Understanding food sensitivities and how they shape our health and wellbeing

Whether you eat to live or live to eat, we can’t deny the importance of food in our lives and how it is often at the centre of our daily routines and rituals.

I live to eat; a self-proclaimed ‘foodie’ who finds equal pleasure in creating nice food to share with others or enjoying the gift of receiving. It is one of my ‘love languages’ and a creative outlet that nourishes my mind, body and soul.

Ironically, this has not always been the case. I grew up in a family of big ‘eaters’ and our meals would often be a time of family debate, discussion, fallout and celebration. There was a lot of emotion tied up in the ritual as well as how it left me feeling physically: often bloated, constipated followed by diarrhoea, carrying extra weight, fatigue, regular colds and earaches, and chronic tonsillitis (I had them removed when I was 8 years old), sugar cravings etc.

I first noticed the connection to how food made me feel when I got my first boyfriend at 14 years old. I didn’t eat very much due to nerves and excitement and I lost a lot of weight. I enjoyed how my body was feeling as many of my symptoms eased, and I was receiving positive feedback from friends and family about how much better I looked.

Of course, as the euphoria wore off and the relationship broke down, I reached for more food in need of comfort and the weight piled back on. I realised at this point that food was not my friend. A bitter-sweet love-hate relationship was formed as I yo-yo’d between starving myself and the binging that followed. My poor system didn’t know what had hit it.

When I was feeling ‘self-controlled’, I would eat salads, vegetables, meat and little else. When the hunger pains and blood sugar crashes became too overwhelming I would stuff my face with cheese sandwiches on white bread and ice cream.

And this is how it showed up in my health - or lack of it!

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• Headaches

• Spotty skin

• Eczema

• Hormonal issues that led to me going onto the contraceptive pill

• Aching joints

• Fatigue

• Depression

• An eating disorder developed

When I finally discovered Kinesiology, nutrition was one of the first areas that was explored. It was explained to me that some of the foods that I was consuming were the wrong foods for me and within weeks of adjusting my diet, my health radically improved.

So let me share with you what I know now and how it may help to shed some light on your current health challenges.

The difference between a food allergy and a food sensitivity:

A  food allergy is an abnormal immune response to food that typically occurs within minutes to several hours of exposure.

The symptoms of the allergic reaction may range from mild to severe and can even be life threatening. They may include itchiness, swelling of the tongue, vomiting, diarrhoea, hives, trouble breathing, or low blood pressure.

A food intolerance/sensitivity is also an immune response, but it generally has a much slower response than an allergy. It is a detrimental reaction to a food, beverage, food additive, or compound found in foods that produces symptoms in one or more body organs and systems, but generally refers to inflammatory reactions outside of those provoked by a food allergy.

So we can think of food intolerances as every time you eat the food or drink that you are sensitive to, your immune system reacts to it. This in turn, turns on pathways in your body that increase inflammation in your body and “inflammation is at the root of every disease known to man” (Source: Dr Charles Fagenholz). This inflammation translates into ‘dis-ease’ anywhere in the body causing headaches, anxiety, mood swings, depression, sleep issues, stomachaches, fatigue, brain fog, and nausea among other symptoms. Pretty much any symptom in the body could be attributed to a food sensitivity which could ultimately result in any known disease. Looking at it from this angle, it’s no wonder we are so sick as a society.

Food sensitivities appear to be rising in our western world

Health is reflected in how adaptable we are to our environment. What I mean by this is if our system is overloaded with ‘stressors’ already (these may be chemical, physical, emotional, etc), we are not going to be very efficient in responding to more. Our lives are so multi-layered and fast paced that our ‘stressors’ are on the increase and chronically affecting our health. I use the ‘stress-bucket analogy’ - when we are at full capacity, the stressors overflow/seep out and symptoms appear. When we reduce the stressors in the bucket, more capacity is created and we can buffer/adapt to the extra stressors and the individual remains well.

So why do we focus on food and why do certain foods create stress in our systems?

In my experience, if there are any two changes that I would say give people the best chance of being truly healthy, it is managing emotional stress efficiently and eating a diet that the body prefers; controlling the things that are within our control like the foods we eat and our emotional responses to life leads to the biggest health breakthroughs.

As a Kinesiologist, we can use the art of muscle testing to detect the foods that create stress in the body and those that the body can adapt to or in many cases raise vibration. Let me explain more.

In simplistic terms, every cell of the body has its own electrical charge. Groups of cells that make up organs and systems have their own bandwidth of electrical charge. We live in an energetic world and different foods and dietary supplements, even those that are inorganic, also have their own electrical charge. When we perform muscle testing, we are tapping into different electrical circuits (known as meridians) or fields that provide feedback about the integrity and adaptability of that circuit. If the response of the associated muscle is reflected in an ‘unlock’ or ‘apparent weakness’ of that muscle, it would suggest a lack of adaptability in maintaining an integrated neurological pathway. 

When you then add something into the circuit that has the missing electrical charge, the circuit will be completed and you will now have a ‘locking’ or ‘strong’ muscle response. The individual response indicates whether a particular food or supplement is either supportive, neutral or detrimental to the overall adaptability and resilience of the body and its capacity for balance and healing.

The top 9 foods that can lead to inflammation in the body:

1.  Wheat - Ever since the 1940-50’s, our wheat crop has changed forever. It was genetically modified to produce a greater yield in an attempt to end world hunger. The challenge for our bodies was that the modification happened so rapidly and the human body no longer recognised it. Our body now experiences wheat as a toxin and it creates stress in our system. Further to these genetic modifications, many of the products we consume containing wheat have additional processes added to them that prolong shelf-life. This process changes the molecular structure causing our immune systems to react to it every time we consume it. In some people it attacks the gut, in some the thyroid, in some the brain, in some, all of the above and so on (brain and thyroid most commonly). This can apply to all grains containing gluten which is why the gluten-free diet has become so popular. Watch out though as just because something is ‘gluten-free’ it doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Many of these products are ultra processed and full of additives so be sure to read the labels.

2.  Caffeine -  Caffeine is essentially a drug which is why we often get withdrawals when we stop consuming it. It dehydrates the body and clogs the liver detox pathways. On top of that, caffeine is believed to strip vitamin D from the body which may contribute to gut, sinus, lung, skin, bladder issues and chronic allergies. When we live in an over-stimulating society that results in a chronically dis-regulated nervous system, we need to find ways to calm and regulate our nervous systems, not add to it! If coffee is a ritual that you would struggle to live without, I tend to recommend no more than one ‘good’ coffee a day after you have fully hydrated and supported your blood sugars with a balanced breakfast.

3.     Dairy - We are the only species that drinks another species' milk. Apart from anything, cows have four stomachs and we only have one so it’s not surprising that consuming dairy can create inflammation in our systems. Dairy (mainly from cows) has been found to create hormone imbalances and mucus-producing illnesses in humans. If you suffer with ear, nose, throat and or sinus issues then it can be helpful to remove dairy from your diet. Dairy is known to feed the bacteria that cause strep throat and ear infections. Often we find ourselves drawn to dairy for comfort and joy and apparently every time our stomach comes into contact with the dairy we eat, it tells the brain to release feel-good hormones. Unfortunately, many farmers pump their cows full of hormones and antibiotics to keep them producing milk all year round. This gets into the milk supply and interferes with our hormones.

4.     Corn - Corn is similar to gluten in how genetically modified it is and how toxic therefore it becomes for our brains. It is in so many things, particularly in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Corn has been found to contribute towards brain fog and fatigue.

5.     Oats -  Oats are so similar to gluten structurally that the body doesn’t always know the difference and will react in the same way. This is called cross-reactivity. Even if the oats are steel cut and gluten free, it doesn’t always make a difference. The protein in oats is almost identical to the protein in gluten (technically the same can be said for dairy. The protein is very similar to gluten so people will often cross react with dairy as well if they are gluten sensitive and vice versa). In my experience, consuming oats can contribute to symptoms associated with an under-active thyroid, creating excess weight, lethargy, temperature dis-regulation etc.

6.     Soy -  Soy is another ingredient that has become genetically modified over the years to increase yield. It can therefore add a toxic load to our system as it can be challenging to break down. Soy is a phytoestrogen (plant based oestrogen) that when consumed in large quantities can lead to hormone imbalances. It can be recommended during Menopause to help boost oestrogen levels. Soy is found in tofu, edamame, tamari and tempeh so be aware of consuming these products if weight gain is an issue or you are suffering with hormone related cancers.

7.     Peanuts -  Peanuts are one of the most infamous foods for creating anaphylactic allergies in humans. They are another food containing oestrogen that are filled with inflammatory fatty acid ratios and are often riddled with fungal mycotoxins. This means that fungus lives in the peanuts which when consumed are toxin producing, creating inflammation in the system.

8.     Eggs - Consuming eggs can often lead to inflammation in the body. Dr. Versendaal once said, “They grow viruses and bacteria on eggs in the lab to make vaccines, imagine what happens in your gut when you consume them”. Again, egg farming is well known for its poor conditions and high levels of disease and excessive yields. Choosing where your eggs come from will heavily impact the quality of the product you are consuming and subsequent impact on your health.

9.     Nightshades -  Last but not least are the nightshade family, which consists of potato, tomato, eggplant/aubergine, pepper, paprika, tobacco and goji. These again are neurotoxins and are often associated with pain in the body. They have been found to accelerate the flare-ups and pain associated with many types of arthritis. This family of foods may also cause gut inflammation, osteoporosis due to inhibiting the absorption of calcium, iron and vitamin D, and arteriosclerosis.

A number of things to consider when working with food sensitivities

•   “Everything in moderation” sounds great but the immune system is an all-or-none system. It either reacts or it doesn’t. So even a teaspoon of milk will trigger all of the inflammation needed to create symptoms.

•   It usually takes a minimum of 6 months before food inflammation in the body is fully healed. Symptoms may ease sooner but be aware of this time frame.

•   Eating the same foods over and over again will create food sensitivity. It is important to rotate your foods as our ancestors did.

•   Eating seasonally is the best thing we can do. Certain foods weren’t around year-round for our ancestors so we should honour that because our genome is used to it.

As a kinesiologist, nutrition is just one of the areas of health that we explore. We are constantly working with the feedback of your body to understand the structural, chemical/nutritional and emotional priorities. This allows us to support the right thing at the right time in congruence with the body’s needs. There are thousands of ways to treat the human body but there is only one correct way and that is the body’s way.

Your body holds deep wisdom. It is your subconscious mind. Trust in it. Learn from it. Nourish it.

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