How do you know if you have food sensitivities?

[Missy]

I don't mean, once again, to ask a seemingly STUPID question....:rolleyes: but? I wonder because obviously I was "sensitive" to sugar...but didn't care. How does one know if they are sensitive to diary and other foods? If others can explain more clearly, perhaps I will understand better.

I ask because maybe I don't realise that I am? DO you break out in a rash, have stomach pains??

[Gaelen]

Lynn, you need to watch your own body, and listen to it and how it reacts after you eat those foods. The signs may be subtle, but if you're truly sensitive, you will probably show signs within a couple hours of eating the foods, or sooner. You also might be sensitive to one version (for instance, milk) but not to fermented milk (sour cream, kefir, yogurt, cheese). You might be sensitive to processed wheat, but not to fermented grains. Only hives or a true allergic/histamine reaction can really tell you "X" always means you're sensitive, but your body, as you grow more observant of it, will tell you what works best. Just give your body a chance, and don't out-of-hand avoid common foods based on someone else's reported experience, because your own may be vastly different. Always remember, YMMV. ;)

[Missy]

I don't experience hives...is that what your talking about?

I don't think I'm sensitive, but I'm very curious as to how others are?

and another thing....I've seen "YMMV" ~ what does that mean? :confused:

[hawk]

I get a very cruel migraine from MSG,Yellow #5,and chocolate. The yellow #5 causes numbness on half my body and my vision blurs.I cannot see what I am looking at and sometimes slur my speech. The pain of the headache is more than I can take and I have been hospitalized to stop the vomiting.. Yellow is in a lot of things that are not even yellow(italian beef(peppers) and salad dressings. Hives are caused when I use a shampoo with it and if I breathe perfume with it or hand lotion that someone else has on around me, an asthma attack.
Sulfites in sea foods make me throw up and have diarhea until I am dehydrated. I LOVE SHRIMP AND LOBSTER>
Wheat and grains (in the MSG family(Glutin_glutamate) causes my nose to swell almost closed, so does carmel color ,and other flavorings in any soda or artificial flavoring. Oatmeal causes me to have to clear my throat forever . I have an inhaler for that. Water feels like it is running down the wrong way into my lungs and I can't keep up with it.
PReservatives in Novacaine or Maracain cause me to actually have more pain instead of numbing the pain, I can get them with out preservives but they do not last long and I need more than normal.
Lysol and most chemicals gives me an asthma attack. Mold does also. Grass causes hives where ever I touch it to my skin.
Agar agar and guar gums and thickeners cause my nasel passages to swell and I have to breathe through my mouth.
Goldenrod and dust makes me sneeze and my eyes water and swell.
Aspartame causes my right leg that has a nerve auto immune disease (RSD)to be in excruciating pain for days. I have to read every label.
LAtex and it's protien causes swelling of my hands,and headaches ingesting any of them. Apple,avacados and bananas,potatoes and tomatoes have the protien.
There are more, but I have to read every label and watch the related things. MSG has 25 names, including "flavoring" yeast extract, etc.
Betadyne used to scrub before surgery swells me up so bad it tears the stitches out.
The list is longer. but hives are not the only thing.

[Missy]

Oh my goodness HAWK! I never realised that there could be so much reaction. Thanks for sharing.

I'm going to have to listen closer to myself...but? I don't believe I have reactions such as you describe.

[Bones]

You also might be sensitive to one version (for instance, milk) but not to fermented milk (sour cream, kefir, yogurt, cheese). You might be sensitive to processed wheat, but not to fermented grains.

Gaelen hit the nail on the head in my case. It took me a long time to pinpoint my sensitivities and what my symptoms were. I'm okay with fermented dairy products. I'm okay with some unfermented dairy products, but I think the way the food is processed must have something to do with that. I also don't do well with unfermented or unsprouted grains, but have no problems with grains if they are fermented (sourdough) or sprouted. I get dull/heavy headaches and get fatigued if I eat unfermented and unsprouted foods. I was able to get rid of the depression that I had been struggling with for years just from making those changes in my diet. My son has the same problem I do, with the same symptoms. If he doesn't watch what he eats he begins to have headaches, fatigue, and begins to feel gloomy about everything. Now that we are aware of it we are able to spot it quickly, check our diet, remove the culprit, and everything go back to normal.

I had no idea food was the cause of our problems. As for myself, I chocked it up to being a mother and just being tired, but once I started suffering from depression, I knew something was wrong and starting researching.

Have you ever thought about have food allergy testing done? It's an easy place to start, unless you are deathly afraid of needles. It could reveal allergies quickly for you, although it won't necessarily reveal a sensitivity. My son's allergy testing didn't reveal an allergy to grains and dairy even though we already knew he had a problem with these foods. I asked the doctor about this and he said that he just had sensitivity to them, which the test didn't show.

[Gaelen]

And Missy, YMMV = your mileage may vary ;)

[banshee]

I think it's also important to note that food sensitivities can lead to a craving for that food, and that you might not have any noticable "symptoms" until you remove the food from your diet for a few weeks and then add it back in to see if you have a reaction.

I certainly never had any trouble scarfing down gobs of sugary stuff, but after being sugar free for over 3 years, I can only eat small amounts of sugar now without getting naseous and having gastrointestinal problems. I have another friend who found out he was allergic to basically all grains, and could sit in front of the TV and down an entire box of wheat thins in one sitting. He said that he never felt like he had a problem with the foods, but when he stopped eating them, he just "felt a whole lot better" and had never realized that he wasn't feeling his best. So no obvious symptoms.

It really is a very individual thing, which is why doctors often recommend the elimination method to test for food sensitivities. (Eliminate all but the most very basic foods for two weeks and then reintroduce one food each week and see if you notice any reactions.) This type of testing takes a very long time, but is really the only way to be sure. If you do a search on Google for food allergies or food sensitivities, you'll find lots of websites that detail this process.

[Missy]

I think I will once again, take careful thought to all of your experenced advise...and look a bit closer at my body's signals.

I do noticed that at times...after eating out... that I have a clogged throat that I need to clear it and cough it up (sorry to be graphic)...and I always thought it was due to the considerable amount of regular soda I loved to consume...but it happened to me the other night...and I had iced tea. I'll bet it's another culprit...say, MSG or something?

It's so easy to not relate symptoms to food...and assume it's just something else.

Such as candidia...yeast...thrush..:eek: gosh, you just live with these sensitivities dont you!!!

Depression (associated with stress), migraine headache's (associated with TOM), foggy thinking (I associated that with thyroid) when in all acutality....food is the ulimate underlying problem. It's just subtle...and "labels" are put upon us for treatment with medicine.

I just keep CONNECTING THE DOTS these days...huh!!!?? lol :D

I'm trying to do this "discovery" outwardly on the board...so if there are others out there that are too shy to post...perhaps maybe my discovery can be theirs too.

That's why eating more carbs leads to wanting more carbs....it's a vicous cycle.

I got the dull/heavy headache when I switched to this woe for a few days....and that was a food sensitivity....only in the reverse...it was the withdrawl.

Bones you wrote:

" I also don't do well with unfermented or unsprouted grains, but have no problems with grains if they are fermented (sourdough) or sprouted. "

I'm going to have to keep that in the back of my mind too. I know Gaelen and others are talking about that subject, and I'll be honest with you, I haven't every fully understood that "section" of the health food store. As well as "glutten free" products.

This is very helpful, thank you all.

[Relief]

DO you break out in a rash, have stomach pains??
I did the elimination test that mary suggests above for wheat and dairy. I eliminated both completely for 3 weeks. when i added dairy i had an asthma attack almost immediately. when I re-added wheat i got lethagic and had joint pains.

I do not lose at all when consuming much dairy ( yogurt and samll amounts of hard cheese seem ok) or ANY wheat. My sensitivities seem to be to the PROTEIN in the dairy and wheat . (Not the lactose in the dairy, which is a more well known sensitivitie).

[gitfiddle]

I think it's also important to note that food sensitivities can lead to a craving for that food, and that you might not have any noticable "symptoms" until you remove the food from your diet for a few weeks and then add it back in to see if you have a reaction.
I agree with that. I was doing fine when I began to use a protein bar for a between-meal snack. They were very good and I found myself using them more often than I needed, but the net carbs were low and I told myself it was okay. Red Flag! I also started having cravings again. Eventually, I stopped eating the bars (it was hard) and the cravings for other food tapered off. I had already been told that some people couldn't handle the sugar alcohols, but I had to find out for myself! :rolleyes:

I can eat fish, but not shellfish (nausea and vomiting). I'm sensitive to eggs, but I can get away with an omlette once in a while because the gastric effect is not that bad. I can remember wondering why I felt so bloated after eating a bowl of cereal with milk. I don't drink milk any more and yogurt doesn't seem to be a problem. Anyway, many different reactions. Right now I'm wondering if there are some nuts I shouldn't be eating. It's nothing I can put my finger on, just a slight "mal" feeling. I'll drop them for a while and then try them again.

[Bones]

Bones you wrote:

" I also don't do well with unfermented or unsprouted grains, but have no problems with grains if they are fermented (sourdough) or sprouted. "

I'm going to have to keep that in the back of my mind too. I know Gaelen and others are talking about that subject, and I'll be honest with you, I haven't every fully understood that "section" of the health food store. As well as "glutten free" products.



Sooo many people have problems with the proteins in milk (casein) and grains (gluten). They can cause such a wide variety of symptoms. Unless you have an actual allergy to the food, vs. a sensitivity, eating sprouted or fermented grains and cultured dairy usually does not cause a problem because the process of sprouting and fermenting breaks down or neutralizes the proteins and carbohydrates in those foods...if they are made properly. If not made properly (fermented/cultured long enough so the cultures have the time needed to completely do their job) those foods might still be problematic. At that point, it's just a matter of trial and error to see how you react to the fermented/cultured product itself. There are some cultured dairy products that bother my son and some that don't. It doesn’t take long before you know which brands/products to avoid and which ones are okay.

Some breads that are called sourdough use bakers yeast and will be problematic because they rise too quickly for the cultures to do their job completely; avoid sourdough breads that use bakers yeast...you'll be looking for sourdough starter or culture in the ingredients. This is what I was referring to when I said "real" sourdough bread.

Relief, can you tolerate sprouted/fermented/cultured grain and dairy products, or are you flat out allergic to them altogether?

Mary, do you think getting the allergy testing is still a good idea even though it doesn’t pick up sensitivities? I’m assuming you recommended the elimination diet for the sensitivities that the blood test doesn’t pick up on.

By the way, Lynn, there is a ton of information on gluten/casein sensitivity on the internet. You could read forever on the subject and be amazed at just how many problems it can cause people. Here are just some of the symptoms that I came across in my research...symptoms that people can have from eating gluten/casein, without even knowing that it's the food their eating that's causing their problems.

osteoporosis, tooth decay, nutrient malabsorption, canker sores, MS,
migraines, thyroid problems, short stature, thin hair, skin problems
(esp. itchy skin or eczema or little red dots on the skin),
indigestion, IBS, pain in the feet or joints, dyslexia, mental problems... depression, Alzheimer, autism, add, adhd, etc.

[Relief]

bones I seem to be okay with yogurt and I do use a whey protein powder in baking things. I LOVE a good sourdough bread and have tried the sprouted grain breads as well. Right now i'm off wheat and grains altogether as I'm on a meat and veg only regime to get some pounds off. Seem to do much better all around if I just avoid grains period.

[Missy]

Bones...if I wander off into internet land for even MORE information I'm betting I'm going to BUST IN TWO!!!!! :eek: :D lol

I'm stunned at the list in blue you wrote could cause...and I will look into this further....I'm still recovering from additional smilies. lol

Thank you for your explainations!!!

[Mitra]

osteoporosis, tooth decay, nutrient malabsorption, canker sores, MS, migraines, thyroid problems, short stature, thin hair, skin problems (esp. itchy skin or eczema or little red dots on the skin), indigestion, IBS, pain in the feet or joints, dyslexia, mental problems... depression, Alzheimer, autism, add, adhd, etc.

The difficulty I find is that this sort of list appears so often - whether they're talking about a deficiency of vitamin or mineral x,y,z; some nasty kind of fat, or lack of good kinds; refined flour and sugar; grains/dairy/neolithic foods, meat/animal produce; cooked food; raw food; adrenal insufficiency ... whatever your pet hobby horse, they all seem to use the same list.

One of the things I liked in PPLP was the 80/20 approach: you can get 80% of the dietary benefits from the simple stuff (limit carbs, get enough protein, don't eat trans-fats or aspartame) and a hedonist approach. If you've got spare energy or mental capacity after that, or if you feel you still need furthere health improvements, then you can have fun chasing those elusive food intolerances and the like, or eating purist-style. Obviously, those like Lynn, who have many strong reactions, can't afford to ignore this stuff, but most of us can at least put it off for a while, and not have to deal with it at the same time as making the initial transition to low-carb.

[Bones]

The difficulty I find is that this sort of list appears so often - whether they're talking about a deficiency of vitamin or mineral x,y,z; some nasty kind of fat, or lack of good kinds; refined flour and sugar; grains/dairy/neolithic foods, meat/animal produce; cooked food; raw food; adrenal insufficiency ... whatever your pet hobby horse, they all seem to use the same list.

True. True. I do think that any time your diet is unhealthy for you in any way, these problems are the "typical" genetic weaknesses that pop up to reveal the problem. I think that's why you see the same type of list given for various problems. In my years of studying nutrition, I have to acknowledge that grains (and non-cultured dairy) overwhelmingly tend to be the source of health problems for sooo many people. Actually, I rarely ran across someone that had problems with meats, vegetables, or fruit, aside from people who were actually allergic to some food in particular. I think that's why people do good on PP or a similar type diet...because they are removing most grains from their diet.

Obviously, those like Lynn, who have many strong reactions, can't afford to ignore this stuff, but most of us can at least put it off for a while, and not have to deal with it at the same time as making the initial transition to low-carb.

That's true. It tends to be easier to battle problem foods when you recognize that you are actually having problems with food than to fish around trying to figure it out. I had to figure out what was causing my son's problems because he was having asthma, headaches, fatigue, etc....symptoms that couldn't be put off.

As a side note to this conversation, I'm beginning to realize that I'm much more sensitive to sugar than I had previously realized. I have been having a difficult time with stress eating the last two weeks, yesterday being my worst day. It has been a long time since I binged on sugar and yesterday changed that. I had such a hard time waking up this morning and felt like I had a sugar hangover. I've never had a hangover, but it's what I imagine it to feel like. I read the post on the sugar/rat study...wow! It's hard to believe that it can react the same as drugs in our body. I hadn't realized that it actually affected the brain. I always thought that people were just "addicted" to the rush of extra energy that it gave. Also, I knew that it wasn't healthy because there are no nutrients in it and it depletes the body as a result, but this rat study has me looking at it in a new way. Do any of you believe that it is truly a drug, like cocaine or any other drug, even though the affects are much more subtle to recognize?

[Missy]

Bones, you wrote: "Do any of you believe that it is truly a drug, like cocaine or any other drug, even though the affects are much more subtle to recognize?"

I don't know how to do that quote thingys...sorry...I'll have to go learn. I think Gaelen explains it somewhere...:o

Anyways ~ I do think of it in terms of an addiction after reading that article! I'm living proof. I don't think it's so subtle either. I was addicted. I'd "do" anything to get some sometimes. And it was in the form of regular soda. I was medicating myself with it. Only, because it's just an ordinary part of life...it's not seen that way. It's not just a craving..but a DRIVING NEED..and that to me says addiction.

Mitra, I agree. I too see the same overlaping "list" that describes the same ol aliments...but? when I realise that these aliments overlap with "conditions" then you realise just how our bodies functions work together or not....food makes total SENSE to me now as the main cause...therefore the main restorer. I was surprised yet again ( don't know why come to think of it?) listed as caused by food alergins

I have thyroid problems, perimenopause problems, weight losing problems, insulin resistant problems...and those are all hormonially driven problems...and all can have the same laundry list of ailments...and instead of pin pointing those to ONE condition...why, they can all be blamed. Once I support all of these hormonial systems properly...then I can restore my health...and it takes a great deal of understanding (for the lay person) to unravel what's going on internally....but food certainly is the first and most important "drug" we can give ourselves. Good or Bad.

At you mentioned 80% can be handled with eating properly. Even though you ment that other 20% is doing so in a more refined way...I'm saying that that 20% includes "optimising" your thyroid meds(if needed and as needed) and "optimising" your female hormones (if needed) with the bioidentical hormone replacement...and "optimising" your suppliments...and so on and so forth. By optimising these things you can help your body finish restoring it's self more quickly to achieve homeostasis sooner rather then later. Those differences in that last 20% help the 80% do it's thing better, quicker....and it could be a BIG difference.

Thanks for using that 80/20 thought process...because as a newbie that's what I was wondering? How much do you more experienced PP's think the "food" aspect of the plan weighs in..I think 80% sounds good.

I think right now, I'm trying to figure out my best route for that "extra effort" of that 20%....as I'm getting the 80% more well defined. I have some of it figured out...but, I want to make SURE of myself. I was surprised that there were parts of the 80% that suddenly I had questions about.

I hope I made sense. :rolleyes:

[Bones]

Bones, you wrote: "Do any of you believe that it is truly a drug, like cocaine or any other drug, even though the affects are much more subtle to recognize?"

Anyways ~ I do think of it in terms of an addiction after reading that article! I'm living proof. I don't think it's so subtle either.

Well, I meant subtle in the sense that the symptoms are not as obvious as someone who is strung out on drugs or alcohol. Naturally, the harmful affects are not always subtle, it's just that most don't connect how their feeling to the food their eating.

[Missy]

oh....yeah..yeah...I agree. I never connected while I was doing it...I get what you mean now.

If I look back now though, at my internal thoughts of "gotta have it"...it wasn't a very subtle message in my mind.