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How To Know If You Have Food Sensitivities?

July 5, 2017

There is a lot of buzz out there that tends cause confusion and cross-defining when people discuss food sensitivities and allergies. The key difference between a food allergy and sensitivity is the immunological reaction that occurs in the body when the irritating food is introduced. The two key factors that we look at are timing & symptoms that you are experiencing in order to identify if you have a food sensitivity or allergy.

Allergies are an IgE Autoimmune reaction in which food or other items cause an immediate hypersensitivity reaction such as anaphylaxis or hives. A food intolerance, or sensitivity, is caused by digestive & metabolic processes in which large particles (metabolites) from food are not completely broken down. When the particles are not broken down from proteins into its simplest form for the body to process, we call it a metabolite.

Large metabolites passing through the lower digestive system can cause an inflammatory cascade reaction in the gut, widening between the cells of the gut (aka “Leaky Gut”), in which the metabolites or leftovers from the unbroken down food may then introduced into the bloodstream. If the metabolite is recognized by cells in the blood, they go soldiering on This non-immediate reaction is likely Ig-G mediated.

IgE Reactions are type 1 – immediate sensitivity reactions with symptoms (see table below for list of symptoms)
IgG Reactions are type 4 (IgG4 for food) – delayed sensitivity reactions , typical symptoms include fatigue, depression, asthma, cravings, weight gain, eczema, arthritis (inflammation in the joints), pain , and hives of unknown cause.

IgE-mediated

Itching, redness, diarrhea and abdominal pain are common to both types.
Quick onset rashes / hives – localised or generalised.
Quick onset angioedema (red swelling)- commonly mouth, lips, face, around eyes.
Oral itching, nausea, vomiting.
Colicky abdominal pain.
Nasal itching, sneezing, runny nose, allergic eye swelling.
Cough, shortness of breath, wheezing and bronchospasm (or history of asthma)
Other signs of anaphylaxis

Non-IgE-mediated

Atopic eczema.
Constipation
Stools: loose and/or frequent, blood and/or mucus.
Heartburn / Infantile Colic
Perianal redness.
Pallor and tiredness / Faltering growth.
Food aversion or avoidance.

The list above is not comprehensive! I have seen patients eliminate a food and go totally pain free, lose weight, forget that they had chronic headaches, etc…

The Immunophysiology Explains Why we have to Eliminate Foods for a few months before you can identify if you are intolerant/sensitive to a food or not….

The IgG4 ½ life 21 days & Bind mast cells for 2-3 mo, which means you can be experiencing symptoms from the dairy or gluten you consumed 2-3 months ago! Which is why we, as Naturopaths and nutritionists, traditionally recommend for someone to eliminate potential irritating foods for 3 weeks to 3 months. I personally like to refer to basic physiology for the answer and recommend 2-3 months, but guide patients week by week for a more comprehensive meal plan.

IgE ½ life 2 days & bind mast cells 14 days. A much shorter half life.

Take this quiz to know if you could have food sensitivities: http://drcope.respond.ontraport.net/

So, Do you Have a Food Allergy or Intolerance? … If so, how can I help you?

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, I am the queen of food substitutions. I have personally been through a journey in the kitchen. I can be like a mad scientist in the kitchen searching for the most delicious and nutritious food combinations & substitutions. Trying new foods is both fun and scary! We are not meant to navigate this crazy food industry alone. Resources, brand suggestions, recipes, and inspiration are the sparks that merge all of your kitchen desires into one nutrient-dense dish that makes your eyes light up and mouth water. All it takes is a few new favorite recipes to initiate the change you wish to see in your culinary-master-self. I am happy to help you navigate the personal questions to identify any potential causes your digestive discomfort.

Many natural health physicians may take you through a restrictive diet to the extreme or run an IgG-blood or saliva test to help you identify if you are intolerant to certain foods. Both my clinical experience and scientific review strongly support that the gold standard to identify a food intolerance is the elimination diet. There are variations of the elimination diet and I am happy to help you navigate which elimination fits best into your lifestyle, and, simultaneously, provide great resources to discover new foods that you love!

It is empowering to go through this process of refining a personalised diet that helps you become the more energetic and glowing you! I often see many people that have eliminated foods, but not quite long enough or have restricted their own diets way too long. Click below to make an appointment with me to create a defined plan to truly identify the root of your digestive discomforts or skin irritations.

Check out the this link below to know if you have food sensitivities & schedule a 15 minute consult afterward to discuss your results & know if you are a good candidate for the Copesthetic Cleanse.

About Dr. Alexana

Dr. Cope deeply enjoys and appreciates working with patients to holistically balance hormones, manage depression and anxiety, and weight management. Dr. Cope also manages diabetes, endocrine conditions such as thyroid, and cardiovascular disease including high blood pressure and cholesterol. Dr. Cope's treatment comprises of a unique combination of nutritional supplementation, body work, custom herbal formulations, flower essences, personalized cooking and shopping plans. Dr. Cope truly believes minor changes in your daily routine is a key factor to health. Alongside treating the current symptoms, Dr. Cope investigates & addresses the root cause of your disease so that you may shift closer to centeredness and health with more ease. She will work with you in order to establish a daily routine that works with your schedule and most efficiently nourishes you so that you may go out in the community a more joyful beautiful you.

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