An intolerance to a particular food, or family of foods, is a condition that often comes in under the radar. A patient may have complaints that include bloating, swelling legs, a rash, a filmy white coat on the tongue, feeling full in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, irritability, restlessness, and back or shoulder pain. These complaints, either alone or in any combination, may indicate a food intolerance.

A forty- two year old woman gained over 35 pounds with the birth of her second child. She was unable to lose the weight. She consulted a weight loss clinic, followed the program to the letter, and though it was an excellent program, she did not lose even one pound after almost four months on the program. Part in frustration and part in concern, she consulted a medical doctor who suggested surgery. She declined. When I checked her with muscle response testing, it was determined that she was reacting to nuts and cheese, the very things she frequently snacked on. After removing nuts and cheese from her diet, she lost almost eight pounds in three weeks. Oversensitivity to Stress When you have a sensitivity to the amount of stress you live under, and when you eat during those times, you may experience bloating, flatulence, belching, and a burning sensation. Gastritis and other stubborn symptoms of stressful digestion are reported. When your body is under stress, your digestive system is affected. Often at that time, you may develop food intolerances. Mr. B., age 69, came to my office wanting to lose weight and improve his energy. His body shape was the classic liver belly, a large protruding abdomen. After two weeks on the liver enhancement diet and supplement program, along with eliminating dairy, he began to lose weight. After several months, he had lost 20 pounds. Even more importantly, he stated that he has more energy and vitality and has not felt this good in 40 years! Your body's reaction to certain foods may start with your digestion, yet it can act as a stressor to your whole system, affecting other areas and bodily functions. When our system is stressed in any of the areas of the Triad of Health; structural, chemical, or emotional, the body responds with the same stress response, no matter the source. The brain stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol, which acts on the liver to break down glycogen into sugar for "fight-or-flight" which in turn triggers the release of insulin. The insulin brings the sugar into play for action, and if none is needed by the muscles, the sugar goes back to the liver. If not needed there because the liver has reached its maximum capacity for it, it goes to fat storage. Thus, as our bodies adapt to a chronic state of stress, say a structural or emotional stress, our hormones become out of balance creating an additional chemical stress on our system. Good News The good news is that there are protocols to determine which foods are the culprits if food intolerance is the issue. Eating healthy, natural foods and knowing which foods to stay away from, along with exercise, is a way to successfully release fat and keep the weight off.