Food Intolerances / Food Allergies / Food Sensitivities
Information, Research, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Disclaimer: The information below provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Any treatment protocol should be discussed with a qualified healthcare practitioner. Please refer to our Medical & Legal Disclaimer.
Allergy / Food Hypersensitivity
Allergies may manifest in the skin, the intestines, the respiratory passages and the brain. If you are allergic to something, you may get hives from eating a tomato; or you may experience respiratory distress after eating nuts.
Food Intolerance
Food intolerances are usually due to an enzyme deficiency, (such as lactase deficiency), which causes lactose intolerance. Or, the intestines may be oversensitive to certain foods, resulting in abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and bloating.
It may take a few minutes, a few hours, or a few days for a food to cause a reaction.
Up to three in four people are affected by food intolerance.
The four main types of food intolerance are: Dairy, Fructose, Yeast and Gluten intolerance.
Over 90 percent of food allergies are caused by:
- Intolerance to dairy products - Symptoms include increased mucus production, postnasal drip, low-grade inflammation
- Wheat
- Soy
- Corn syrup
- Citrus fruits
- Shellfish
- Tree nuts
- Peanuts
- Egg whites
- Food additives
Common Symptoms of Food Sensitivities
🔴 Skin Symptoms
Hives, red facial rash, dry itchy skin, swelling in hands/feet, puffy eyelids, dark circles under eyes, tongue soreness and cracks
🫁 Respiratory Symptoms
Sneezing, runny/stuffy nose, wheezing, watery eyes, persistent cough, congestion, bronchitis, recurring ear infections
🦠 Intestinal Symptoms
Burning rash around anus, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea or constipation, intestinal bleeding, weight loss, bloating, vomiting
🧠 General & Behavioral
Fatigue, migraine headaches, sore muscles/joints, hyperactivity, crying, irritability, anxiety, crankiness
Food Intolerance and Rheumatoid Arthritis
In a report by the British Medical Research Council in 2001, evidence showed that an individual diet with offending foods removed can lead to improvement of rheumatoid arthritis.
Dr. Gail Darlington's Study (1986)
A controlled 6-week study with 53 RA patients showed significant improvements in the exclusion diet group compared to placebo diet group.
Top 5 offending foods:
Corn, wheat, bacon/pork, oranges, and milk
Irritable Bowel Disease (IBS) & Food Intolerance
Up to three in four people are affected by IBS which is often caused by food intolerance. Many women are misdiagnosed with IBS when they actually have celiac disease.
Chronic diarrhea can lead to anemia, osteoporosis, diabetes, and even cancer if left untreated.
Food Sensitivities & ADHD
Research suggests that attention disorders may be caused by refined sugar or food additives, or that ADHD symptoms are exacerbated by these substances.
Research Findings
- Diet restrictions helped about 5% of children with ADHD (NIH, 1982)
- Most effective in young children with food allergies
- Sugar studies showed no significant effects on behavior or learning
Steps to Identify Food Sensitivities
1. Eliminate Suspect Foods
Remove main offenders for 7-10 days. Eat only least allergenic foods: fresh fruits (except berries/citrus), avocados, rice, millet, poultry, lamb.
2. Keep a Food Record
Document what you eat and how you feel afterwards. Note improvements after eliminating suspect foods.
3. Reintroduce Foods Gradually
Add one new food each week to identify which ones cause symptoms to reappear.
Medical Tests for Food Allergies
Skin Test
Helpful for hidden allergies but has high false positive rate
RAST Blood Test
Measures antibodies but has high false negative rate
💡 There is no replacement for the food elimination test in detecting food sensitivities.