Dairy Sensitivity Explained
Have you been wondering… do I have a dairy sensitivity?
Tell me if this is you.
You start by eating dairy first thing in the morning- cereal and milk. A couple of hours later you are gassy and your stomach is making noises. OR maybe you don’t get stomach signals, but you start getting acne on your chin, blackheads, or even cystic acne when you eat pizza. OR maybe you have dry skin, itchy skin, or eczema patches when you add cream to your coffee.
These are just a few common signs or symptoms of dairy intolerance. Other symptoms of dairy intolerance also range from anxiety to brain fog and depression.
What Are Food Sensitivities?
Food sensitivities are a common root cause of many digestive concerns, mood issues, hormonal imbalances, and lack of energy. This is because food intolerances or sensitivities place a heavy burden on the body to try and manage undigested food that is foreign in the bloodstream. Let’s understand how this happens and what you can do to heal this. But, first I want to define a food intolerance vs. food allergy.
There is a difference between an allergy and a sensitivity. The difference is in the type of antibodies engaged in the immune response to a particular food as well as the type of reaction.
Allergies involve IgE antibodies which produce a more immediate immune reaction to tell the body that there is a foreign invader. These are commonly known as anaphylactic reactions.
Sensitivities involve IgA or IgG antibodies which are directed by the immune system in a more delayed response to a foreign invader. IgA antibodies are commonly found in the mucosal barriers of the body which may be present in response to a particular food when the food causes inflammation. IgG antibodies are present when there is repeated exposure to a food protein and when inflammation and immune reactivity are high. Sometimes an IgA or IgG reaction to a food can take up to 48 hours to present itself! For this reason, food sensitivities are commonly unnoticed or undiagnosed.
Have you been tested for IgG and IgA antibodies? If so, you might have a food sensitivity to dairy or other foods if there are antibodies present. However, just because you have an antibody doesn’t mean you will have a reaction. Food sensitivities must be validated with symptoms by doing an elimination of the food and then reintroduction after 3 to 6 months.
How Food Sensitivities Cause Acne
An elimination diet is a great time to do a gut-healing protocol like the GAPS diet. This is because food intolerances are often a symptom or sign of inflammation in the gut. At the same time, food intolerances can promote inflammation in the gut.
This is why continuing to eat a food you are sensitive to contributes to a never-ending cycle of inflammation in the digestive tract and can lead to chronic issues like psychological imbalances, autoimmunity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and chronic pain. Stopping the cycle by avoiding your triggers can promote the healing process.
What To Do To Heal Food Sensitivities
The truth is, for many people, food intolerances can be reversed if you begin to heal the gut. Though this can take some time and hard work, I much prefer the hopefulness of reintroducing food sensitivities than to have to avoid them for the rest of your life.
I also want to remind you that your body knows what you need and we have to listen to it. If you are unable to eat a particular food for some time, there are lots of other foods you CAN eat, and this is also a hopeful way to look at your food sensitivities.