Food Sensitivities: an underlying cause of many chronic conditions
By: Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
For those of you who may be suffering with nagging digestive concerns, chronic skin conditions, and even unexplainable headaches or fatigue, you may benefit from uncovering your hidden food allergies/sensitivities. We all know that making consistently poor food choices will catch up with us over time and can eventually lead to chronic disease. But, for those of you that may have food allergies, did you know that there can even be many “healthy” foods contributing to your unpleasant symptoms.
A food allergy occurs when our body’s immune system mounts an unnecessary response to select foods. Most of us are familiar with “immediate” food allergies, which can produce hives, eczema, and difficulty breathing within minutes. These food allergies occur because our IgE antibodies have reacted to the food allergen (most commonly peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and shellfish).
Many of us are less familiar with “delayed” food allergies/sensitivities, which result in a much broader array of symptoms over the course of hours or even days. These food allergies occur because our IgG antibodies have reacted to the food allergen. This type of food allergy is also commonly referred to as “hidden” food allergies since they so often go undetected. According to some estimates, approximately 60% of the population suffers from undetected food allergies, the majority of which are the “hidden” or “delayed” types of food allergies.
Food allergies typically result from long-standing digestive problems and intestinal inflammation, but can also be caused by food chemicals/additives, or solid food introduction in infants. If you are suffering from any of the following symptoms or conditions, it may be a good idea to properly evaluate food sensitivities using a blood test:
- Intestinal: Irritable Bowel Syndrome; Ulcerative Colitis; Crohn’s Disease; Gas/Bloating
- Mental/Emotional: Anxiety, Depression, Hyperactivity, Poor concentration or memory
- Musculoskeletal: Joint pain, Low back pain, Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Skin: Eczema, Hives, Acne, Psoriasis
- Other: Headaches, Asthma, Migraine, Weight gain, Fatigue
The good news is that we now have advanced testing methods to detect these food allergies and our Newmarket Naturopathic Clinic offers food allergy blood tests that will easily and accurately show which foods your body reacts to. Food sensitivity/allergy blood tests can distinguish between immediate (IgE) and delayed (IgG) food allergies, and can display the severity of each food allergy.
Once you have identified all of your food allergies, we can help you to eliminate these foods from your diet to reduce/eliminate any symptoms that may have resulted from these allergies. Food allergy elimination can be a daunting task; thankfully, Nature’s Emporium and many health food stores offer a wide selection of healthy and nutritious alternatives to any foods that you may need to eliminate, and we will ensure that your dietary needs will be met.
Michael Morsillo is a naturopathic doctor who is passionate about helping others achieve their optimal level of health. Michael maintains a clinical practice in Newmarket, where he focuses mainly on cancer, anxiety, depression, gastrointestinal concerns, detoxification, and weight loss.
For more information or to schedule an appointment:
Call 905-898-1844 (ext. 135) or email dr.morsillo@gmail.com