Food Sensitivities

Food Sensitivities

Common symptoms of food intolerances include:  Bloating and abdominal distention are quite common.  People often describe their bloating as feeling as though they are 6 months pregnant.   Others include gas, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea and IBS-like symptoms.  Symptoms related to parts of the body outside of the digestive system are also common including eczema, headaches and migraines, joint pain, weight gain, yeast infections and depression can also occur.

What is a Food Allergy vs a Food Intolerance?

It is easy to confuse the two however they are two different things. A food allergy occurs when an persons immune system mistakes a certain food as a foreign substance and triggers a reaction that results in IgE antibody production. Symptoms can occur quickly (anywhere from minutes to hours) and typically include a scratchy throat, lips or a rash.  If there has been exposure in the past then anaphylaxis can result leading to a drop in blood pressure, breathing difficulties, shock, and loss of consciousness, all of which can be fatal.

A food intolerance is the result of other reactions to food and often include IgG or IgA antibody production.  Gas, bloating and diarrhea or constipation are all common symptoms. These are not life threatening however they can lead to severe digestive upset and be the cause of much distress and discomfort. Common causes include too eaerly or late food introduction with infants, overconsumption of certain foods and/or genetically modified foods.

Our Integrative Approach to Treating Food Sensitivities:

The Naturopathic Doctors at KIH can run the diagnostic tests required to identify the condition. They typically use IgG food intolerance tests or the ALCAT blood test and can also screen for antibodies present in patients with suspected celiac disease (gluten allergy).  Another effective way of identifying food reactions is through the Hypoallergenic or Elimination Diet. This involves eliminating certain foods from your diet and then reintroducing them at a later time to see if symptoms first disappear and then remerge with the reintroduction.

Once these reactions have been identified, you will have a treatment plan developed that includes a healthy food selection, digestive aids including digestive enzymes and herbal medicine vitamins/minerals which are all important in the elimination of these intolerances.

Read more about our treatment plans below.

KIH Naturopathic Doctors:

Treatments are performed in the clinic by one of the below Naturopathic Doctors.

Dr. Sarah Tayebi, ND
Naturopathic Doctor
Dr. Susan Slipacoff, ND
Naturopathic Doctor
Dr. Jessica Cardona, ND
Naturopathic Doctor
Dr. Natalie Stalteri, ND
Naturopathic Doctor