What are food sensitivities?
Food sensitivities are reactions to specific types of food. They shouldn't be confused with food allergies, which cause an immune system response. Food sensitivities are often unpleasant, but don't lead to potentially severe conditions like anaphylaxis, as allergies do.
Food sensitivities typically cause digestive problems like diarrhea, gas, and bloating. Sensitivities to food can sometimes cause stomach cramps, headaches, skin rashes, or vomiting, and they can trigger migraines.
There are several reasons why you might develop food sensitivities. Your body might not be able to process certain additives or chemicals, for example, food dyes or preservatives. Or you might not have the enzymes in your gut that you need to digest some foods properly.
What foods cause sensitivities?
You could develop sensitivities to many different foods, particularly if you're sensitive to additives rather than specific types of food. Some of the more common types of food sensitivities include:
Milk and dairy
Milk and the products made from milk, like butter and cheese, contain a type of sugar called lactose. If you experience digestive upsets after you eat dairy products, it could be because your body doesn't have enough lactase enzymes, meaning you’re lactose intolerant.
Gluten
Gluten is a protein that gives bread dough its elastic qualities. Gluten intolerance typically causes digestive upsets after eating bread or other products containing flour made from grains like rye, wheat, and barley.
Gluten intolerance isn't the same as celiac disease, an autoimmune condition that causes damage to the lining of your intestine if you eat gluten.
Histamine
Histamine is a natural chemical found in foods like wine, mature cheese, and cured or preserved meat products.
Caffeine can also cause food sensitivities.
How are food sensitivities treated?
The most effective and safest approach to treating food sensitivities is to avoid anything that triggers a reaction. Mild sensitivity might just require that you cut down on the foods you're sensitive to, so if you're lactose intolerant, you shouldn’t drink cow's milk or eat dairy products.
If you're more sensitive, you might need to cut out anything containing the substance your body is sensitive to. If you have lactose intolerance, you'd have to check for milk products in prepared items like cakes and convenience foods.
The key to managing food sensitivities is to identify the foods that trigger a problem. That's not always easy, as you could have several food sensitivities at the same time.
The Naples Longevity Clinic team has specialist expertise in testing for and identifying food sensitivities. They then help you manage your food sensitivities by preparing customized diets and prescribing any food supplements you might need to keep you in peak health.
Find out if food sensitivities are causing your digestive problems and other distressing symptoms by calling Naples Longevity Clinic today.
A healthy lifestyle starts with you. We see patients in Bonita Springs and Naples, Florida. Call us to book your appointment today.
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