Food sensitivities are often hidden problems in many of our health issues. Allergies and sensitivities

are subtle in the symptoms they cause and treatments they require. There is a difference between

sensitivities and allergies and it is important to know what the difference is.

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The difference between a food allergy and sensitivity is the body’s response. When you have a food

allergy, your immune system causes the reaction. If you have a food sensitivity or intolerance, the

reaction is triggered by the digestive system. Food allergies can cause serious medical crises while

sensitivities affect how you feel from day to day.

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Food Allergies

Your immune system is your body’s defense against invaders like bacteria, fungus, or the common cold virus. You have a food allergy when your immune system identifies a protein in what you eat as an invader, and reacts by producing antibodies to fight it.

Our doctors explain that a food allergy is an immune-mediated reaction to the food. The most common is an Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated reaction. IgEs are allergic antibodies. They cause an immediate reaction when chemicals, like histamine from mast cells, are released.

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Food allergies can be fatal, unlike a food intolerance or sensitivity. In extreme cases, ingesting or even touching a small amount of the allergen can cause a severe reaction.

Symptoms of food allergy include:

• skin reactions, like hives, swelling, and itching

• anaphylaxis, including difficulty breathing, wheezing, dizziness, and death

• digestive symptoms

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Food Sensitivities

Food sensitivities and intolerances are more common than food allergies, according to the British Allergy Foundation. Neither involves the immune system. A food triggers an intolerance in your digestive tract. This is where your body can’t properly break it down, or your body reacts to a food you’re sensitive to. For example, lactose intolerance is when your body can’t break down lactose, a sugar found in dairy products.

 

You may be sensitive or intolerant to a food for a few reasons. These include:

• not having the right enzymes you need to digest a certain food

• reactions to food additives or preservatives like sulfites, MSG, or artificial colors

• pharmacological factors, like sensitivity to caffeine or other chemicals

• sensitivity to the sugars naturally found in certain foods like onions, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts

 

Symptoms of food sensitivity vary. But the symptoms of intolerance are all digestive-related. These can include:

• gas and bloating

• diarrhea

• constipation

• cramping

• nausea

• Heartburn/acid reflux

• Irritable bowel syndrome

• Stomach aches

• Runny nose

• Headaches/migraines

• Brain fog

• Trouble concentrating

• Inflammation

• Flu-like symptoms

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Do any of these symptoms sound familiar? Write on a sheet of paper any thing on this list that has been bothering you. 

Also check these questions and make notes concerning the frequency or degree of comfort/uncomfortable these are.

• 1. You’re rushing to the toilet numerous times per day

• 2. You experience chronic muscle or joint pain that tends to be widespread

• 3. Caffeine sends your system into overdrive

• 4. You experience frequent headaches or migraines after certain meals

• 5. You constantly feel exhausted despite sleeping well

• 6. You don’t tolerate wheat products despite testing negative for celiac disease

• 7. You have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)

• 8. Milk and yoghurt upset your stomach

• 9. Your rheumatoid arthritis continues to get worse

• 10. Certain foods give you rashes, eczema or other skin conditions

• 11. You know that a meal rich in onions or garlic gives you gas

• Do you experience any of these warning signs?

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If you have or have had any of these symptoms, or answer yes to any of these questions, it may be a good time to look into food sensitivities as the culprit. The Chiropractic Centers are offering a Food Sensitivities test, testing for sensitivities to 96 of the most common foods, for $189. This offer is only good between April 16 and April 30, so call to assure your appointment.  

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