Food Sensitivity: Curse or Blessing?

People are becoming aware of food allergies and sensitivities now more than ever.  There are more vegan and gluten-free options at restaurants and grocery stores and hopefully people are starting to realize what you put in your body affects every aspect of health and beauty.  

I have been sensitive to certain foods most of my life.  I was a kid the first time I realized I was limited with what I could consume.  I was at a church sleepover where sodas were being served.  My mom never kept soda in the house, so I took advantage of this new exciting drink.  My tiny body was not used to the chemicals and sugar so I had jittery, uncomfortable energy.  Once that wore off, I crashed and felt awful.  I vowed to never drink soda again.

As a young teenager, I discovered every time I drank coffee, my stomach would hurt, my heart would race, and I'd feel shaky.  I found out I'm super sensitive to caffeine and even decaf coffee would hurt my stomach.  So coffee and soda became big no nos for me.

One of the worst experiences I've ever had with a food sensitivity was with the artificial sweetener, aspartame.  It was in the gum and mints I was using at around the age of 14 and I discovered this fake sugar was causing visual migraines that terrified me.  Please read all about this in My Aspartame Horror Story and share with everyone you know.  These fake sugars are toxic and should not even be on the market.

I've also had bad experiences with processed foods.  While on my honeymoon, I noticed my husband was drinking coffee with a hazelnut creamer that looked delicious.  It was the International Delight brand.  At this point in my life, I hadn't had coffee in years and thought I'd give it another try.  I literally had 3 small sips and it wasn't long before I was on the toilet with a severe stomach ache feeling nauseous and jittery.  I believe it was the chemicals in the coffee creamer, and of course the coffee itself, that made me feel this way.  Needless to say, I plan to stay away from both for the rest of my life.

Another time, I ate dinner at a friend's house and about an hour later developed a red skin rash.  I was used to eating all the contents of the meal except the tortillas.  The only thing I can think of is there was something in that tortilla that did not agree with me.  The rash was gone the next day, but now I have to be careful to avoid processed foods.

Finally, I strongly believe dairy was a huge contributing factor to why I struggled with acne for so many years.  The dairy industry wants us to believe we need dairy to be healthy, but this is not true.  The human body is not meant to digest dairy, so it causes all sorts of problems like skin issues, low energy, and weight gain.  Since cutting dairy out of my life, I look and feel so much better, and I'd never go back.  Plus, there are so many other options like coconut and almond milk products, I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

Others with similar or worse dietary restrictions sometimes see these limitations as a curse because they can no longer enjoy the foods they used to.  But what if this "curse" is really a blessing in disguise?  Our body's reactions to what we eat are communicating something extremely important to us.  I tend to view my limitations as blessings, because that means I shouldn't be putting junk into my body anyways.

If you're struggling with a health or beauty issue I'd encourage you to look at what you're eating.  Research nutrition on your own and try to keep an open mind about what you discover.  The main goal of many companies is to make money and your health is not their concern.  Do what is best for your health and your body will thank you for it!