Are you battling an indistinct range of symptoms? It could be anything from an upset tummy, itchy skin, or a dull headache you just don’t seem to be able to shake. And no matter who you talk to, the cause of the problem can’t be found.
Have you considered that you might be having an adverse reaction to a particular food or a group of foods? Food sensitivity is more common than you think. And it isn’t always picked up by standard food allergy tests.
The conventional way of identifying food sensitivities is with an elimination diet, which should be supervised by a dietitian. But, it can take weeks to months to figure out which foods cause a response in your body. So, to speed up the process, you could book an appointment for a BioScan SRT nutrition screening test.
Good Nutrition is Key for Good Health
A healthy diet forms the foundation for a healthy body. So, eating food that nourishes it with all the protein, fat, energy, vitamins and minerals it needs to thrive will help ensure all your organs and body systems function optimally.
There is no single diet style that is suitable for everyone. Your requirements are unique to your body’s needs and metabolism. But, because you are human, there are nutrients you need as much as anyone else. Your body needs the following to maintain health1:
- Protein from meat, fish, chicken, eggs, dairy products, beans, lentils, chickpeas or nuts.
- Healthy fat from nuts, seeds, avocados, oily fish such as sardines and salmon, olives, and oils such as olive oil, canola oil and avocado oil.
- Energy and fibre from whole grain carbohydrates like oats, brown rice, barley, quinoa and popcorn.
- Vitamins and minerals from fruit and vegetables.
The Role of Gut Health in Physical and Mental Health
It has recently been discovered that your gut is integral to your physical and mental health2. So, when your gut microbiome is healthy, you are more likely to enjoy good health. And that means eating food that supports the friendly bacteria, viruses, and fungi in your digestive system.
There are trillions of microbes living in your gut. When you eat a healthy diet that contains plenty of fibre-rich foods, the bacteria that provide health benefits for your body and brain thrive. But, when your diet lacks food for the good guys, and your diet is rich in sugar and unhealthy fat, the bad guys take over. As a result, your health suffers, and you become more susceptible to gaining weight, developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and suffering from depression and anxiety3.
The Difference Between Food Allergies and Intolerances
When there is an imbalance in your gut microbiome, and the harmful bacteria are more prevalent than the beneficial ones, you become more susceptible to some of the adverse effects of certain foods. Consequently, your food allergies may worsen, and you might also develop food intolerances. But what’s the difference between the two?
Food Allergy
A food allergy is an immune response to a specific food. The symptoms can be mild, such as itchy skin, or life-threatening if anaphylaxis occurs. And you have the same reaction every time you eat the offending substance. The reason is that your immune system has identified the protein in the food as a potential threat to your body and launches an attack to neutralise it every time you eat it. So, your allergy can be detected by a blood or skin-prick test4.
Food Intolerance
On the other hand, a food intolerance doesn’t necessarily involve the immune system. And yet, you react to certain foods when you eat them. But your symptoms may be inconsistent and cannot be reliably reproduced when you eat the food you suspect to be a problem. So, they can’t be picked up in a blood test.
Food sensitivity reactions can be dose-dependent. So, a response is only triggered when you surpass the level of the substance your body can tolerate. For example, if you have a lactose intolerance, you may be able to drink milk in your coffee without reacting. But if you have a bowl of cereal for breakfast, and a creamy pasta for lunch, on top of your usual intake of milk in your coffee, you could find yourself doubled-up in pain4.
Identifying the Foods You Should Avoid with BioScan SRT
An elimination diet is routinely used to identify food intolerances. It can be a lengthy process, taking weeks to months to figure out which foods are problematic for you. And you should work closely with a dietitian to ensure your nutritional needs are still being met and to accurately identify your food sensitivities5.
A BioScan SRT nutrition screening test can give you a snapshot of your nutritional status and the foods your body is struggling with at any given time6. Because a food intolerance is not an immune-mediated response, you may not always be sensitive to the same food. So, when you heal your gut and take care of your nutrition, you may be able to tolerate that food again.
You can only take action and eliminate problematic foods when you know which ones cause a reaction. BioScan SRT can help you identify food sensitivities to take charge of your health.
Conclusion: A BioScan SRT Nutritional Screening Can Help You Avoid Food Sensitivities
Food intolerances are responsible for a wide range of symptoms that don’t always appear when you eat the food you suspect to be causing the reaction. So, it can be challenging to know for sure which foods you should eliminate from your diet to obtain relief.
Book an appointment with me for a Food Sensitivity Test using the BioScan SRT technology if you are looking for the cause of your unexplained symptoms.
References
- Cámara M, Giner RM, González-Fandos E, López-García E, Mañes J, Portillo MP, et al. Food-Based Dietary Guidelines around the World: A Comparative Analysis to Update AESAN Scientific Committee Dietary Recommendations. Nutrients [Internet]. 2021 Sep 8 [cited 2022 Aug 30];(9):3131. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu13093131
- Hills Jr. RD, Pontefract BA, Mishcon HR, Black CA, Sutton SC, Theberge CR. Gut Microbiome: Profound Implications for Diet and Disease. Kompass Nutrition & Dietetics [Internet]. 2022 Apr 7 [cited 2022 Aug 30];1–16. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000523712
- Cronin P, Joyce SA, O’Toole PW, O’Connor EM. Dietary Fibre Modulates the Gut Microbiota. Nutrients [Internet]. 2021 May 13 [cited 2022 Aug 30];(5):1655. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu13051655
- Caio G. Non-IgE/Mixed Food Allergies and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder: A Common Thread between Childhood and Adulthood. Nutrients [Internet]. 2022 Feb 16 [cited 2022 Aug 30];(4):835. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu14040835
- Gargano D, Appanna R, Santonicola A, De Bartolomeis F, Stellato C, Cianferoni A, et al. Food Allergy and Intolerance: A Narrative Review on Nutritional Concerns. Nutrients [Internet]. 2021 May 13 [cited 2022 Aug 30];(5):1638. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu13051638
- ihtmarketing. Successfully Use BioScan To Focus On Nutritional Status – IHT [Internet]. IHT. http://www.facebook.com/ihtbio; 2021 [cited 2022 Aug 30]. Available from: https://www.ihtbio.com/bioscan-focus-nutritional-status/
