“Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is high on the list,” says naturopath Dan Lukaczer, ND, director of medical education at the Institute for Functional Medicine. IBS symptoms can include constipation, diarrhea, gas, and bloating.
Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and other inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are also not directly caused by food reactivity. These are immune-mediated autoinflammatory conditions with a genetic component. But, as in some cases, food sensitivities can make symptoms worse. And children diagnosed with IBD also tend to struggle with IgE-mediated food allergies.
Autoimmune conditions share some common underlying factors with food allergies and reactions, particularly leaky gut. “When I see someone with an autoimmune disease, I think of increased intestinal permeability,” says Lukaczer. Eliminating foods that may be causing an immune response can mitigate symptoms while allowing the gut to heal.
This was excerpted from “Making Sense of Food Allergies” which was published in the May 2022 issue of Experience Life magazine.
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