This morning I did a segment on CTV Morning Live all about Food Sensitivities. Click here to watch the segment.

Here’s what I talked about...

What are food sensitivities?

Food sensitivities are a reaction by your immune system when you are exposed to a certain food. The key with food sensitivities vs. an allergy is that symptoms can present up to 4 days after consumption. So, unlike a food allergy where you react right away and it’s very obvious, a food sensitivity is a lot harder to figure out.

What are some common symptoms of sensitivities?

Anything digestive related, like bloating, indigestion, upset stomachs. But even things you wouldn’t necessarily associated with food like skin rashes, mental health problems, feeling tired or lethargic, and headaches or migraines. I’ve had some clients tell me they also notice less puffiness and some even lose weight when they remove theirs.

If you suspect you have a food sensitivity there are two things you can do. The first is to do an elimination diet where you remove the common sensitivities like gluten, dairy, eggs, soy for a 4 week period. You then introduce one food at a time and if you experience a reaction, you’ll know which foods were the culprits. 

That can be somewhat cumbersome though, so I’ll actually run food sensitivity testing on my clients where we look at antibody levels for the top 95 most commonly eaten foods. If you are interested in having this test done, please book a complimentary call here.

How do you replace these foods then?

For today’s purposes we’re going to talk about the two most common sensitivities I see: gluten and dairy.

For breakfast, if you’re used to eating toast, cereal or yogurt…I’d recommend you switch to a protein shake. Since strawberries are in season, I've got a strawberry banana shake. Click here for the recipe. I’m using the Genuine Health fermented vegan protein powder here, which is really easy on your digestive system because it’s fermented. That's important because often people that have sensitivities also have sluggish or compromised digestion. (Note: whey protein is cow’s dairy based so can make your sensitivity worse!)

Then, I have my Chicken Alfredo w/ Zoodles. Click here for the recipe. I'm killing two birds with one stone because we have a pasta dish that has a creamy sauce, except there is NO gluten or dairy. I made zucchini noodles with my spiralizer (my FAVE kitchen gadget!). Then, the main ingredients in the sauce to make it creamy is coconut milk and avocado! 

Last but not least, we can’t forget a healthy dessert. So, if you’re an ice cream person…I've got some banana nice cream here. ALL this is, is sliced frozen bananas thrown into the food processor to make a soft serve ice cream. You can read more about how to make banana ‘nice’ cream here.

Where can you learn more?

If you suspect you have food sensitivities and would like more guidance or to get tested, click on the link below to book a complimentary 1:1 coaching session.