What Are Food Sensitivities, How They Impact Gut Health, and How to Identify Them

Do you often experience bloating, stomach cramps, or fatigue after eating certain foods? You might be dealing with food sensitivities. Unlike food allergies, which trigger an immediate immune response (difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue or throat, hives, etc.), food sensitivities can cause delayed, chronic symptoms that are harder to identify.

They don’t just affect your gut; they can also impact your energy, mood, and even skin health.

In this post, we’ll chat about what food sensitivities are, how they affect gut health, and how you can identify (without testing) and manage them to feel better.

What Are Food Sensitivities?

Food sensitivities, sometimes called food intolerances, occur when your digestive system has trouble processing certain foods. Unlike food allergies, which involve a different part of the immune system and can cause severe reactions, food sensitivities tend to trigger more subtle, delayed reactions that can take hours or even days to appear.

Common symptoms of food sensitivities include:

• Bloating or gas
• Abdominal pain or cramping
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Brain fog or fatigue
• Headaches or migraines
• Skin issues like rashes or eczema
• Joint pain or muscle aches

Food sensitivities can be tricky to identify because symptoms are often delayed and can vary from person to person. It can be hard to pinpoint which foods are causing discomfort, especially when symptoms overlap with other gut issues like IBS or SIBO.

How Food Sensitivities Impact Gut Health

Food sensitivities don’t just cause discomfort—they can disrupt the balance of your gut microbiome, lead to increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut), and trigger inflammation, which can lead to a host of other issues. Here’s how food sensitivities can impact gut health:

1. Triggering Inflammation in the Gut

When you eat a food that you’re sensitive to, your body recognizes it as a potential threat. This triggers an inflammatory response in the gut, which can damage the gut lining over time. This process can lead to a condition called leaky gut syndrome, where the gut lining becomes more permeable, allowing toxins and partially digested food particles to enter the bloodstream.

2. Disrupting the Gut Microbiome

Repeated exposure to foods you’re sensitive to can disrupt the balance of bacteria in your gut, causing dysbiosis. Dysbiosis, or an imbalance in the gut microbiome, can worsen digestive symptoms and contribute to mental health issues like anxiety, mood swings, and brain fog.

3. Slowing Digestion and Nutrient Absorption

Eating foods that your body can’t properly digest can slow down your entire digestive process. This can lead to symptoms like constipation, nutrient deficiencies, and a sluggish metabolism. If you’re struggling with fatigue or low energy, hidden food sensitivities could be contributing to your symptoms.

4. Exacerbating Other Digestive Issues

For women dealing with IBS, SIBO, or other gut imbalances, food sensitivities can worsen existing symptoms, making it even harder to manage digestive health. Removing trigger foods can help calm inflammation, promote gut healing, and improve overall well-being.

How to Identify Food Sensitivities

Identifying food sensitivities can be challenging, especially since symptoms can be delayed. However, there are several effective ways to uncover which foods are causing issues:

1. Elimination Diet

An elimination diet is the gold standard for identifying food sensitivities. As such it is the most reliable way to identify food sensitivities. It involves removing common trigger foods from your diet for a period of 3-4 weeks or longer depending on your unique situation and then reintroducing them one at a time to see how your body reacts. Common foods to eliminate include:

• Gluten
• Dairy
• Soy
• Corn
• Eggs
• Nightshades (like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant)

2. Functional Medicine Testing

Functional medicine tests, like the IgG food sensitivity test or a GI-MAP stool test, can provide insights into how your immune system is reacting to certain foods and the state of your gut health. While testing isn’t a definitive diagnosis, it can be a helpful tool for understanding which foods might be causing inflammation.

What to Expect:

• Blood tests can identify IgG antibodies, which are produced in response to foods you’re sensitive to (or foods you eat a lot of). The results can provide a list of potential trigger foods to eliminate or reduce in your diet. I don't encourage these - they aren't the most accurate and do not test for a lot of things.
• Stool tests can help identify imbalances in your gut microbiome, which can be caused or worsened by food sensitivities and identify potential inflammation, low immunity and immune activity which can help show the need for an elimination diet.

3. Keeping a Food and Symptom Journal

A food and symptom journal is a simple yet powerful tool for tracking how your body responds to different foods. By keeping a detailed record of what you eat and any symptoms that arise, you can start to see patterns that point to food sensitivities.

How to Use It:

• Write down everything you eat and drink, along with any symptoms you experience (e.g., bloating, headaches, fatigue).
• Review your journal weekly to identify potential triggers. This process can help you connect specific foods with symptoms and guide dietary adjustments.

4. Working with a Functional Gut Health Practitioner

If identifying food sensitivities feels overwhelming, consider working with a functional gut health practitioner. They can guide you through the process of elimination diets, testing, and symptom tracking, helping you find and manage trigger foods more effectively.

What to Do If You Have Food Sensitivities

Once you’ve identified your food sensitivities, it’s time to focus on gut healing. Here’s how to manage sensitivities and promote gut health:

• Remove Trigger Foods: Gradually eliminate or reduce foods you’re sensitive to, allowing your gut to heal and inflammation to subside.
• Add Gut-Healing Foods: Incorporate foods like bone broth, fermented foods, and prebiotic-rich vegetables to support the repair of your gut lining and promote a balanced microbiome.
• Take Digestive Enzymes: Digestive enzymes or using digestive bitters can help break down foods and improve nutrient absorption, easing the digestive burden on your gut. Make sure to work with someone to make sure you're using the right type.
• Focus on Stress Reduction: Stress can exacerbate food sensitivities, so incorporating stress-reducing practices like deep breathing, meditation, or gentle exercise can support both your gut and mental well-being.

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Gut Health by Identifying Food Sensitivities

Identifying and managing food sensitivities is a key step toward improving gut health, reducing digestive symptoms, and feeling more energized. While it can be a bit of a journey, the results are worth it. By understanding which foods support your body and which ones disrupt it, you can create a personalized nutrition plan that promotes better digestion, mental clarity, and overall well-being.

If you suspect food sensitivities are affecting your gut health and want guidance through the process, book a consultation with me today. Together, we’ll create a personalized plan to help you uncover hidden triggers and heal your gut for good.