tive tract as a long tube that connects with the outside at both ends. Even though the tube is on the “inside” of the body, the contents are on the “outside” of the body. There may be spaces or gaps in the wall of the tube through which food proteins travel into the body. Once inside, they trigger the immune system to make antibodies. When functioning properly, the barrier cells of the digestive tract protect the body from bacte- ria and viruses. They also keep food pro- teins inside until the nutrients are digested and absorbed by the cells of the body.


Elimination Diet and Challenging Infrequent ingestion or consuming a small portion of a food may not be enough to cause a reaction when sensitivity is present. That is why testing foods (called challenging) following an elimination diet, is the most effective way to identify food sensitivities. An elimination diet is usually done after food sensitivity testing. A mini- mum of 6-12 weeks is required to elimi- nate foods from the diet before challenging them. Foods are challenged one at a time in order to identify the reaction of that particular food. When signifi cant symptoms are elicited by a certain food, long term avoidance is recommended. Sometimes the symptoms are minimal. Those foods can often be brought back into the diet on a rotation basis with no problem. This is not true for CD. It can take up to 6 months for the body to heal after exposure to gluten.


Food intolerance and food sensitivity are terms used to describe non-IgE anti-


body reactions to food. The World Allergy Organization considers food intolerance to be only non-immune reactions such as lactose intolerance. Food sensitivity testing is a way to identify hard to pinpoint food reactions that are not related to allergies, CD, or lactose intolerance. The symptoms of food sensitivity may not be consistent and are hard to identify without an elimi- nation diet and subsequent challenging. The amount and the frequency that a food is ingested may determine how prominent- ly symptoms appear. Symptoms of food intolerance include: digestive problems, headaches, congestion, post-nasal drip, eczema, joint pain, and fatigue. Those who test negative for CD may still have signifi - cant food sensitivities, including to gluten. This means that gluten avoidance may still be recommended, even when complete elimination is not necessary. For somebody who has been from doctor to doctor and not yet found the cause of their trouble- some symptoms, food sensitivity testing is an option. Hopefully the next visit is to the naturopathic physician.


Dr. Stacey Munro is a Naturopathic physi- cian who specializes in prevention and treatment of chronic health conditions. Fol- lowing Naturopathic philosophy, she looks for the root cause, rather than just treating symptoms. Dr. Munro prescribes dietary and lifestyle changes, nutritional supple- ments, herbs, and other natural therapies. Nature’s Helper Medical Clinic 178 Moun- tain Road, Suffi eld, CT (860) 758-7808 www.NaturesHelperMedical.com


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