Understanding Food Sensitivities

Food Allergies vs Food Sensitivities

They use different immunoglobulins of the immune system causing different reactions, causing different reactions. Food allergies use the IgE immunoglobulin and food sensitivities use the IgG immunoglobulin (side note: Immunoglobulin will sometimes be switched with the word antibodies depending on what you’re reading). IgE reactions tend to occur faster and is also known as Hypersensitvity type 1; whereas, IgG reactions tend to be delayed (can take up to 3 days to get a reaction) and is also known as Hypersensitivity type 3 (PEDIAA, 2019).

IgE Immunoglobulin

• Reaction causes release of histamine

• Itching, hives, anaphylaxis, red skin

• Reactions happen very quickly

• Test: Skin Prick test, IgE Blood test

• Through an Allergist

IgG Immunoglobulin

• Reaction causes release of inflammatory mediators

• Chronic inflammation (eg. eczema, bowel symptoms (constipation, stomach pains, diarrhea, etc), migraines, etc)

• Reaction can take up to 3 days to occur

• Test: Elimination Diet or Food Sensitivity Test

• Through a Naturopathic Doctor

IgG reactions can manifest in different ways, and since they’re delayed, can be a little trickier to track, and therefore has a higher tendency to become chronic reactions. This in turn can lead to chronic inflammation, which can cause a number of other symptoms. IgG immunoglobulins have been seen in patients with allergic-like reactions (Shakoor, et al; 2016, Crowe; 2019)

Gut Health and Your Immune System

Your gut is exposed to the outside world, which makes it a key player in regulating your health. 70-80% of your immune system is found in your gut through GALT (Gut-associated lymphoid tissue) receptors. These are receptors found all over your intestines that communicate to different parts of your body by presenting foreign bodies (eg. bacteria, viruses, etc.) to the immune system to start building up an immune response (Microbe Notes, 2018).

Discovering Your Food Sensitivities

Both of these methods should be monitored by a qualified practitioner

Elimination Diet

• Pros:

  • Understand how your body reacts to different foods

  • 100% accurate with tracking and reintroduction phase

  • Cheaper

• Cons:

  • Requires time and commitment

  • Takes 4-6 weeks of eliminations + the amount of time needed to reintroduce the foods

  • Can be difficult to see if a food causes a reaction if you are not in tune with your body or second guess yourself

Food Sensitivity Test

• Pros:

  • Convenient

  • Good for people who like visuals or are analytical

  • Takes most of the guessing out of it

• Cons:

  • Not 100% accurate

  • Is changeable depending on the health of your gut

  • Expensive

When I work with patients on these concerns, I ask my patients to fill out a questionnaire at the beginning before the eliminate the foods, and afterwards, so we can see things have shifted, and where they’ve experienced an improvement of symptoms. To better understand how to incorporate these into your life to discover your food sensitivities, book an appointment with your Naturopathic Doctor.

~ Dr. Charmagne

Breastfeeding Mama's Nutrition

Did you know that breast milk is amazing? It is entirely filled with the perfect nutrients needed for your baby, complete with antibodies to protect your baby from bacteria and viruses. These antibodies coat their entire lining and give them this protective shield. Breastfeeding babies tend to get sick less, and if they do get sick, it doesn't tend to last as long (Chantry, Cushing). However, all of that being said, what should the diet of Mama be?

Breast milk will always have the right nutrients for your baby. Every mother around the world has a different diet, and even in causes such as famines, breastmilk still had the proper nutrition needed for baby to thrive. So there is no particular diet Mama needs to be on to support the nutrients in her milk, the nutrients needed to make breast milk will go to the milk. As a result, having a healthy diet helps mom be healthy, helps her feel better, and replenish her stores. 

The nice thing about breastfeeding, is that Mama doesn't have to avoid any foods. She can enjoy the foods that she likes, and can drink coffee and alcohol (if you can drive, you can breastfeed) in moderation as well (without having to pump and dump). Eat as much food as you need to to be full, and drink as much as you need to stay hydrated. You may notice you are hungry, want to snack, or drink water more often, and that is because making milk takes energy and water. Adding fish oils is also helpful for Mama and baby, because as said before, baby will get all the omega-3s they need from your breastmilk - leaving you with whatever is left. This can be fine if you are regularly eating fish and taking omega-3 supplements; however, if you are not, it isn't good, and may be part of the reason for mommy brain, and postpartum depression (Hsu, Guesnet). When selecting a fish oil, find one that has more DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid), because this is the one that is utilized for developing nervous systems and eye health (Echeverria, Guesnet). Vitamin D is often another consideration; vitamin D can be taken by Mama (6400 IU/day), and not have to supplement baby, or baby can be supplemented with vitamin D, if they aren't able to have adequate sun exposure (Hollis). 

Other than those last 2 recommendations, Mama's diet can be whatever she wants it to be. Having a healthier diet will benefit Mama more than baby, so I would encourage Mama's diet to be healthier (Foundations of Health - Diet), with other foods thrown in moderation. 

You've got this!

~ Dr. Charmagne

Foundations of Health - Diet

In this article, I will be talking about 1 Pillar of Health - Diet, and what you can do to have this foundation. These foundations is an awesome start to work towards your health goals, but if you have other underlying conditions, this is the first step. To accelerate your health journey and make sure you are going in the right direction, book an appointment with someone you trust and can work with.

Diet

When you look at your plate, does it look plain? How many colours do you see? It is important to have as many colours as possible on your plate to fill in the gaps in nutrition that each portion has. Eat the rainbow of plants that nature provides - that way you can get a number of different phytonutrients from all of them. For example, blueberries are very rich in anthocyanes, which is a strong antioxidant, and it is found in that nice blue, red, or purple pigment found in berries. Whereas, dark leafy greens provide a lot of minerals and vitamins, such as magnesium found in the chlorophyll of plants, which aren’t found in the same concentrations in berries.

Do you have some sort of protein on your plate? Then you need protein to help your body produce the vital things your body uses to function, like receptors, and enzymes. It also helps you maintain your energy throughout the day. If you notice you have an energy crash in the afternoon? Ask yourself if your breakfast and lunch have protein, and if it doesn't, add some in. You'll notice that you experience these crashes less often. 

Lastly, fats are very important in terms of energy and satiety. There are several fat receptors in your stomach, and if you are able to bind all of them to fat molecules - from healthy fats - then you are telling your body that you have had enough food, and that you don’t need to eat any more. You become full longer, and you give your body the building blocks it needs to make the cellular membranes in your body, as well as hormones. Just make sure you are eating health fats, such as olive oil, nuts, coconut oil, fish oil, etc.

Picture from Bauman College

Happy eating!

~ Dr. Charmagne