Food Sensitivities: Then What?!?

💥 Let’s figure out why!

If you’re dealing with food sensitivities, this post is for you.

Did you know there might be fixable issues that are driving food sensitivities or making them worse?

That’s right:

Research 📚 has linked food sensitivities to changes in:

👉 Gut Microbiome

👉 Intestinal Permeability (“Leaky Gut”)

👉 Gut inflammation

So…

Gut support makes a lot of sense.

Keep following along if you want to learn more about how I can help with a root-cause approach to health 🙌

References

Caminero A, Meisel M, Jabri B, Verdu EF. Mechanisms by which gut microorganisms influence food sensitivities. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019;16(1):7-18. [link]

Ohtsuka Y. Food intolerance and mucosal inflammation. Pediatr Int. 2015;57(1):22-29. [link]

Ventura MT, Polimeno L, Amoruso AC, et al. Intestinal permeability in patients with adverse reactions to food. Dig Liver Dis. 2006;38(10):732-736. [link]

Wonder if it’s Food Sensitivities?

You aren’t going to like this, but TRUTH IS…

❌ There is no perfect way to test for food sensitivities.

(I’m not talking about food allergies—see my recent posts for the difference)

Here are your options:

1️⃣ The Elimination-Challenge Diet

2️⃣ Food Sensitivities Blood Test

3️⃣ Combination of Both

For the Elimination-Challenge Diet, you remove all suspected foods until you feel better and then reintroduce them one at a time to see which are problematic.

Some people notice dramatic results 🎉

But some people just get more frustrated because the diet can take a long time, and the results are not always obvious.

The blood test looks to see if your body is creating antibodies to a long list of foods.

👉👉 Combine these 2 methods together, and you might discover a simple solution to feeling better!

Interested in food sensitivity testing?

📅 Schedule an initial visit with Dr. Cantrell to get started on your path to wellness!

New Study Shows HOW the Microbiome Protects Us!

How do good gut bacteria protect against harmful ones?

📢 New research alert!!

The gut microbiome consists of hundreds of different bacterial species and strains. One health benefit is that these bacteria can protect against the invasion of harmful bacteria.

But until now, there have been unanswered questions about how this works and whether some strains are more important than others.

A new study published in Science found that it was NOT any single bacterial strain that was protective but instead the combined effect of at least 50+ strains together.

Also, the WAY the collective bacterial communities protected against harmful invaders was by consuming nutrients those invaders might need.

The takeaway?

An optimal microbiome is a diverse microbiome.

Gut health is always something we look at as part of the bigger picture of our patient’s health.

Reference

Spragge F, Bakkeren E, Jahn MT, et al. Microbiome diversity protects against pathogens by nutrient blocking. Science. 2023;382(6676):eadj3502. [link]

❌ Stop starving yourself!

⚠️ Don’t Make This Mistake ⚠️

Most people believe that if they have SIBO or IBS or other digestive problems…

….that they need to follow a highly restrictive diet forever.

❌ It’s not true!!!!

Here’s the reality:

✅ Bacteria in the gut feed on carbohydrates to produce gas

✅ Diets like the Low-FODMAP Diet and the Specific Carbohydrate Diet limit the fuel source for gas-producing bacteria

✅ These diets can be extremely helpful at temporarily reducing symptoms like gas and bloating

✅ In the long run, the gut microbiome needs variety AND carbohydrate fuel sources to stay healthy

✅ So a better approach is to work on healing the gut and gradually reintroduce foods over time

Don’t go it alone!!!!

We help our patients make sense of their digestive symptoms and find personalized long-term solutions.

We can do that for you too. Just book a consultation through our website!