Could food sensitivities be keeping you from losing weight?

You may have food sensitivities, an intolerance or possibly even be allergic to certain foods that you’ve always enjoyed. These can develop or worsen as we get older or as we tend to eat more of a certain food that we never really indulged in before. As we age, our palates change and we typically tend to try more variety of foods and drinks. This can lead to unveiling underlying sensitivities that we never knew we had before. Additionally, we tend to become more familiar with our bodies as we age. We know what gives us heartburn or gas or even worse and we stay away from those foods or drinks.  I also always thought gluten free was just a fad like low carb, kale and quinoa. But, realistically, it is tied in to awareness of celiac disease, sensitivities or allergies that can be very harmful and serious to some people. I wanted to share my experience with you as it was interesting to learn that most of the foods I was eating, that are typically healthy food options, weren’t so healthy for my body in particular. It can be something as simple as an intolerance or actual allergies to certain foods that can lead to worsening factors like anaphylaxis or inflammation and furthermore,  lead to an autoimmune disease. You should definitely consult your doctor or an allergist if you feel that you could possibly have a serious allergy or autoimmune disease. There are so many layers to this, but a couple of important factors I learned were that 1.) There is a big difference between Food Allergies vs. Food Intolerance and 2.) Food sensitivities and/or allergies can lead to inflammation, Candida Overgrowth or Autoimmune Disease. If you feel you may have an autoimmune disease, there are several sites, diets and great podcasts on the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) that provide a wealth of information on what it is and how it can help you heal your body from the inside and reverse deficiencies and inflammation. I did notice that most of the foods that I was sensitive to were also foods included in the AIP and the fermented foods that I ate a lot of tied in with the candida overgrowth as well.

I’ve spent over a year trying to pin down reasons for varying symptoms from constant bloating, inability to lose weight while dieting/exercising, fatigue, stomach issues to immediate reactions of nasal congestion, hives, itching, sneezing, etc. Initially, I began to notice that I would have certain symptoms while traveling and brushed it off as my seasonal allergies.  As it continued to occur more and more, I started to really evaluate what it was that was making me feel sick. I noticed that when I would travel, I would typically eat richer foods, or drink a few more glasses of wine. 😉 I really started to notice that I would immediately begin to sneeze uncontrollably or get extremely sleepy when I would drink beer or certain alcohols, I would get stuffy and feel like I couldn’t breathe when I would drink certain wines and I would get sick or have stomach cramps when I would indulge on pizza or foods with a lot of cheese like nachos or queso. I began to start eliminating certain foods and alcohols and experimenting with obvious factors like gluten or histamines. I knew that I was allergic to penicillin and other molds, so I figured that may factor in to cheeses and dairy and explain the symptoms I would have when I would eat cheese. I started to notice a difference when I would choose gluten free options and avoid certain foods. Instead of trying to diagnose myself, I decided to see an allergist and get a blood test done to determine what I was sensitive or allergic to.

It turns out that I have varying sensitivities and some allergies to most of the foods (and alcohol) I love.  Some of these foods I would go to as healthy staples in my diet for “clean eating” and weight loss. I was shocked to find out that some of these included Turkey, salmon, lettuce, tomato, mushrooms, asparagus, chili peppers, avocado, nut mix (almonds), berries, yogurt, and whey/casein protein. My list also included foods I love, like everything on a pizza and in beer and most alcohol, all dairy, grains, shellfish and chocolate, yes, chocolate! Obviously, this is different for everyone and you should check with your doctor or allergist to determine the best path for you. I started with an elimination diet and food challenge and then proceeded to take a blood IgG and IgE test to test for various molds and food sensitivities/allergies in common foods. You can get a Basic Food Allergy Panel at a local Any Lab Test Now or any laboratory that provides these tests. The Basic Food Allergy Panel will show the level in which you are sensitive or allergic to certain foods tested and will have a higher rating and therefore, a higher sensitivity.

Additionally, I saw an allergist that recommended NAET techniques & acupuncture to pinpoint & treat the allergens and issues. Now that I have confirmed what I should avoid, I have begun the process to change my diet, lifelong habits and make choices to provide healing so I can feel better inside and out. I’ve learned which foods I am sensitive to and know that I have to limit a lot of foods or avoid some all together. It has been challenging to choose completely opposite foods than what I have always chosen to eat and food that I have viewed as healthy for me in the past. As I experimented with eliminating some of these foods and introducing some back in, I noticed the biggest difference in my skin. While I did not really lose any weight, that wasn’t my intention with this. I wanted to feel better overall, work on reversing any inflammation and figure out what was causing the various symptoms I was having.