How to discern food allergy vs food sensitivity

1. Food allergies which come in two flavors
   1. immediate response (within 2 hours) and
   2. delayed response (within 72 hours)
2. Food intolerances like lactose intolerance, that involve an inability to process a certain food
3. Food sensitivities which include any type of non-allergic reaction to a food, beverage, food additive, etc.

With all the contaminants in our food supply, the preponderance of GMO’s and artificial sweeteners, it seems that food intolerances are the rise!  It appears that many of us struggle with ways to learn what it is exactly that causes these unfortunate responses in our bodies.

When most people think of a food allergy, they think of the person who eats a shellfish and needs a hasty trip to the ER. This is what is called an immediate-response reaction; where something big happens in 1-2 hours. You usually know the cause because the response happens fast enough to correlate it with the offending substance. Physicians diagnosis immediate-response allergies by measuring antibody levels via a positive skin or blood test.

Delayed-response food allergies prove difficult to ascertain, as symptoms can take 3-4 days to show, making it difficult to relate it back to what you ate, especially if it’s something you eat on a regular basis, like wheat or dairy. In addition, these reactions can affect any organ system in the body and include digestive problems, itching, eczema, headaches, insomnia, anxiety, depression and concentration problems. These types of allergies can also be detected with an IgG antibody blood test, available through most holistic practitioners.

Food sensitivities/intolerances can be the toughest to determine since they can cause immediate AND delayed responses, and like delayed-response food allergies, they can cause a wide variety of symptoms. Further, since this type of reaction is NOT an allergy per se, IgE and IgG antibody levels will be quite average and thus your medical practitioner will deem you allergy free. Frustrating yes, but there is one powerful thing you can do to aid in the process.

The good news:

Any cleanse, be it juicing, smoothies or liver flushes, will help to uncover the even the most undetectable and delayed-response food allergies, food sensitivities and food intolerances. You might not be able to pin point it a sensitivity or allergy, but what you WILL know is a simple way to feel to feel and look your best.