Are Food Sensitivities the Cause of Your Symptoms?
Food sensitivities are often blamed for digestive discomfort, but they can also contribute to a range of other health concerns.
Bloating, cramping, and irregular digestion are common, but symptoms like fatigue, headaches, joint pain, skin issues, and brain fog can also be linked to food sensitivities. Because these reactions can be delayed and inconsistent, identifying the root cause can be challenging.
Common Foods That Can Trigger Sensitivities
While everyone is different, some foods are more commonly associated with sensitivities than others. These include:
Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt)
Gluten-containing grains (wheat, barley, rye)
Eggs
Soy
Nuts and seeds
Nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant)
High-FODMAP foods (certain fruits, vegetables, and legumes)
The Challenge of Pinpointing Food Sensitivities
Unlike food allergies, which cause immediate and often severe reactions, food sensitivities create symptoms that can be delayed by hours or even days. This makes it difficult to connect symptoms to a specific food. Many people attempt to self-diagnose by eliminating foods or using food sensitivity testing kits, but these approaches have limitations.
The Problem with Food Sensitivity Testing
Food sensitivity tests, which measure immune responses to different foods, may seem like an easy solution. However, they have significant drawbacks. The results often reflect what you’ve recently eaten rather than what’s actually causing a problem. I frequently see patients who have eliminated long lists of foods based on test results, only to find their symptoms persist or new issues arise, not to mention they’ve spent hundreds of dollars with no change in their health.
The Risks of Eliminating Foods Without a Plan
One of the biggest mistakes I see in practice is patients removing multiple foods without proper guidance. This can lead to:
Nutrient deficiencies – Cutting out key food groups without alternatives can reduce essential vitamins and minerals.
Increased food fears – Overly restrictive eating can create anxiety around food choices and contribute to disordered eating patterns.
Unnecessary restrictions – Many people eliminate foods that are actually beneficial to their health, when the real issue lies elsewhere.
It Might Not Be a Food Sensitivity at All
It’s easy to assume that food is the problem, but I regularly see cases where symptoms that seem like a food sensitivity are actually caused by other health concerns. Anxiety, stress, nutrient deficiencies, and hormonal imbalances can all create digestive issues and other symptoms that mimic food sensitivities. When we address these underlying concerns, many patients find they can eat foods they previously thought were causing problems—without symptoms.
The Best Approach: A Personalized, Holistic Assessment
Rather than guessing or following restrictive diets, the most effective way to determine if food sensitivities are contributing to your symptoms is to work with a qualified practitioner. A thorough, holistic assessment can help identify whether food is the real issue and guide a personalized approach that supports your overall health. If you have questions or want to explore whether food sensitivities are affecting you, book a free discovery call to learn more about how I can help.