Is the food you eat a friend or foe?
“The food you eat can either be the safest & most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”
– Anne Wigmore, holistic health pioneer.
Food is meant to nourish, heal, and fuel our bodies, yet for many, it has become a source of discomfort, inflammation, and chronic symptoms. It’s estimated that up to 25% of Australians experience food intolerances or sensitivities, making eating an unpleasant and sometimes confusing experience.
Understanding Food Sensitivities vs. Allergies
While food allergies trigger an immediate immune response, food sensitivities can take hours or even days to manifest, making them much harder to pinpoint.
Common triggers include:
- Gluten
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Shellfish
- Nuts
However, even other healthy foods – such as meat, fruits, vegetables, and legumes – can cause reactions in some individuals.
Signs & Symptoms of Food Intolerances
Food sensitivities don’t always show up as digestive issues alone. Symptoms can include:
- Bloating & gas
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Nausea
- Brain fog
- Joint pain
- Skin conditions (eczema, psoriasis)
- Fatigue
- Behavioral changes
Since these symptoms don’t always occur right after eating and may build up over time, identifying the culprit can be challenging.
The Gut-Stress Connection
Chronic stress is a major contributor to food sensitivities. When we are under prolonged stress, our immune system weakens, our risk of gut permeability increases (leading to leaky gut), and we become more prone to inflammation and food reactions. Add poor eating habits, lack of sleep, or illness, and you have the perfect storm for digestive distress.
How to Identify Food Sensitivities
One of the most effective ways to determine if food intolerances are affecting your health is through an elimination diet:
- Remove potential trigger foods for 4-6 weeks.
- Keep a detailed food journal and track symptoms.
- Slowly reintroduce foods one at a time, monitoring reactions.
However, since some people react to multiple foods, an elimination diet alone may not provide clear answers, is very restrictive and can be very difficult to do properly. In these cases, functional lab testing for food intolerances can be a faster and more precise option.
Food intolerance testing is still not widely used or understood in conventional medicine in Australia, even though their is more and more evidence available.
Here are a couple of scientific papers supporting testing – Link 1, Link 2.
Here’s a nice article if you would like to read more – https://www.rupahealth.com/post/the-underlying-connection-between-food-sensitivities-and-autoimmunity-that-you-should-know-about
Listen to Your Body’s Signals
Your body constantly communicates with you—whether through bloating, fatigue, skin breakouts, or digestive discomfort. Rather than masking these symptoms, functional medicine looks for the root cause and empowers you to heal through nutrition and lifestyle adjustments.
Food should work for you, not against you. By nourishing your body with the right foods, reducing stress, and supporting gut health, you can experience greater energy, mental clarity, and long-term wellness.
If you are interested in finding out about how we can help and the types of food sensitivity testing that we offer, book a FREE discovery call today.
