It feels like there is a shift during this Back to School time of year. Cooler morning temperatures, changes in traffic, more activity in the neighborhood as kiddos head back to school. Feeling inspired by the Back to School energy, I signed up for a six week course, Food Sensitivities, Gut Health, & Detoxification: A Functional Approach. Also a deciding factor for taking the class was the instructor – she is one of my favorite teaching practitioners. I knew there would a wealth of knowledge shared, and ultimately my clients would benefit too.
Things Learned
Testing can provide data and guidance for optimizing health. Having concrete data, takes out some of the guesswork and helps to provide guidance on next steps. The class did a deep dive into two areas of testing: food intolerances and oxidative stress. Below I share information about these areas, their mechanisms of action and how these markers affect our health.
Food Sensitivities & Allergies
Often when we think about food intolerances, we associate symptoms with gut issues. Food intolerances alter our gut lining, microbiome and immune function. In addition to causing gut irritation, food sensitivities or allergies can also cause: inflammation, fatigue, skin issues (eczema, atopic dermatitis), asthma and ultimately autoimmune conditions. A few takeaways are highlighted below.
- Anti-acid medications decrease enzyme production which can result in more food sensitivities long-term.
- IgG food sensitivities can correlate with IBS and depression. One study showed when identified foods were removed, serotonin levels increased resulting in an improvement of depression symptoms. Did you know 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut?
- Food intolerances can hinder both reproductive health and prostate health.
- In cases of Hashimoto’s (autoimmune thyroiditis) IgG4 antibodies created by food reactions can be more damaging to the thyroid gland than thyroid antibodies.
- Probiotics can reduce reactions to food intolerances.
Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress occurs when we have more free radicals than antioxidants available. Free radicals occur as a byproduct of metabolism; but also environmental pollutants, unhealthy lifestyle and poor diet increase free radical production. An excess of free radicals causes damage in our proteins, cell membranes and DNA. Over time this can lead to chronic health conditions: cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative conditions. Symptoms of oxidative stress include: systemic inflammation, inability to lose weight, chronic joint pain, fatigue, and brain fog. Testing helps us hone in on the best way to reduce oxidative stress, and reduce the risk of developing diseases associated with aging. The Gut Ox test includes information about the following areas:
- Gut immune function
- Leaky gut and leaky blood brain barrier
- A toxin created by gut bacteria that increases inflammation and autoimmune activation
- Glutathione level (master antioxidant)
- Oxidized fats – elevated levels can contribute to depression, anxiety, neurological conditions like Parkinson’s, cardiovascular disease and menopausal symptoms
- DNA oxidation
You can learn more information about these markers, here.
Who could benefit from these tests?
The Food Sensitivity & Allergy test identifies foods causing a reaction. Reactions can be digestive challenges, inflammation or an overactive immune system contributing to autoimmune flares, mood issues or a variety of challenges. If you have been working on your gut health but are still experiencing issues, it could be that you have developed antibodies to certain foods that are continuing to impair your health.
The Gut Ox test when paired with the food intolerance test can provide additional information. If gut immune function is low, immune support is needed. Otherwise these food antibodies will stay elevated, resulting in more reactivity for a longer period of time. If gut permeability is a variable, adding nutrients to support rebuilding the intestinal lining helps to reduce food reactions.
The Gut Ox test gives us a baseline on oxidative stress markers and ultimately areas where we can make changes to reduce disease risk (e.g., cancer, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative).
Test at Home
Both of these tests can be done at home. The Food Allergy/Sensitivity test uses a bloodspot finger stick (materials included). The Gut Ox collection includes a bloodspot finger stick, saliva and urine collection.
*Significant discounts offered by the company when multiple tests are ordered together.