Frequent colds and food intolerance

Holistic nutrition is based on the reality that each individual is unique. And that wise food choices prevent disease and certain foods act as a medicine for those already ill. The best foods for an individual depend on that person’s unique biochemical makeup. Foods considered healthy for the general population can act like poisons in those who have sensitivities to them. For many it is hard to accept that food choices can have devastating consequences.

Undiagnosed food sensitivities affect more than half the population, though many are unaware that their symptoms are being caused by inappropriate food choices. They go from one practitioner to another seeking answers only to be told it is all in their head.

Food sensitivities can be difficult to pin down because sensitivity reactions can mimic almost any ailment and affect almost any organ or tissue in the body. Food sensitivities is an umbrella term that encompasses two different responses: allergies and intolerances. A food allergy is an unnatural immune reaction to a specific protein in a food that is otherwise harmless to most people. The body builds antibodies to these foreign proteins, and the battle between the antibodies and the invader results in side effects that damage nearby tissues.

An intolerance on the other hand is an inability of the body to digest or metabolize a particular food constituent, resulting from surpassing the body’s capacity to handle it. This is why you may be able to have a small amount of a certain food and feel fine; but if you exceed a certain level, you start experiencing adverse reactions. Very often, intolerances are the consequence of the body’s inability to produce a particular digestive enzyme.

Allergies, however, are absolute. You are either allergic to a substance or you are not. In either case, if our body’s functioning is in any way impaired by an offending food, then we need to stop eating it.

The most telltale sign of food sensitivity is chronic fatigue. Just about any other symptom can also be caused by food sensitivities. If there is fluid leakage, muscle spasms, excess mucus, low resistance to infection, poor absorption of nutrients, generalized toxicity, and problems in target organs. Target organs are those uniquely susceptible to attack due to a person’s genetic weakness or biochemical individuality. These organs are those most likely to store toxins and least likely to receive all the nutrients they need.

A sensitivity to a particular food might result in bladder spasms, a spastic colon, spasm in the throat, or spasms in the next or back. The brain is sometimes a target organ resulting in psychological and behavioral symptoms.

The common cold affects allergy-prone individuals more frequently than the general population. Some people rarely if ever get colds. They have strong immune systems and are not particularly vulnerable to food sensitivities. Chronic food reactions may weaken immune systems, lowering resistance to upper respiratory infections. Very often, once food sensitivities are identified and eliminated, colds become a thing of the past.

If you have unexplained symptoms and/or get frequent colds or infections, investigate the possibility of allergies or food sensitivities. While many symptoms can have other possible causes, there are certain symptoms that are most commonly related to food sensitivities. These include:

• Chronic fatigue
• Food addictions/cravings
• Swollen lymph glands
• Chronic infections
• Puffiness and/or dark circles under the eyes
• Chronic diarrhea
• Intestinal malabsorption
• Spastic colon
• Irritable bowel
• Colitis, ulcerative colitis
• Anaphylactic shock
• Uncontrolled urination
• Hives
• Eczema
• Psoriasis
• Migraine headaches
• Hyperactivity
• Recurring ear infections

If you experience any of these symptoms, it is very likely you have a food sensitivity which, once identified, can be eliminated and you can start to feel better much of the time.