food sensitivities & IntolerancesHave you ever wondered why, how suddenly so many people have food allergies or intolerances and back in our :) day a peanut butter sandwich was a staple item in our lunch box? This is because our diet has been replaced with a highly processed, high-sugar, high (bad) fat, low-fiber diet which in turn has altered our gut balance.
Let's clear up the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance as they are quite different. A food allergy is an adverse immune reaction to the ingestion of a particular food. It is an inflammatory response involving the production of antibodies. Remember Will Smith in the movie 'Hitch'? A food intolerance, on the other hand, has nothing to do with the immune system. A particular food upsets the gut resulting in pains, bloating and IBS. *the low FODMAP diet is designed for food intolerances not food allergies Food Intolerance effects 33% of the population You would of heard the term 'You are what you eat' well, a more accurate term would be 'You are what you digest and absorb' Your gut really is the key to sustaining optimal health. It needs and deserves a lot of TLC. The digestive system turns the food we eat into fuel. When it is sluggish, your body will not absorb the nutrients it needs for optimal health. When your gut is functioning well, it boosts your energy and immune system and prevents all sorts of diseases. What on earth is leaky gut? This is more common than you think. When there are gaps in the gut lining, food fragments can escape into the bloodstream, leading the body to react with an immune response. This is usually caused by food allergies and known as 'leaky gut syndrome'. It usually rears it's head with symptoms like bloating, gas, cravings and food sensitivities. How can the low FODMAP diet help? This is where we identify the offending foods, eliminate them, heal the gut and then challenge by reintroducing the offending food. As time passes adverse food reactions can change so it is recommended to continually assess, challenge and check for new or altered reactions. Strict adherence to a program of gastrointestinal repair frequently results in a diminished sensitivity to previously problematic foods. As this is a complex diet working along side a trained low FODMAP diet coach is recommended. 75% of IBS sufferers find relief in the Low FODMAP diet |