Food Sensitivities - Not Allergies, But Quality of Life

When it comes to food and having troubles with it, most people fall into one of two camps:

I’m allergic to that food
or
That food doesn’t sit well with me

I see a lot that people eat things that don’t sit well with them for one reason or another because they are foods they enjoy, and while there’s a lot of value in that, those foods are likely trying to give you a heads up that you have a food sensitivity to them.

So here’s the difference between food allergies and food sensitivities:

• When do they develop? Food allergies are present since infancy and develop early on in life, while food sensitivities can pop up at any time, even with foods you may have never had troubles with in the past.

• How long does it take to see a reaction? Food allergies provide a reaction almost instantly, or within 2 hours of consuming that food. Food sensitivities, on the other hand, can take up to 72 hours to show their effects and is dependent on how it is shown for you personally.

• What does the reaction look like? Food allergies result in immediate skin, digestive and respiratory reactions. Since food allergy reactions often include anaphylaxis, they can be deadly reactions if not treated quickly. Food sensitivities can show their face in a variety of ways, often making them difficult to identify, especially if you have been living with those recurring reactions for a long period of time. You might notice blemished skin, eczema, bloating and other digestive issues, IBS, joint pain, exhaustion, headaches, and weight gain to name a few.

• How many foods can it be? Food allergies are often only seen from a couple of foods, except for extreme cases such as autoimmune disease, while food sensitivities can be held for several foods. Dairy, eggs, gluten, grains, sugar, and corn are some of the most common food sensitivities, though they can exist for any food.

As you can see, food sensitivities can create an altered quality of life you for you, even if they are not life-threatening in the way that food allergies are. If you have low confidence because of skin issues or weight, resolving your food sensitivities can help. If you’re suffering through digestive issues, removing those foods from your diet can help give you more comfort.

If you think you might have a food sensitivity based on any of those symptoms, you can create a self-assessment by removing that food from your diet for 2-3 weeks, seeing if the issues resolve, and then slowly reintroducing the food back into your diet in small doses. If you get a negative reaction, it might not be best to continue ingesting that food as it could be causing more damage than such giving you unhealthy skin, for instance. If you don’t see a reaction, that food is likely safe for you to consume. Remember, nutrition is personal to you, so there is no one-sizes-fits-all approach to what you should be eating. Listening to any sensitivities your body may be telling you can help improve your overall healthy.