Allergies, Histamine & Gluten Intolerance

Most people are not born with food allergies, sensitivities, or intolerances – they’re acquired.

There are three different types of food reactions.

Allergies are caused by food or other proteins crossing the intestinal wall, or into the lungs, and eliciting an immune response.

Food Sensitivity is an abnormal reaction to food or food additives. Sulfites, Aspartame, MSG, Yellow dye 3, Preservatives like BHT & BHA are common additives that can cause reactions.

Food Intolerance is a digestive irritation. This occurs when food irritates the digestive system, but does not affect the immune system. It can produce gas, bloating, cramps & diarrhea. For example, if you lack lactase, your body would be lactose intolerant and you could not breakdown the sugars in milk. Lactose intolerance is one of the most common examples of food intolerance.

Histamine Intolerance is an immune response. Sometimes your food reaction isn’t really a food reaction at all. It’s your body reacting to an abundance of histamine in your system. When histamine is high, your body can react to foods that would otherwise be fine.

Warning Signs of Food Allergies

Tiredness, drowsiness, no energy: feeling continuously tired and out of sorts is often due to untreated food intolerance.
Frequent headache or migraines: the slight inflammatory response caused by sensitivity to certain foods (like yeasts, gluten, dairy etc.) can cause headaches.
Stomach bloating, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, flatulence: all these, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s, and Colitis, are common effects of food intolerance.
Mouth ulcers are hallmarks of an immune system under stress.
Chronic cough, bronchitis, asthma, colds and ‘flu’: respiratory conditions are often related to food intolerance.
Eczema, psoriasis, and chronic skin problems: skin conditions are just another form of inflammation. Moving to the correct diet can heal your skin.
Aching joints, backache: as an immune response to food intolerance takes place, inflammation can settle in the leg joints (leg pain) or joints of the spine (backache).
Gradual weight change: your thyroid & metabolism are affected by food intolerance.
Tinea or Yeast (Candida) infections: fungal infections like thrush, jock itch, and ring worm can be signs of an underlying food intolerance.
Clumsiness, lack of coordination: when the nervous system is affected by food intolerance, unexpected muscular consequences can be observed.
Miscarriage, infertility: choosing the right foods is key to a healthy pregnancy.
Hemorrhoids and ear pain: both are tied to food intolerance in many cases.
Cravings, addictions: Are there foods you absolutely cannot live without? That’s a form of addiction. Addictions are another sign of undiagnosed food intolerance.

There are several common foods that can cause allergies:

Milk
Wheat
Soy
Eggs
Peanuts
Tree nuts
Fish
Shellfish

What causes food sensitivities?

Food sensitivities are often caused by a condition called Leaky gut. The lining of the gut is only a single cell thick, but each cell is pressed against its neighbor so tightly that they make a sealed barrier; food particles may enter into the bloodstream to nourish the body only if these cells decide to allow it. Otherwise, the particles will continue down the digestive tract and exit the body. The cells are like our little nutrient gatekeepers.

When gut damage occurs – from stress, or infections, or pesticides or other chemicals on our food, or junk foods, or medications, etc. – a gap can open up between the cells, allowing food and other particles to slip through the cracks.

When this happens, your immune system kicks in because a suspicious object just passed through the gate and it could be dangerous, like an infection. Your immune system will act swiftly to neutralize the particle, but if the number of suspicious objects in your gut is more than your immune system can handle, it gets overburdened. An overburdened immune system tends to make mistakes. It begins to see food particles as invaders, which it then attacks to keep you safe. This is when food sensitivities arise.

Over time, food sensitivities can become more severe and grow in number. However, in many cases, when balance has been restored in the gut, many food sensitivities will go away.

"But my allergy test said I'm fine..."

Food sensitivities are difficult to identify because they don’t show up in an allergy test, and because symptoms and severity vary so much from person to person. A food sensitivity for you may result in bloating or belly ache, whereas a food sensitivity in someone else may result in a headache or eczema. To add to the confusion, the reaction sometimes doesn’t happen until 2-3 days after you’ve eaten the problematic food.
Our method helps you identify which foods are problematic for you, and which symptoms they’re causing.

"Why am I a gluten addict?"

Because it’s delicious. And chewy. And full of quick energy.

But it makes many of us crash shortly afterward.

Gluten is a protein found in some varieties of grain, including wheat, barley, and rye. The majority of processed foods contain one of these gluten ingredients, or are processed on equipment that has been exposed to these ingredients.

Gluten sensitivity is common, and can cause a wide variety of symptoms, Including digestive upset, drowsiness, reflux or heartburn, rashes and acne, crabby mood, or headache. Gluten is also a common contributor to Leaky gut, thyroid imbalance, other food sensitivities, and more.

The Right Tests

At Ann Arbor Holistic Health, we offer both food sensitivity testing and comprehensive gut function testing to identify not only which foods are problematic, but also why food sensitivities developed to begin with.

Complete Support with Food Planning

Knowledge is power. Once you know what foods are triggers for you, you can avoid them and begin to restore balance. We can help with that.

Whole-Body Health Plan

All of the systems in your body are interconnected. Finding and supporting other weak areas can strengthen the entire body, resulting in fewer sensitivities over time.

How are foods affecting me? Food sensitivity symptoms affect more than just your digestive system.

The unexpected truth behind Phil's persistent cough.

Food allergies can affect us in unexpected ways. Phil, a 63 year old patient at Ann Arbor Holistic Health, had a chronic cough for nearly half his life. He worked with people every day, and the cough interfered with his ability to perform his job. Sometimes he would be forced to leave work early, other times he would wake to the sound of his own wheezing.

At the age of 48, he began seeing a pulmonologist. His pulmonologist was extremely knowledgeable. However, the medications that were prescribed only numbed Phil’s discomfort. Nothing he tried provided any long term relief. When Phil was hospitalized with bronchitis and pneumonia, he accepted that he would live with his cough forever.

Frustrated, but still intent on improving his quality of life, Phil began to look into other influencing factors. He started to read more about how food allergies may be affecting his respiratory system. Journal articles and websites continuously highlighted the correlation between the two, and Phil decided to schedule a consultation at Ann Arbor Holistic Health.

During his consultation he learned about food allergy testing, and decided to get tested. His results were positive for a significant number of foods. Phil removed these allergens from his diet, and his respiratory symptoms resolved themselves within a month. Phil has been cough-free ever since.

Phil’s results were life-changing. What would your life be like if you discovered the root causes behind your symptoms and eliminated them?

Can food sensitivities go away?

Yes! In many cases, food sensitivities can lessen or disappear if balance is restored in the gut. The team at Ann Arbor Holistic Health is here to help you.
Please call (734) 222-8210 at any time. We can set up a free Consultation and Evaluation when you’re ready.