Every now and then I consult with someone who has numerous food sensitivities. Sometimes such a person will also be sensitive to many different supplements and herbs. It admittedly can be a big challenge to help a person who is dealing with this problem, as a big part of a natural treatment protocol involves eating well and taking certain supplements. But some people are very limited with regards to what they can eat, and some aren’t able to take most supplements without having a reaction. How can someone who seems to be allergic to just about everything receive good results when following a natural treatment protocol?
This definitely isn’t an easy situation, and it could be frustrating to both the doctor and patient. Some doctors will just tell these people to eat the best they can, and to try taking at least a few of the recommended supplements. Other natural healthcare professionals will encourage the person to follow a certain diet and to take all of the recommended supplements, regardless of whether doing so worsens their symptoms. This in my opinion isn’t the best approach, but on the other hand, just telling the person to eat what they can and to take whatever supplements they can tolerate probably won’t do much to optimize their health either.
Two Main Reasons For Widespread Sensitivities
There can be numerous reasons why people are sensitive to many foods and/or supplements. But in most cases this is related to either 1) problems with the liver detoxifying, or 2) increased intestinal permeability, also known as “leaky gut syndrome”. Sometimes it can be a combination of both of these conditions. But either way, these problems obviously need to be addressed. And once they are addressed this frequently will correct the widespread sensitivity problem.
Let’s go ahead and take a look at each of these health issues:
1) Problems with the liver detoxifying. Our liver is constantly being bombarded with toxins. There are toxins in the foods we eat, the products we use, and the air we breathe. I’ll consult with people who have been eating well for a few years and use natural products, and yet still have a lot of sensitivities. Well, perhaps their liver is detoxifying just fine, but on the other hand, just changing one’s diet and switching to natural products might not be sufficient.
For example, if someone has been eating poorly for years and is being exposed to many other environmental toxins, then this very likely will affect the detoxifying capacity of the liver. And if such a person just begins eating well and minimizes their exposure to environmental toxins, this without question will help, but won’t necessarily restore the health of the liver.
Plus, one needs to keep in mind that everyone is different. As a result, some people are able to handle these toxins better than others. Some people eat a horrible diet for many years and don’t use any natural products at all, yet don’t have any noticeable food sensitivities. I say “noticeable” because they probably do have some problems with their liver and/or digestive system, but just aren’t experiencing any overt symptoms. But this can be frustrating for the person who is eating well and using natural products yet is still symptomatic when eating many different foods and/or taking numerous supplements.
2) Increased intestinal permeability. This also is a big issue, as many people have problems with the gut, which definitely can lead to multiple food intolerances. I’ve spoken about this condition in previous articles and blog posts, but what essentially happens is that due to numerous factors, one develops problems with the intestinal lining, which allows proteins and other larger molecules to pass through into the bloodstream, where they aren’t supposed to be, and as a result the immune system mounts a response. I have discussed in the past how “leaky gut syndrome” can trigger an autoimmune response, and this condition can also lead to the development of sensitivities to foods and supplements. And by healing the intestinal lining and rebalancing the gut flora you are very likely to correct the food sensitivity issues.
How Do You Correct These Problems?
Okay then, if someone has one or both of these health issues, then how does one correct the problem? Usually a combination of eating well and taking certain supplements are necessary. However, since the person with a liver detoxification problem or increased intestinal permeability won’t be able to tolerate certain foods and supplements, this can be challenging. Often times one needs to begin focusing on their diet and minimize the supplementation. Many will need to follow a protocol similar to the GAPS diet, which is a very strict diet that requires the person to eat a lot of fermented foods and pretty much cut out all of the processed foods and sugars. If you’re not familiar with this diet then you can find out more about it online by visiting www.gapsdiet.com. There is also a book on this diet. I’m not suggesting that everyone with widespread food sensitivities will need to follow this diet, but many people with this problem can benefit greatly from it.
As for how long will it take to correct these problems, this obviously varies from case to case. I typically will have someone follow a liver detoxification program for three weeks, but in some cases they might need to follow this for a longer period of time. Increased intestinal permeability will usually take longer, as it usually will take anywhere from two to six months to correct, although in some cases it can take longer than this.
In summary, those who have sensitivities to different foods and supplements usually have a problem with 1) the detoxifying ability of their liver, 2) increased intestinal permeability, or 3) a combination of both conditions. Although this can be a challenge to address, it definitely is possible to do so, and usually the focus needs to be on one’s diet, with a minimal amount of supplementation required. One also needs to realize that it will take time to correct this problem, but the good news is that in many cases correcting the cause of the problem will allow the person to eat most foods again, and to not have a problem taking most supplements and herbs.
This is me, exactly. Over the years, I have developed more and more food and supplement allergies, to the point that I can barely eat.
I was also recently diagnosed with SIBO, possibly another culprit of the leaky diet. Solution? Antibiotics (Rifaximin) that my body couldn’t handle, as it had serious side effects (painful mouth sores, body rashes).
I looked into the GAPs diet, but it is very much based on beef broth, etc. and I don’t like red meat.
Sad thing is, I have always been a very healthy eater, and all of this suddenly crept on me. Doctors don’t know why. But overuse of antibiotics could be a culprit, and over the years, I have been on enough for various ailments, including chronic bronchitis, sinus infection, etc.
This is me, too. I did try GAPs and I still follow many of the basic principles including chicken bone broth, probiotics, fermented foods, and specific carbs. Since I have Hashimotos, I wasn’t getting enough carbs to support my metabolism and thyroid function, and my BMI dropped to less than 20, so I have had to modify to add some extra carbs to keep me out of catabolism. I have had some gut healing but my progress is slow. It took many years to get this sick and it will take a few to heal. I hope and pray for the remission that I read about other ladies achieving.
I don’t agree with the Gaps diet,too much meat,and all the books I read tells me it is too hard to digest. I have been reading a lot about raw food diet and it is starting to make sense.I am slowly changing my diet. I have found Green Paypaya Powder is helping me a lot as it digests everthing that sits in your bowels which causes numerous health problems by sitting their fermenting. Also slippery elm has been great. My most recent addition has been barley grass powder which seems to be given me a boost in my immunity and energy levels. I think it is trial and error and finding what works for you. But definately processed foods are out,they are ‘dead’ and have no benefit for our bodies.
Keep in mind that I don’t recommend the GAPs diet to everyone. I usually do recommend a mostly raw, Paleo-type diet to most of my patients. But if someone has numerous sensitivities and has problems eating certain foods and/or consuming certain supplements then they might need to consider something like the GAPs diet. Everyone is of course different. I definitely agree about avoiding processed foods.
Thanks for all of the responses. Since i quit strict GAPS a couple months ago, I’ve been following more of a Paleo diet. I’m particularly focusing on the Paleo Autoimmune protocol which is the perfect segue from GAPS. i have not had a problem with the meats since I take a Pepsin/HCl supplement with every meal. However, since I’m allergic to beef and pork, I eat only bison, lamb, fish, and some chicken. Recently, I’ve added organ meats as well. I need the meats because I can’t have any grains, dairy, or nightshades. With Hashi, beans are not an option and I can consume only small qty of nuts. Processed foods aren’t even an option.
The papaya powder sounds like a good idea. Don’t think I could do raw food. Every time I eat raw veggies, they don’t appear to get digested and cause me belly distress. I also have IBS. I eat LOTS of cooked veggies every day and doing well that way Every body is so different in what works or doesn’t work for them. Best of luck to everyone to find the best path to health !
Great information. Food sensitivity is such a big issue. I have been curious for a while now about what food sensitivities I might have. I didn’t realize that it could be related to problems with liver detoxification. Have you heard of LEAP therapy (LEAP-MRT)? A friend of mine is a registered dietician and told me about it. I have been considering getting tested.
Hi Kate,
I’m not too familiar with mediator release testing, but there doesn’t seem to be much research about this type of testing, and this really is the case with most testing for food sensitivities. IgG testing isn’t completely reliable, although when combined with IgA testing for food sensitivities it does increase the accuracy.
My 6 year has been diagnosed with multiple food (and environmental) allergies. What kind of diet could be given to a girl who has yeast and mold allergies? Yeast and mold are in everything. She isn’t even allowed things with vinegar ie: ketchup, sauerkraut etc. I had no idea the amount of things that contain yeast and mold. My baby is allergic to almost everything! She cannot even eat her favorite fruit..Oranges! Who on EARTH is allergic to ORANGES??!! Anyone with some advice, please help me help my daughter.
Hi Jessica,
You might want to look into the GAPS diet for your daughter. It’s a very strict diet to follow, but it’s great for those who have numerous sensitivities. Often times a leaky gut is the culprit. Oregano oil can be very beneficial to help with the yeast. Here’s an article I wrote on mold and thyroid health:
https://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/how-does-mold-affect-thyroid-health/
I became allergic to nearly everything 5 years ago at 21 years of age. I think it was a combination of things, one, being a preemie and always having a sensitive digestive system; two having a poor diet; three, taking too many antibiotics over the years; four, having major emotional and physical stresses in my life for most of my life. Looking back, I see all the signs that I was wearing down my digestive and immune system. Anyway, I’m allergic to lime, cherry, strawberry, blueberry, chocolate, goat milk, cow milk, wheat, oat, rye, barley, celery, pork, turkey, and other foods I can’t think of at the moment and many spices. It’s rediculous since I spent 21 years eating whatever I wanted and half that time making a pig out of myself, enjoying the fact that I never gained weight from all that I ate.
Well, since July I have begun the GAPS diet. I have definitely noticed a difference. I was so malnourished and weak before. Now, my concentration is up, my legs don’t feel weak, I have an easier time utilizing my electolytes and keeping them balanced. I did have such a poor digestive system, though, that at first I had to find meats like hamburger that blended into a liquid when I put them in the blender with water or broth. But just recently I’ve been eating more and more of my meats without blending them. I know 3, almost 4 years ago I had the HIDA scan done and it came out that my gallbladder was only functioning at 3%. I had an unknown b12 deficiency at that time, all I knew was that I felt too weak to have surgery, and so far, I’m fine. In fact, since I started a new probiotic with over 50million bacteria in it for the past 3 weeks, my gallbladder function has been getting better. Not only that, I think it itches me. I mean, I feel an itchiness where I usually feel my gallbladder. I figured since many of my symptoms of eased up that maybe it is healing itself which is why it feels itchy, like a scab trying to heal.
Three years ago I became a vegan because my digestive system was so bad that I couldn’t swallow meat, not even if I liquified it or had the liquid fat from cooking it. So me switching to veganism was initially unvoluntary, but I imbraced it because I didn’t know what else to do. Within a year and a half I was so malnourished that luckily I came across Nourishing Traditions and even though I lost my taste for meat, I wanted to get better so I forced myself to eat it again. I immediately ended up with gastritis, but I noticed I felt so much better otherwise, so I kept up the meat in my diet. So I thought I was going to have a problem going on the GAPS diet eating all of this meat, but it has really helped me. I mean, I needed the protein. My heart was starting to bother me when I didn’t get enough sleep, and a doctor told me to up my protein intake, so when I learned about the GAPS diet, I knew it would be beneficial, and it definitely has. I mean, I was so weak at the beginning of the year that I couldn’t even do stretches anymore. I was so out of reserves that my body couldn’t handle stretching. I mean, the other day I had been sitting down for a while and felt the need to stretch my legs out in front of me, and I thanked God that I could do that again, that I had the urge to do that, because I didn’t have it in me earlier this year. So physically I am doing so much better. And my personality is back. I still get tired easily, but no where near how it used to be. But it does suck to have to pack my food and drinks all of the time when I go anywhere, but I have noticed that I can put up with more smells than before.
What I would like to know is, has anyone gotten as bad as me and made a full recovery? Because I would sure like to eat all foods again. I mean like dairy, chocolate, grains. It sucks to watch everyone else eat all the foods I used to love and never thought I could ever give up. I never thought I would go on a diet. I didn’t think I would have the discipline, but when your throat starts to close, you have no choice but to leave it out of you diet. The funny thing is, antihistamines can make my allergic reactions worse, so I just take an omega 3 pill or eat an avocado and that calms down the reaction. It still takes a while to feel normal, but it works.
Hi Vanessa,
I’m glad you noticed a difference from following the GAPS diet. It’s a great diet, especially for those who have multiple sensitivities, although many people find it difficult to follow since it’s so strict. To answer your question, I definitely wouldn’t give up hope, as there are people like you who have have restored their health back to normal, although as you realize, it does take a good amount of time for this to happen.