Here’s how to tell you’ve got a problem with certain foods…
Your body is “fearfully and wonderfully made”, and it’s designed to tell you when something is wrong. Perhaps you break out in a rash, your stomach grumbles, or you suffer from diarrhea–all of these are your body’s way of letting you know that something isn’t quite right.
If you suffer from food sensitivities, your body has many ways to tell you. Here are some of the most common food sensitivity symptoms to keep an eye out for:
- Fatigue — When you eat something that your body can’t handle, it is forced to produce antibodies to fight the “invaders”. This triggers your immune system, and causes inflammation in your body. All of this activity requires energy, and so your body’s natural energy reserves are depleted. If eating certain foods makes you feel more tired than energized, it may be a sign that something isn’t right!
- Joint Pain –– We all have the occasional aches and twinges in our joints, but if the pain is getting out of control, it’s a sign something’s wrong. Certain foods may trigger inflammatory responses in your body, leading to swelling in your joints. Joint pain and stiffness is one of the ways your body is telling you that you’re eating the wrong thing.
- Digestive Upset — What happens when you send the wrong food down your digestive system? Your stomach acid breaks it down, but your intestines aren’t able to absorb it. You may end up suffering from diarrhea, caused by malabsorption of the food you eat. Your intestines become inflamed, preventing them from absorbing the food into your body.
- Skin Problems –– Acne, dark circles around your eyes, and rosacea are just a few of the ways your body lets you know something isn’t right. If you are suffering from a rash, eczema, or patches of itchy skin, your skin is showing you the state of your internal organs. Definitely a sign that it’s time to eliminate something from your diet.
READ MORE: Allergies or Ocular Herpes?!
- Gas/Bloating — When your body cannot absorb the food properly, it travels further down your intestinal tract, where it feeds the bacteria living there. The bacteria releases gas as it breaks down the food, and that gas fills your stomach–leading to serious problems with bloating and/or flatulence. If you find yourself burping or passing gas a lot after eating a certain food, or your stomach becomes very bloated, that food is causing negative reactions in your body!
- Headaches –– When you eat dairy products, sausages, chocolate, and beer, your body may suffer a negative reaction to the tyramine (an amino acid) in these foods. You may end up dealing with migraines and headaches, thanks to the toxic effects of tyramine.
- Heartburn — The acid in your stomach is responsible for breaking down the food you eat. But when that food triggers a negative reaction, often your stomach needs more acid to break down those foods. Too much acid in your stomach can lead to acid reflux, also known as heartburn. Heartburn is a common sign of food sensitivities!
- Irritability/Nervousness — Your body is having a hard time digesting the foods you’re eating, so it’s going to suffer in many other ways. Indigestion caused by food sensitivities can often trigger reactions in your brain, such as altered mood. You may find that you are overly irritable, angry, or anxious, and it has little to do with your surroundings or lifestyle. It’s all thanks to the food sensitivity you didn’t know you had!
