Think "food allergy" and you might conjure the worst-case scenario, like a child going into anaphylactic shock after exposure to peanuts. No doubt, a severe food allergy is scary. But it's also relatively rare. A much more common scenario is an adult with a low-grade food allergy to say, gluten, who never pinpoints the cause of his misery. His symptoms are vague (bloating, constipation, weight gain) and his exposure is frequent (breakfast, lunch and dinner), so the connection is murky. And, over years, the hidden allergy takes a toll on the immune system. The result of an overworked immune system is everything from weight gain to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to arthritis.
That's what happened to a patient of mine. John weighed 350 pounds and was facing diabetes. But his blood sugar problem was only the tip of the iceberg. He also had joint pain, asthma, crippling fatigue and a sleep disorder. To combat his lethargy, he craved diet soda and fast food for its high number of starchy carbs, a false source of fast energy. What he didn't know was that he had celiac disease, a serious autoimmune disease fed by his daily indulgence in bagels and donuts. Celiac disease causes the immune system to turn on itself, attacking the healthy lining of the digestive tract. And the major trigger is gluten, a sticky protein found in many grains, including John's daily dose of bagels and donuts. Unchecked autoimmune diseases mean the gut is in a constant state of inflammation, a breeding ground for chronic illness.
Food Sensitivities and Inflammation
John's story is not unique. Inflammation is one of the biggest drivers of weight gain and disease in America. While celiac afflicts roughly 1 percent of Americans, as many as 30 percent may have non-celiac gluten intolerance.[1] The key difference is that in people with celiac disease, the body attacks the small intestine. But in people with non-celiac gluten intolerance, the immune system attacks the gluten. A recent article in The New England Journal of Medicine listed 55 "diseases" that can be traced back to eating gluten.[2] Either way, the gut festers out of sight. And when the lining of the gut is inflamed, the body is even more prone to food reactions, so the problem spirals out of control.
When the lining of the gut is inflamed, small fissures open between the tightly-woven cells making up the gut walls. Called leaky gut syndrome, these chinks in the gut's armor allow bacteria and partially-digested food molecules to slip out into the bloodstream, where they are considered foreign invaders. Once it spies a potential enemy, the body doesn't hold back. The immune system attacks full throttle. White blood cells rush to surround the offending particle and systemic inflammation ensues. I'm not talking about a sore throat or infected finger. I'm talking about a hidden, smoldering fire created by the immune system as it tries to fend off a daily onslaught of food allergies.
The problem is that most people, like John, eat foods they are allergic to several times a day. Meaning every time that food enters the body, the immune system whips itself into a frenzy. But because symptoms are delayed up to 72 hours after eating, a low-grade food allergy can be hard to spot. Without diagnosis or awareness, the damage is repeated over and over, meal after meal. Eventually, inflammation seeps throughout the body, establishing an environment ripe for weight gain and chronic disease.
Identifying and treating food allergies and food sensitivities is an important part of my practice. Six weeks after John went gluten-free on The Blood Sugar Solution, not only did he lose three notches on his belt, but his knees didn't hurt, his asthma was gone, he wasn't hungry and his energy was back. John's response was not unusual. I have seen dramatic effects in weight loss, inflammatory conditions like autoimmune disease and even mood and behavioral disorders.
The problem is that most physicians, especially allergists, don't see the value in uncovering hidden food allergies. That is unfortunate because there is a growing body of medical literature illuminating the intimate relationship between the gut, food and illness. Luckily, you don't have to wait for your doctor to catch up with the times. Here are three ways to determine if food allergies are undermining your health.
Three Ways to Identify Food Allergies
If you are overweight or if you suffer from inflammatory diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer, the potential health benefits of discovering and uprooting hidden food allergies cannot be overstated. Remember, food is your greatest ally in helping to prevent and treat illness. For more information see The Blood Sugar Solution to get a free sneak peak.
Now I'd like to hear from you...
Do you have food allergies?
Are you gluten intolerant?
Have you eliminated your food sensitivities and lost weight?
Please leave your thoughts by adding a comment below.
To your good health,
Mark Hyman, MD
References:
[1] Ludvigsson, JF, et al. 2009. "Small-intestinal histopathology and mortality risk in celiac disease," Journal of the American Medical Association. 302 (11): 1171-8
[2] Farrell, RJ, and CP Kelly. 2002. "Celiac sprue," New England Journal of Medicine. 346 (3): 180-88 Review
Mark Hyman, M.D. is a practicing physician, founder of The UltraWellness Center, a four-time New York Times bestselling author, and an international leader in the field of Functional Medicine. You can follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, watch his videos on YouTube, become a fan on Facebook, and subscribe to his newsletter.
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I suffered from all kinds of "mystery symptoms" for 2+ years in college, which grew increasingly worse until I finally figured out I had celiacs. I had headaches, anxiety/fatigue/depression, bad skin and sores on my arms, joint soreness, and very weak/pained extremities, as well as all the symptoms of IBS, and none of the doctors I went to could tell me what was wrong.
My symptoms persisted even after I quit gluten, as I didn't know enough to quit dairy also. I also no longer eat soy and avoid nightshades.
I'm 100% better. It's like night and day.
I will say that it is *very* hard to quit these things--you pretty much have to resign yourself to never eating out, always cooking every meal for yourself. But it'll make you a great cook, and it doesn't have to be time consuming.
Best of health and luck to anyone beginning this process!
Since eliminating wheat products from my diet, my weight has started to decrease and my energy level has increased and blood pressure down. I am convinced that todays wheat and wheat products are what are making 70% of Americans fat.
I lost 15 pounds of bloat, energy came back, and my skin glowed again. (it was expensive, however-I had to get rid of all my size 8-10 pants and go to size 28/size 5-6.) But here's where I learned about food allergies I didn't know I had (again)-the elimination of dairy in the juice cleanse. As soon as I re-introduced dairy, I got very sick. Stomach ache, pain all around the middle, and nausea. Since being both dairy and gluten free (6 months now), I cannot tell you how happy I have been. My face, arms, and back lost all the puffiness.
I also have no problem saying no to the foods at parties, restaurants, etc. When it hurts, it's not a matter of "willpower".