A Functional Medicine Approach to Food Allergies & Intolerances

Do you Suffer from Food Allergies & Intolerances?

 

Nutritional Therapists and Functional practitioners find food sensitivities and allergies a challenge to work with. Food lists differ, food allergy tests conflict, and nutritional protocols, and interventions are complex. These circumstances make it very frustrating and patients can feel helpless. Here are a few nutritional protocols to work with.

 

• SIBO (Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)
• SIFO (Small intestinal fungal overgrowth)
• Low FODMAP (Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides And Polyols). These short-chain carbohydrates are poorly absorbed in the small intestine.
• Anti-Histamine (or allergy prone foods)
• Salicylates intolerances
• Oxalates
• Tyramine Foods
• Low Copper Diet

 

When did food become so complicated?

If you have to eliminate certain foods or families of foods it can be overwhelming, frustrating, and stressful. As well, they can often leave you feeling at a loss for what to eat. If you feel stressed or have anxiety around eating, it worsens your digestive abilities. Take the functional medicine approach to lower stress levels around food and some great choices that will make you feel good about eating again.

 

Tasks Around Eating

 

Eating with good allergies and intolerances isn’t easy. If you feel stressed about what types of food to eat, your digestion is going to suffer. These tasks help your mental health.

 

 

Change Your Way of Thinking

 

You must be willing to change your way of thinking to see change in other aspects of your life. Here are a few inspiring things you can do to achieve change.

1. Breathe! There are a variety of healthy breathing activities that reduce stress.
2. Don’t be a victim of your circumstances. Be a master of them! Empower yourself to turn this challenge into learning, growth, and transformation.
3. Remember; there are always options.
4. Be open and willing to try new foods, to explore, experiment, find new grocery stores, allergy-friendly bakeries, and specialty food shops. How open and willing you are to try new things is a reflection of how you do life. Are you blocked, anxious, fearful, or close-minded about trying new things in your life? Are you that way with food? This may be a life lesson to be learned and your food is a doorway to that. Google what is available in your city.

 

Research Your Choices

1. Get an allergy-friendly cookbook. Go to the bookstore and spend time finding a cookbook that inspires you.
2. Go online. There are endless amounts of recipes and websites to support you. Simply google what you are looking for and you will be amazed at how much is available to you.
3. Take your time and go through health food stores. Go up and down each aisle, read ingredients, ask the staff questions, and learn.

 

Put Your Research Into Action

1. Eat simple. Focus on 1-3 foods/ingredients at a time to not overwhelm your digestive system.
2. Eat real whole food.
3. Eat small meals that are easy to digest. Don’t overeat!

 

Seeking Help

 

Food allergies and intolerances are a product of a sick digestive system. Your digestive system needs to be healed and removing food is only 1 part of the equation. Gut restoration is a step by step process that requires customized supplement intervention. I can work with you to resolve those.

1. Book a consult to customize your own eating path and supplement requirements.
2. Book a grocery shopping consult if you are overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin.
3. Look at the stress in your life. Anger, anxiety and unresolved conflicts and stresses are often a significant contributing factor to digestion challenges.

 

Allergy Friendly Foods

Below is a list of dairy, gluten, egg, and soy-free foods. Most of these are safe if you have Candidiasis or SIBO or on an anti-inflammatory nutritional lifestyle. Always read ingredients to ensure these are perfect foods for you. First, always start with real, whole food first like fruits, vegetables, lean and clean quality protein, essential fats, and minimal whole-gluten-free grains if tolerated. Second, add in these additional foods to round off your nutritional lifestyle.

 

Ice cream

• Screamin’ Brothers Ice Cream (coconut milk and honey)
• Coconut Bliss Ice Cream (not recommended for SIBO/candida)

 

Pizza Crust

• Judy G Pizza Crust (gluten, dairy, egg, soy free)

 

Wraps

• Tres Marias Wraps (chickpea flour, non-GMO corn)
• Pure Wraps (coconut flour)
• Nori Wraps (seaweed)

 

Yogurt

• Yoso Coconut Milk Yogurt

 

Cream Cheese

• Yoso (cashew base)

 

Cheese

• Earth Island cheese (good alternative to Daiya if you don’t like that)

 

Bread

• Delicious bread (gluten and egg free bread)

 

Protein Shakes

• Vega protein shakes to go (convenient pre-made shakes)

 

Dried Fruit

• Fruitivity

 

Snack Bites/Bars

• Thrive Tribe Bites (convenient bite-size snacks)
• Joseph’s Nutless Clusters
• Pegan Paleo Bar
• Crick Start (if you don’t mind eating cricket flour!)
• Bounce

 

Nuts, Seeds, & Butters

• Choose any natural nut or seed butters of choice (pumpkin, cashew, hazelnut, sunflower, etc.)
• Tiger Nut Butter (excellent alternative if you are nut and seed-free). Tiger Nut is a Tuber not a nut

 

Granola

• Tiger Nut Granola

 

Jerky

• Noble Jerky (Vegan Jerky)

 

Chips/Salty Snacks

• Simply Protein Chips
• Sea Snax
• Kale Chips
• Beet Chips (Rhythm Supefoods)
• Organic Corn Tortillas
• Peas Please (Peeled Snacks)

 

Sweet Treats:

• Prana Samsuma (sesame seeds and honey)
• Blue Monkey Coconut Chips

 

Chocolate Chips

• Enjoy Life (dairy, soy free)
• Made Good

 

Don’t let your allergies and food intolerances get you down! There are always options and new foods to try and experience. This new way of eating and can open the door to new exciting foods, improved health, growth, learning, and joy.