Healthy eating is important, so how can it be that some people truly don’t feel healthy no matter what they do? Are you at your wits end trying to investigate what is keeping you sick and overweight? Even those who are eating organic, growing their own foods and baking their own meals from scratch are struggling. Do they have “genes” making them destined to be unhealthy? Or is there some other explanation?
Do you see yourself or someone you know in this scenario? Most people think that being healthy is the absence of disease. But there is so much more to health than this! True health is a state of feeling good, having energy, having a positive mindset and vitality of body, mind and spirit. The characteristics of health can occur when your body’s chemistry is in balance, cells are nourished, and nutrients are being properly absorbed. So, how is it that some people work really hard at being healthy and are doing everything right, yet still are not able to achieve excellent health?
The truth is that optimal well-being sometimes takes more than a healthy diet, regular exercise and a positive mindset. You are unique, with no one else on the face of the earth exactly like you. Your needs are unique. You must meet your unique needs to realize your true health potential. And not to worry, this only takes a little detective work to get to the bottom of what’s holding you back.
First, foods are classified “healthy” according to the nutrients they contain and their potential to produce general health enhancing benefits. But, not all so-called healthy foods may be healthy for you. You’ve heard that some people have allergies to foods like peanuts, eggs or dairy. Maybe you’re one of them or you know someone who has food allergies. Generally, with food allergies, your reaction is instantaneous or occurs within 2 hours of eating the food. Amazing how some people can thrive on these foods while others become seriously ill.
The same occurs with another kind of allergy, a hidden food allergy (sensitivity), causing a reaction anywhere from several hours to three days after you’ve eaten the food. It can cause weight gain, migraines, digestive upset, arthritis, fatigue, skin disorders and many more ailments you probably wouldn’t always associate with food. When you eat foods you’re sensitive to (especially over and over each day or week), it causes an inflammatory reaction in your body and your health declines.
Suppose you’re intolerant to foods like spinach, oatmeal or salmon. Everything you read tells you they’re healthy foods that protect you from things like cancer and heart disease. You eat them frequently because they’re supposed to be so good for you. But instead of feeling better, you feel worse. Your joints are getting stiff. Your skin is breaking out. Headaches are occurring frequently. You cannot lose weight no matter what you do. You’re frustrated. You’re doing so many good things for your health and instead of feeling better, you feel worse.
If this sounds like you, you’re not alone! Most people don’t have a clue they’re sensitive to certain foods because it can be a challenge to determine which ones they are. You can try to figure it out on your own by following an elimination diet. However, this can take a long time to determine all your sensitive foods and, in my experience, most people can’t stick with it long enough to determine all their sensitivities.
An easier way to discover your food sensitivities is a food sensitivity lab test. It’s a blood test that challenges the part of your immune system responsible for food sensitivities against different foods to determine your immune response. The strength of the response tells if you have a severe, moderate or mild sensitivity or none at all. You can choose to test over 250 different foods, with results listing all your sensitive foods, the degree of sensitivity, and your safe foods. It’s that simple. Imagine knowing exactly what you should be eating with the help of a food detective.
Kimberly Stoeger, MS, is the clinical nutritionist and owner of Nutritional Healing, LLC. Her passion lies in supporting people’s health through evidence-based medicine (risks versus benefits of medications) and healing therapies through nutrition. Kimberly has her Master of Science in human nutrition degree, and experience working with clients regarding weight and fatigue issues, food sensitivities, autoimmune conditions, and general health concerns such as high blood pressure, high glucose levels, high cholesterol/triglycerides, migraines, thyroid conditions, and gut dysfunction. To learn more, call 920-358-5764 or email [email protected].
