Food Sensitivities: Why You’re Reacting to Everything

Many people think they’re allergic to a ton of foods, but often, what we’re really dealing with is a food sensitivity, which is very different from a classic allergy.

Allergy vs. Sensitivity

• Allergy (IgE-mediated): Immediate reaction, usually within minutes to a few hours. Symptoms can include hives, wheezing, headaches, stomach cramps, or more severe responses.

• Food sensitivity: Delayed reaction, sometimes up to 3–4 days after exposure. Symptoms can show up in unexpected ways: joint pain, inflammation, brain fog, digestive issues, or skin flare-ups.

If your body is already “on fire” with inflammation, removing these foods can provide relief, the inflammatory cascade is stopped, and your symptoms improve.

Why Food Sensitivities Are So Common

1. The foods themselves: Modern farming, processing, and additives like dyes can make proteins harder to digest, reducing amino acid absorption.

2. Overactive immune systems: Our immune systems are reacting more than they need to.

3. Environmental toxins: These can stress the liver and barrier systems, making it easier for antigens to trigger inflammation.

4. Shifts in gut health: Less microbial diversity, poor digestion, low secretory IgA, high stress, and hormone imbalances (like estrogen) can make dendritic cells overactive. Low butyrate production allows food antigens to leak into the bloodstream—leading to loss of protein tolerance.

   
   

If a food sensitivity test shows reactions to a large portion of foods, this often signals a structural gut issue, not a true allergy.

Food Sensitivity Testing Isn’t the Root Cause

Tests can identify what you’re reacting to, but they don’t tell you why your body is reacting. That’s where working with a professional can help.

How to Work With Food Sensitivities

Elimination diet:

• Remove suspected foods for 3–4 weeks.

• If unsure where to start, remove the most common triggers first.

• Reintroduce foods one at a time to observe your body’s reaction.

Important: You may feel more reactive during reintroduction. Your immune system has had a break and is ready to respond this is normal, but can be confusing.

How Working Together Can Help

Working with a nutrition professional can make the process of identifying and managing food sensitivities much smoother:

• Personalized guidance: We can help you identify likely triggers without taking away too many foods unnecessarily.

• Structured reintroduction: Support as you add foods back in safely to understand your body’s responses.

• Root-cause approach: We can help address underlying gut, liver, or immune issues that may be driving your reactions.

• Ongoing support: Reduce confusion, stress, and trial-and-error so you feel confident and empowered around food.

Food sensitivities can feel frustrating, but with the right support, you can regain balance, reduce inflammation, and feel better in your body.