Identifying & Supporting Food Intolerances

Underlying food intolerances are often an overlooked aspect of a person’s overall health.

Unlike food allergies, which are often more forwardly presenting symptoms, food intolerances are foundational yet unseen. They also affect the gastrointestinal tract and gut permeability, and can lead to an array of secondary symptoms which present differently from person to person. Food intolerances are not “bad” foods, but rather foods which the individual is not enzymatically breaking down appropriately and therefore leading to a weakened intestinal integrity. Food intolerance are rarely acute issues. Eating a food intolerance over the course of months or years can cause systemic inflammation that encourages chronic issues such as arthritis, migraines, digestive disorders, skin issues and auto immune diseases. By assessing the underlying food intolerance and removing the food(s) completely though an elimination diet, we are able to fully heal the gut, build up the integrity of the intestinal lining, and replenish probiotic cultures effectively. This often leads to a drastic decrease in secondary chronic symptoms. Although food intolerances are the not culprit to every imbalance, identifying them can play a major role in your comprehensive wellness plan. Food intolerances are also often a big clue to clearing up stubborn or “random” symptoms that are difficult to associate with a common root cause. You food intolerances do not change over your lifetime, as we are usually born with an inability to break down certain foods. What can change, however, is the overall health of our gut. When you replace or eliminate food intolerances, the gut has a remarkable ability to heal and process whole foods more much efficiently. Generally speaking, when your gut is in optimal health, the rest of the body will follow, and assessing food intolerances is a key piece of the overall picture.

The Naturopathic Approach

Once your naturopathic doctor assess your food intolerances, they will guide you through the process of eliminating them from your diet by providing alternatives, recipes, meal plans and shopping guides to make the transition easier. Together with your ND, you will comb through your current diet to find any hidden traces of the food intolerance(s) and to ensure you’re well prepared to follow your new way of eating. Your ND will teach you how to read food labels, make educated choices regarding food intolerances, and provide extra resources for further information. Once you have the necessary knowledge, you can be proactive in taking your diet into your own hands and making the necessary changes to improve your  overall health.

Request an appointment today with one of our practitioners to discuss how food intolerances maybe impacting your health.