It seems like everyone today has some sort of food intolerance or sensitivity. The most trendy and bashed one of course, is gluten.
The gluten-free trend has created a huge market of thousands of food like substances that have been de-glutened and sold for 20%+ more money (with even less nutrition) than their wheat laden counterparts.But I digress.What I wanted to share with you today is a free and simple method that can help you identify potential food sensitivities (NOT food allergies which are IgE reactions that can be deadly). Food intolerances/sensitivities are more subtle and less extreme than food allergies (in most cases), but the resulting inflammation absolutely can lead to many metabolic derangements and diseases – make no mistake about that! And unlike IgE allergy testing, food intolerance lab testing is notoriously unreliable and/or expensive.

This simple self testing method is FREE and only requires your time, awareness and adherence for about 30 days. And listen, if you feel totally awesome – couldn’t feel better if you tried — then by all means, skip this post (or share it with someone who needs it).

BUT…

If you think you could be feeling, functioning and looking better than you are, this experiment is something to look into.

I should caution that for some foods sensitivities, the damage or reactivity may be silent – or undetectable – particularly if you’ve adapted to a low level of inflammation and have allowed it to become your “new normal”. I’ve experienced this myself and find many clients – particularly after they do an elimination diet or Cleanse, that they can’t believe how much clearer they feel – like the fog has lifted – or they have so much energy, that they didn’t even realize how bad they really felt before, etc, etc,…

We humans are very good at compensating and adapting to stressors – and food sensitivities/intolerances are a huge stressor.

So here it is..How to Spot a Food Sensitivity (for Free):

Step 1. Write down all common symptoms that you may have (not an inclusive list and these may not be specific ONLY to food sensitivities – but note them anyway):

Fatigue
Skin/hair/nail issues (puffy, swelling, dry skin, acne, rashes, hair thinning/loss, brittle nails/ridges)
Sleep issues
Digestive issues (bloating, burping, gas, loose stools, constipation, etc..)
Joint pain/body aches
Headaches
Brain fog, forgetfulness
Mood issues – emotional, irritable, depressed, anxious
Irregular periods/flow/hot flashes
Cravings, appetite changes
Blurred, puffy, bloodshot eyes, vision issues
Physical Weakness, strength, balance/agility issues
Low sex drive
Vertigo, dizziness
Weight issues

Step 2 Eliminate the following top food culprits from your diet for 2 weeks (or longer if you want to be a rockstar). These include:

Gluten (duh – and note: it’s hidden in a ton of things)
Dairy (including whey protein)
Soy
Corn
Peanuts
Other (optional): Eggs, Shellfish, Pork, Nuts and any foods/ingredients you suspect
Processed Foods (this should prevent accidental gluten exposure)
Sugar/Artificial Sweeteners (including most gums, mints)
Alchohol
Caffeine

Step 3. After the elimination period, go back to your list of symptoms. Note what changed, if anything. Did you notice any improvement or change even if you didn’t note it as a symptom? Be honest with yourself. Even if you fear that you’ll never have (insert fave food here) again. In some cases, food sensitivities can be reversed by healing the gut and managing stress, so hooray for that!

Step 4. Reintroduce each of the eliminated foods – one at a time – for 3-4 days. Be sure to have the reintroduced food throughout the day – each day – not just once. Get your notes out and see if any symptoms come back. Again, be very in-tune and honest with yourself and know that symptoms may not be immediate..they can take several hours or days to reveal themselves. When you’ve safely reintroduced one food, try another. Same deal.

Obviously, if you notice a symptom(s) with a reintroduced food, you can be pretty certain you’re sensitive to that food and to prevent inflammation in your body you should avoid it and look at ways to heal the gut and manage your stress.

(Inflammation = the root of all disease – just sayin’).

A great way to do this 2 week trial is with the PaleoCleanse. You’ll clear your detox pathways and heal the gut in the process. Plus you get free Facebook support (by me) before, during and after (for free). Plus the kit takes care of 2 meals a day! It’s a great reset tool to use seasonally.

If you try an elimination diet, please let me know how you do. And as always, if you have any questions along the way, please reach out.

In health,
Evelyn

Roasted Cabbage Steaks

These are so good! TRUST me! You never would think cabbage could be so amazing. It is.

Take a head of cabbage and cut it into thick slices – like 1″ thick.
Rub with olive oil, a clove of garlic and sprinkle with salt.

Roast on 400 for 20 minutes.
Optional fanciness: top with orange zest