Picture this…you’re suffering from bouts of diarrhea. Every day. For weeks on end. You’re feeling exhausted, crampy and irritable due to your condition. It’s so bad, you’re barely able to take care of the “must do’s” in your home and a “next to nothing done” amount of work gets accomplished. 

You’d be grumpy, super uncomfortable and unable to care for your family, or work. 

Now imagine going to see your doctor and they’re unable to help you or find the cause. You’re told to eat the BRAT diet, take medications, stay hydrated. After some persistence on your part, you’re referred to another doctor for answers. 

Now suppose that after seeing three other specialists, not one of them can help you. You’re at a dead end with no answers, no solution, and no relief. 

What would you do? How well do you think you’d be able to continue to function, go to work, or care for your family?

What’s causing all these symptoms?

Maybe it was chance or divine intervention... Whatever it was, the woman suffering from this exact problem happened to confide in a friend that knew me. Thankfully, she reached out and asked me for my opinion on her situation. 

She explained her challenges to me and the steps she had taken to find relief. She expressed her extreme frustration that despite seeking medical attention, no one was able to find out what was causing her symptoms or help her overcome. She was desperate for answers. 

Made hopeful by our conversation, this woman became a client. I began with her as I do with all clients—I learned about her complete health history and details of her current lifestyle. Part of that process involves asking lots of questions because, in their answers, I find critical clues. This is truly what sets functional medicine apart; attention to detail, active listening, and analyzing data. The answers can then be seen and understood, the potential root causes exposed. From there, devising an effective way to combat the problem becomes clear. 

Here’s what I want you to know. There is always a cause for illness. It doesn’t just happen. You don’t have to just ‘deal with it’ or mask symptoms with medications. When you know something is wrong, something is wrong. You know your body better than anyone else! Even if a doctor tells you otherwise or cannot find the problem. 

Trust your gut. 

It’s more than an old saying. It’s really trying to tell you something!

Testing For Food Sensitivities

Your gut contains all the information necessary to begin uncovering the root cause of illness. My client’s symptoms of chronic diarrhea, irritability, and fatigue were caused by something going on in her gut. But what was it? 

She was eating plenty of healthy foods and very little processed foods. She drank lots of water and was physically fit too. 

It wasn’t until she complete a simple at-home test for food sensitivities that we found the answer. The data that came back and her test results revealed that she was highly sensitive to several foods. Among the list of foods her body had difficulty tolerating was almonds. She admitted to eating lots of them in recent months, but she was confused as to how they could be a problem. 

Why would an all-natural, wholesome food make anyone so sick? Aren’t almonds good for you? 

Well yes, they are. If you’re not sensitive to them, that is! But she was sensitive to them, and the more she ate the greater her symptoms became. She had mild symptoms of stomach pain but it wasn’t something she gave much thought to. As time went on, however, her system couldn’t handle it anymore.

Food Sensitivities vs Food Allergies

It’s important to note the difference between a food allergy and a food sensitivity. They are two very different things. My client was not allergic to almonds–she was sensitive to them, meaning her body could not tolerate them well. When that happens, your body has an immune response or an adverse reaction to them. When that happens, (on repeat because you don’t even know you have a sensitivity!), your body begins to respond in ways that, sometimes doesn’t necessarily point directly to the problem. 

Being allergic to food causes severe symptoms like swelling of the throat, tongue, or lips. It can cause shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. It can even cause death.¹ 

Food sensitivities are different. The symptoms tend to be mild or delayed, so it’s easy for you to be completely unaware of them.² For instance, you have frequent headaches so you take some ibuprofen and carry on with your day. This may happen several times a week but you ignore it as no big deal because the pills help. Another example is feeling bloated, gassy, and sluggish after your carb-heavy meals. It happens all the time, so you accept it as normal. Maybe you’ve noticed your joints aching more and more. You dismiss it because you think, “hey, I’m getting old!”.

What happens to people with untreated food sensitivities?

If you suspect that you have food sensitivities, get tested as soon as possible. What you don’t know will hurt you, so find out now. Left untreated your health will continue to worsen. One small thing cascades down into another causing a chain reaction of growing problems. If they go unchecked and untreated for too long, it could lead to conditions difficult to reverse. 

Some conditions linked to untreated food sensitivities include: 

• rheumatoid arthritis
• celiac disease
• diabetes
• heart disease
• colitis
• Chron’s disease
• infertility
• osteoporosis
• malnutrition
• depression
• hypothyroidism
• hyperthyroidism
• psoriasis
• eczema³ 

The really good news in all this is that if you fix your food sensitivities, you can stop the progression and even reverse it completely. Early detection is key.

Let me share another client story. 

A teenage girl was suffering from painful and irregular periods. She also had headaches several times a week. Her mood swings were beyond normal teen stuff. She often had dizzy spells accompanied by temporary loss of her peripheral vision. She complained of cold hands and feet, difficulty concentrating and sleeping. Although these symptoms were mentioned to her doctor before, no diagnosis was made. No treatment or explanation offered.   

A year later her symptoms were no better, so the doctor prescribed birth control pills-since many of her symptoms appeared to be hormone-related. This is a common approach to regulate hormones. 

After trying two types of BCP’s with no improvement, (actually some symptoms became worse) they contacted me for help. After completing the necessary testing for food testing as well as other tests I recommended we found the problem. 

You guessed it. Food sensitivities. A lot of them. She had so many sensitivities for so long that she developed a leaky gut. Her leaky gut led to her hormone imbalance. Hormone imbalance led to irregular and painful periods, mood swings, and headaches. 

Can you guess what happened after following a protocol for just 2 months? 

Headaches-gone. Mood swings-diminished. Menstrual pain-gone. And her cycle is resetting itself. She can concentrate better. She sleeps better. She hardly has dizzy spells now, and her extremities are no longer suddenly getting cold! 

All she had to do was stop eating the foods that she was sensitive to and begin a regime of system-supporting supplements so her body could heal itself.

There’s a Reason You Feel Awful and There’s a Way Back to Health

You know your body better than anyone. Pay attention to it and keep seeking answers. If your medical doctors have reached a dead end, seek help and guidance from a functional medicine health coach or integrative specialist. If you don’t know of one in your area, reach out to me for help.

Schedule your FREE consult NOW!

This is what I do. I’m dedicated to discovering the root cause of your symptoms so you can regain your health and feel good again. I’m all about empowering others to take control of their health and wellness. Begin by completing your own food sensitivity test right at home. 

Need help finding the right kit? Check out the Bonuses made available when you downloaded the book Revolutionary Weight Loss. 

Haven’t got the free book yet? Click here to get your copy. You’ll receive access to assessment and testing tools and other helpful resources. 

If you’ve already completed a food sensitivity, but need professional guidance, schedule a free consultation. I’d be happy to assist you.

Endnotes

1. "Anaphylaxis: An overwhelming allergic reaction - Harvard Health." https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/anaphylaxis-an-overwhelming-allergic-reaction. Accessed 13 May. 2021.
2.  "Food allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity: What's the difference, and ...." 30 Jan. 2020, https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/food-allergy-intolerance-or-sensitivity-whats-the-difference-and-why-does-it-matter-2020013018736. Accessed 13 May. 2021.
3.  "Autoimmune Disorders | Celiac Disease Foundation." https://celiac.org/about-celiac-disease/related-conditions/autoimmune-disorders/. Accessed 13 May. 2021.