One in five people suffer from food intolerances, a figure that is growing each year. People are eating ever more restricted diets, removing dairy, gluten and many other foods from their plates. Unfortunately, as they remove these foods, they add highly processed foods in their place, damaging their gut microbiome and leading to long-term health problems.
Blood or poop tests for food intolerance have not been clinically validated and create more confusion. People can grow out of allergies, and in the vast majority of cases, food intolerances can be reduced. Restrictive diets can fuel food intolerance, and gut bacteria are extremely important for intolerances.
Food allergies are the response of the immune system to food, while food intolerances are usually digestive symptoms. Food allergies have more than doubled in the last 60 years, and the rise is in parallel to other allergic and immune-mediated diseases. Allergies are a response of the immune system to something outside of the body.
Will Bulsiewicz explains that the gut microbiome is capable of producing digestive enzymes that supplement our digestion, using lactose as an example.
Our gut microbes produce the enzyme that breaks down milk, and if we lack the enzymes, the microbes will process and digest the milk, potentially leading to increased tolerance.
Will compares training gut microbes to become more capable of digesting certain foods to training at the gym, where increased capability leads to better handling of challenges.
Dr. Bulsiewicz emphasizes the importance of starting at a lower threshold when introducing exercise to avoid injury.
He highlights the individualized nature of strengths and weaknesses when it comes to physical capabilities.
Jonathan Wolff humorously pretends to be six foot four like Dr. Bulsiewicz.
Each person has a unique gut microbiome, making it crucial to understand individual food intolerances.
Gold standard for identifying food intolerances involves temporary restriction, observing symptoms, and reintroducing foods.
Working with a registered dietitian is crucial for support and guidance in identifying and managing food intolerances.
Most food intolerances can be improved by addressing gut microbiome disturbances, and the solution is not always dietary restriction.
Counterintuitive approaches, such as early exposure to allergenic foods, have been proven effective in preventing food allergies in children.
Restrictive diets during pregnancy can increase the likelihood of food allergies in children, emphasizing the importance of early exposure to allergenic foods.
Will Bulsiewicz explains that FODMAPs are fermentable carbohydrates found in healthy, natural foods, and are a normal part of our diet. Most FODMAPs are prebiotic, which means they are the food that our microbes most like.
Monash University was the first to bring forward the FODMAP and has a fantastic app for those interested in diving deeper into FODMAPs. Examples of FODMAPs include lactose from dairy and fructans found in wheat, barley, and rye, which can cause symptoms in people misdiagnosed with gluten intolerance.
Gluten may not be the sole culprit in wheat intolerance. Research shows fructans in wheat can cause symptoms.
Celiac disease can be diagnosed through upper endoscopy with biopsies or genetic testing.
Histamine intolerance can be improved by reducing histamine intake, healing the gut, and consuming DAO enzyme from sprouted peas.
Intolerances are different from allergies and can be overcome by understanding and healing the gut microbiome.
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