Food For Thought… Are We Creating Our Own Food Intolerance Issues?
It’s no secret that food sensitivity/food intolerance is on the rise. More and more people are subscribing to food sensitivity tests or going on elimination diets to figure out what is causing excess bloat, gas, or just an icky tummy.
Now there are many proposed theories as to why the rise is occurring but it definitely begs to ask the question, could we be creating our own food intolerance issues by following the latest and greatest diet trends?
Everywhere you turn we are inundated with which diet is the best…First we are told “carbs are the enemy- low carb is where it’s at”. Then we are told… “high fat diets! Go keto.” Nope. Nope that’s not the best, “intermittent fasting is what you need to do”
Uhhhh can we please get off the rollercoaster!
That rollercoaster you feel like you are on, trying to stay up to date with the latest diet trend, has your gut (you know the organs and bacteria responsible for digesting your food and then absorbing the nutrients) on the same rollercoaster.
The main cause of food intolerance is usually an enzyme deficiency. Enzymes are the little warriors that go to work to help us digest our food. When we don’t produce enough of a certain enzyme we can become deficient and can not digest certain foods properly. Now some people are born with these enzyme deficiencies (it can be hereditary) but we can also become enzyme deficient based on the changes in our diet.
By eliminating certain foods for our long period time our body forgets how to break down and absorb the nutrients properly and therefore we can create sensitivities that weren’t otherwise there. For example, if you eliminate dairy for a period of time you can develop a lactose intolerance. Try to reintroduce dairy and your gut says “ummm, what is this?”
But here is the good news, by following a well balanced nutrition plan that focuses more on the foods you CAN eat and less on what you can’t eat, you can restore your gut health and retrain your body to accept foods you desire.
So when people ask us, questions like “should I eliminate XYZ from my diet.” My immediate response is WHY? If you are wanting to eliminate foods from your diet for weight loss purposes, my recommendation would be to start working with a dietician or a nutrition coach who can help develop a plan that best for you based on your needs and not merely the aesthetics of being thin because your gut can definitely be affected by jumping on the bandwagon of the latest and greatest diet trend.
As always, those of you who read my blogs, know that I write like I talk so if I lost you or you are having difficulty understanding, lets have a conversation in person! Consultations are always available for us to dive deeper on all things nutrition!
Written by: Jackie Giese, Fitness Nutrition Specialist
