Do you suffer from allergies from edible products or any sensitivities or intolerance when you eat or drink anything specific?
When a person faces any food allergies, a reaction is triggered by the immune system against those allergens or allergy-causing agents. On the other hand, if you have intolerance or sensitivity to any food, your digestive system triggers a response to make you aware that the particular food is not suitable for you. The reaction initiated by the digestive system as a result of food intolerance or sensitivity results in symptoms such as nausea, cramping, constipation, diarrhea, gas, and bloating.
What is the difference between being sensitive or intolerant to a food and being allergic?
Being sensitive to food and being allergic to it are entirely different phenomena. The main difference lies in the ways your body responds to an allergy and sensitivity. For instance, when you have a food sensitivity/intolerance, the digestive system triggers a reaction in the form of digestion-related issues, like nausea, constipation, gas, etc. Whereas, when you have an allergy to any food, your immune response wakes up and triggers a reaction having symptoms such as dizziness, itching, hives, anaphylaxis, etc.
Sensitivity or allergy to a food can be linked to your Hormones.
Are you confused because of those uncomfortable symptoms when you eat any specific food? These symptoms appear due to allergies and intolerance to a particular food group or groups. But what is the root cause behind that allergy or intolerance? Your Hormones! They might be playing a significant role over here.
For example, Hypothyroidism, an autoimmune disease of thyroids, can cause sensitivity to different types of foods. The leading cause of Hypothyroidism is inadequate levels of thyroid hormones. Moreover, certain hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, Cortisol, etc., that play a significant role in maintaining intestinal barrier functions can significantly contribute to food intolerance.
Another example is the Histamine-estrogen cycle. Histamine, which is known as an allergy-causing chemical compound, has a bi-directional relationship with the estrogen hormone. Although a certain amount of Histamine is naturally produced by your body, you can also consume it through foods like spinach, tomatoes, alcohol, etc. Histamine intolerance is often experienced in individuals who are estrogen dominant. Increased estrogen levels make you more Histamine intolerant; as a result, you might face frequent allergic reactions like asthma, fatigue, headache, nasal congestion, etc. Histamine intolerance can also be caused due to an imbalanced gut microbiome or gut dysbiosis. Under such circumstances, a low-histamine diet might help out.
Stress can be a reason behind food allergy or food sensitivity.
That is true! An elevated level of the stress hormone, Cortisol can be a leading cause of food allergies and intolerance. When the levels of Cortisol increase, the production of Secretory Immunoglobulin A or sIgA decreases. This disrupts the intestinal lining, making the intestinal walls permeable. This ultimately results in Leaky Gut syndrome. This syndrome allows larger proteins from food to enter the bloodstream, as a result of which the immune system of the body triggers an inflammatory cascade or allergic response. The symptoms of this immune response include eczema, mood disturbance, or brain fog and are often classified as reactions to food sensitivity.
Can you manage or get rid of frequent food allergies or food intolerances?
Indeed! The best approach to improving your food sensitivities or allergies is to improve your diet by eliminating those food products that trigger these allergic responses. Sometimes, you might not be able to diagnose the causative agents or the type of food that causes the sensitivity or intolerance. In such cases, you may take help from medical practitioners who will evaluate your thyroid, insulin, Cortisol, and other hormones and the status of your microbiome.
Visit our health care and nutritionist website, Fantastic Life, where you will get all the information related to the relationship between food allergies or sensitivities with the body’s hormonal imbalances. In addition, our medical professionals and expert nutritionists will provide you with a comprehensive diet and a healthy lifestyle program that will help you put your food sensitivities aside but will also aid you in leading an overall healthy lifestyle.