4 Myths about food reactions

Here I’ll break down some myths and truths about food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities.

Hint: They’re not the same thing.

Myth or truth? Food allergies and food sensitivities are the same thing.

False.

I see this all the time. Recently I was on a webinar led by a naturopathic doctor. The title of the webinar was about food sensitivities, so I was surprised when she began talking about allergic reactions. She didn’t talk about food sensitivities at all. But it’s pretty common for people to get the two things mixed up or think that they’re the same thing.

Here’s the truth. Food allergies are immediate, immune-mediated reactions that involve IgE antibodies and can be life-threatening, causing symptoms like hives, swelling, or anaphylaxis within minutes.

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, some common food allergies include, but aren’t limited to: eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, oats, seafood, sesame seeds and soy.

Food sensitivities, on the other hand, are delayed reactions that can involve different immune pathways (like IgG antibodies) and typically cause symptoms hours or even days after eating the trigger food. These symptoms might include digestive issues, headaches, fatigue, or skin problems. Understanding this difference is crucial because the testing, management, and timeline for each are completely different.

We can become sensitive to anything, especially when the body becomes inflamed because of gut imbalances and leaky gut, toxins, autoimmune conditions, and our good friend chronic stress.

Myth or Truth? If you have to eliminate foods, you can never eat them again.

Allergies? This is likely true. Especially if you carry an Epi-pen. It’s not worth it.

Celiac? You need to be gluten-free. I can help.

Food sensitivities? You might feel like you can never eat the food again, but there’s good news.

Most food sensitivities are temporary conditions that can be healed with the right approach. Unlike true food allergies, which are typically permanent, sensitivities often develop due to gut inflammation, leaky gut, digestive dysfunction, chronic stress, and adrenal dysfunction. The gut-brain connection means that ongoing stress can worsen intestinal permeability and trigger inflammatory responses that make you more reactive to foods. By following a systematic elimination diet, healing the gut lining, supporting adrenal function, managing stress, and rebalancing your digestive system, many people can successfully reintroduce foods they once had to avoid. The key is addressing the root causes—both physical and stress-related—rather than just managing symptoms forever.

MYTH or truth? Food intolerances are "all in your head" or not real medical conditions.

False. Have you been told this?

Here’s the truth: Food intolerances are legitimate physiological responses that occur when your body lacks specific enzymes needed to properly digest certain foods. For example, lactose intolerance happens when your body doesn't produce enough lactase enzyme to break down milk sugar. These reactions cause real, measurable symptoms like bloating, gas, diarrhea, or stomach pain. While they're not life-threatening like allergies, they significantly impact quality of life and are based on actual biochemical processes in your digestive system.

Myth or truth? You need expensive testing to identify your food triggers.

False.

While testing can be helpful, a properly conducted elimination diet is often the gold standard for identifying food sensitivities and intolerances. Many food sensitivity tests have high rates of false positives and can be costly and confusing.

A systematic elimination diet, where you remove suspected trigger foods for a specific period and then reintroduce them one at a time while monitoring symptoms, gives you real-world data about how YOUR body responds to specific foods. This approach is not only more accurate but also teaches you to become your own food detective.

Want to know more?

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