When it comes to the health of your digestive system, there is much more than just eating food and eliminating waste. The toll that food takes on the body along the digestive pathway can either make or break your overall health. Your immune system resides right in your gut. It is your immune system that is the gateway to your health. By paying close attention to how your body functions on a daily basis, you can get a clue as to the status of your digestive health and your immune system.
It is very common these days to experience food allergies or sensitivities. Foods that at one time in your life you easily digested may cause symptoms of distress on the digestive system and the body in general. When chronic digestive upset is experienced, it is known as an intolerance, and the digestive system needs a break from these foods in order to repair itself. Finding out what you are allergic to by having an IgG (Immunoglobulin G) blood test done to list the foods that show an immune response, can be extremely helpful in narrowing down what needs to be eliminated in order for healing to occur. But you don't have to take it quite that far.
To start off, look at the foods that you eat the most often. Generally the foods that are consumed the most and are staples in your diet will rank the highest of allergens and they will more than likely be the breakfast foods you are consuming. Dairy, wheat, grains, and eggs are the most commonly seen allergens, but you can also add soy, nuts, corn, and sugar to that list. Overexposure to these foods can create an immune response in the gut and weaken the mucosal lining of the intestinal tract. Over time, with an decrease in this protective barrier, the porosity of the gut increases creating small holes known as leaky gut syndrome. When the foods that have created this condition are consumed, the undigested proteins and bacteria travel across the intestinal lining into the bloodstream and set off an immune response. These foods will show up as being either high, moderate, or low on the scale of allergies.
In my personal experience with food allergies, I have found that by slowly eliminating the most common food allergens--> Dairy, Wheat, Eggs, Soy, Corn, and Grains in general for 14-21 days and then slowly reintroducing them one at a time on different weekly cycles will help you to determine which foods you need to avoid. If you become reactive upon introducing them, then eliminate them again for another cycle. Often times, when there is actual intestinal damage, it will take a period of 6-12 months for the mucosal lining to heal completely. But there are some supplements that can help expedite the process.
I like to start clients off with a food elimination and rotation plan initially because it could be as simple as just eliminating a common food in their diet. However, an allergen can be something that you never would have even thought of. For me it was sulfites which are very present in foods like egg whites, lemons, sweet potatoes, wine, and vinegar. Although these specific foods didn't show up on a food allergy test, the sulfites showed up upon other blood work.
When an allergy, sensitivity, or intolerance presents itself, the only true way to heal is to avoid the food and and give it some time. Taking high levels of L-Glutamine powder daily and inoculating your gut with high quality high dose probiotics specific to target the upper gut lining is extremely helpful as well. Cleansing through colon hydrotherapy helps to remove the excess waste and toxins and expedite the healing process as well.
Once the integrity of the gut has been re-established, foods that you were sensitive to can be eaten on a rotation basis. However, it's important to not go back to the original way you were eating. Food rotation in general is a healthy way to get variety and keep your system in on track.
Remove the foods and substances that are causing the distress or show up as an allergen.
Rebuild the integrity of your digestive system by cleansing and inoculating the intestines with healing properties such as L-Glutamine, Probiotics, and fermented veggies.
Restore your immune system with rest and proper exercise. The first line of defense for the body is the digestive system. For most of us it's where stress hits us first and foremost. Getting plenty of rest and proper exercise and drinking plenty of purified water to flush out toxins will help as well.