Why You're Reacting To Foods You Used to Tolerate

article by Emily Collyer

The Rise of Food Sensitivities Explained

More and more people are cutting out gluten, dairy or even whole food groups. But here's the thing: the food itself isn't often the true problem. Its the gut. A healthy digestive system should be able to tolerate real, whole foods. When it can't, it's usually a sign of deeper issues. 

Unlike allergies, which trigger immediate immune reactions, sensitivities creep in slowly. They can show up as bloating, gas, skin rashes, brain fog, fatigue and joint pain. Your body is asking for help - its waving a flag to signal that something is irritating your gut and immune system. 

Did you know that 80% of your immune system lives in your gut?

What Is A Food Sensitivity?

Your immune system uses immunoglobulins (antibodies) to respond to things as it sees as a threat.

Food allergies (IgE antibodies): Immediate reaction, think peanuts or shellfish
Food sensitivities (IgG): Delayed immune response (can take up to 3 days). Symptoms include - fatigue, brain fog, headaches, eczema, mood changes and digestive issues
Food Intolerance: Digestive reaction only, usually within hours (think lactose intolerance)

Why Do Food Sensitivities Happen?

When your gut lining is healthy, it acts like a strong barrier keeping bacteria, toxins and undigested food out of your blood stream. But stress, infections and processed foods can damage that barrier, creating tiny gaps. This allows particles to slip into the blood where the don't belong, triggering your immune system to attack (often called leaky gut). Food sensitivities aren't the root problem - they're a symptom of deeper gut-immune dysfunction

In today's world, we aren't feeding the body real food - we're bombarding it with ultra processed products that barely resemble nutrient quality. Think refined carbs, industrial oils, added sugars, artificial sweeteners and preservatives. They stress the gut, damage the microbiome and erode tolerance to the very foods that once nourished us.

This is why you might feel reactive to foods that your grandparents ate without an issue. Its not that bread and milk are inherently toxic, it's the modern, processed versions of these. Stripped of nutrients and paired with an over worked and undernourished gut, we tip the balance towards food sensitivities. Add in alcohol, medications, environmental toxins, poor sleep and constant stress, you have a perfect storm for gut breakdown.

(Dahia, 2025)

What Is The Solution?

You can get tested (IgG, IgA, IgE panels) to see the grade of inflammation and tailor a plan with your health practitioner. But testing along isn't the fix - the rebuilding of your gut structure and function is key.

Identify & Remove Inflammation Drivers

◦ Ultra processed foods (refined sugars, industrial oils, soy isolates, "gluten-free" junk) feed bad bacteria, trigger inflammation and damage the gut barrier.

◦ Bad bacteria thrive on sugar, starch and processed carbs - producing toxins and worsening dysbiosis.

◦ Nutrient deficiencies (low zinc, B12, omega 3's, iron and amino acids) weaken repair mechanisms and immune balance.

◦ Environmental stressors (toxins, medications, sleep loss and stress) further disrupt gut-immune harmony.
Repair the Gut Lining

◦ High quality protein - grass-fed organ meats, pastured eggs, wild/low mercury fish (building blocks for tissue repair).

◦ Bone broth and glutamine - strengthen gut barrier & immune tolerance.

◦ Polyphenols, prebiotics, resistance starch - feed beneficial bacteria
Restore Microbiome & Immune Balance

◦ Nutrients: zinc, selenium, copper, iron for immune cell balance; omega 3's for lowering inflammation, vitamins A, D, E, B6, C for immune regulation and gut healing

◦ Consider probiotics & plant diversity to support gut flora

◦ Support Lifestyle (stress management, parasympathetic activation and quality sleep).

The Bottom Line

As per the TikTok trend "hot girls have stomach issues" and no wonder...
it's not just a trend, its a reflection of modern diets colliding with fragile guts.

Food sensitivities aren't the disease - they're a signal that your gut lining and immune system are under stress. Instead of cutting out more and more foods, add the right foods (whole foods) in. Focus on restoring structure (gut lining) and function (digestion, microbiome, immune regulation).

Don't let a broken modern diet keep breaking you down. Fill the gaps nature never intended - organ meats give your gut the tools it needs to heal.

Find out more about our organ range here

References

Costa Bir, L. (2024). Herbs and nutrients to support gastrointestinal health. Bioceuticals.
Dahia, V. (29 C.E., August). Food Allergies and Food Intolerances . NutriPath.

Dahia, V. (29 C.E., August 2025). Food Allergies and Food Intolerances. Nutripath.

Hyman, M. (2024, September 13). The Root Cause of Stomach and Digestive Problems. https://drhyman.com/blogs/content/podcast-ep948?_pos=20&_sid=a5eb95a4e&_ss=r

Onyimba, F., Crowe, S. E., Johnson, S., & Leung, J. (2021). Food Allergies and Intolerances: A Clinical Approach to the Diagnosis and Management of Adverse Reactions to Food. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 19(11). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2021.01.025

Rennie, G. H., Zhao, J., Camus-Ela, M., Shi, J., Jiang, L., Zhang, L., Wang, J., & Raghavan, V. (2023). Influence of Lifestyle and Dietary Habits on the Prevalence of Food Allergies: A Scoping Review. Foods, 12(17), 3290. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12173290

Shamji, M. H., Valenta, R., Jardetzky, T., Verhasselt, V., Durham, S. R., Würtzen, P. A., & van Neerven, R. J. J. (2021). The role of allergen‐specific IgE, IgG and IgA in allergic disease. Allergy, 76(12). https://doi.org/10.1111/all.14908