. Most of us, don’t eat enough fiber. The average women needs about 25g a day and the average male about 38g a day.

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