These days, more people are being diagnosed with conditions like Celiac’s than ever before.
We all know what it feels like to eat a big meal and have a total belly bomb after.
Yet feeling like that every day is no way to live.
Emily Suzanne McDonald
A sensitivity might make you uncomfortable or cause indigestion, but an allergy can be life-threatening.
Sensitivities are also sometimes referred to as delayed food allergies, because they are also mediated by immune responses.
An intolerance, on the other hand, causes similar symptoms but doesn’t involve an immune response.
To pinpoint what’s causing your symptoms, start a food diary.
Angelone calls it a “food symptom log.”
Write down everything you eat, and when symptoms occur.
Then, after a week or so, look for correlations that may suggest causation.
Remember to always check the ingredients list on any packaged foods you consume.
Once you’ve identified the food or foods you think are causing your distress, stop eating them.
That’s about how long your body needs to reset itself, Angelone says.
“If the intolerance is in GI tract, it will happen right away.
But a sensitivity can be immediate or delayed up to 72 hours.”
Your body may also take a few days to adjust to a new eating program, Angelone notes.
“You might feel more tired, or get headaches” for a few days.
It’s also essential that you drink a lot of water and stay hydrated when you’re eliminating foods.
If you want to do it right, you have to cut the booze during this elimination stage.
“It effects your gut integrity,” Angelone says, as do cigarettes and other drugs.
Ideally, you should give up caffeine, too, Angelone says.
Pick one food (maybe the one you’ve missed the most?)
and start eating it again.
Keep doing this until you find one that causes symptoms.
“If theres a reaction, take it out,” Angelone says.
But that doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to your favorite food forever.
Sometimes, just switching it up can help.
For some people, that can make a big difference.
And you may just discover a new favorite.
Cutting out some foods can impact your gut’s microbiome, whereas others can create nutrient deficiencies.
“you gotta double-check what you take out you’ve got the option to replace.”
Some people find solutions quickly.
They discover they’re lactose intolerant right away, give up dairy, and feel great again.
For many others, a solution requires more intense investigative work, and may not come easily.
“The important thing is to not give up if you dont find anything,” Angelone says.
If your at-home elimination diet doesn’t give you solid results, see a professional.
