Learn How to Optimize the Way Your Body Functions Best

 

Did you know that getting a food intolerance test can help you get your body back on track?

I can hear you now: “I don’t have any allergies. I don’t need this test.” I get you. Seriously.

But here’s the thing–food intolerances are not like allergies. We don’t have anaphylactic shock or break out in hives if we have food intolerances. However, that doesn’t mean the damage isn’t severe.

The Hidden Cost of Food Intolerances

I’m speaking from personal experience here. For me, intolerances showed themselves by thoroughly messing with my digestive system, giving me acne, and making me hold on to fifteen pounds of inflammation weight.

The brief story of my life is that I’ve always struggled with my weight and have had digestive issues since I was a kid. I always felt like I may be allergic or intolerant to something I was eating, but without knowing for sure what the food was, I had a hard time finding the self-control to start eliminating things from my diet. Instead, I just gave up and lived with the discomfort and (sometimes) pain.

You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

I don’t know how many of you feel me, but I bet there’s at least a few. So, if you can relate to what I’m saying, then take heart. Things can change. They did for me during my journey into natural and healthy living and healing. I found a naturopath who, after hearing about my symptoms (which I described as “just how my body worked”), suggested that I get a food intolerance test done. So, I took her advice. (I don’t know about the at-home tests you can use. I have only used the one test that my doctor took my blood for and sent in herself.)

Apparently our bodies aren’t designed to experience these issues on the regular, and there are actually reasons they are reacting the way they do. Go figure…

The test she suggested I take covered 96 different foods and, lo and behold, dairy, my favorite, my alfredo-sauce-butter-cheese-making dairy, was highest on my list of intolerances. I’m going to be real with you–it broke my heart.

My doctor had me give up dairy for a month to see how I felt. I did alright the first few days. I got gung-ho about finding and trying alternatives and, since I love to cook, at first, I embraced the challenge. My zeal was short-lived, and I definitely cried once or twice out of frustration, sadness, and truthfully, loss.

Big Changes, Big Results

Then something awesome started to happen. My digestion system started to normalize. My acne started clearing up. I started to lose weight. Actually seeing these changes made me feel so much more confident about giving up something I loved.

Something else started happening too–my taste buds didn’t crave dairy as it used to. I don’t need a cheeseburger anymore. I use coconut milk for creamer and it’s wonderful. Mashed potatoes with oat milk? Delicious. Does it still suck? Sometimes. I’m not gonna lie to you. I crave a big, fat glob of sour cream sometimes when I eat Mexican food or a baked potato. But does it get easier? Yes. 100 percent, guaranteed.

Knowledge is Power

Now I can sit here and tell you about how awesome you’ll feel keeping the wrong foods for you out of your body. I can make some big ol’ rah-rah speech encouraging you to get a food intolerance test done. But we all know it’s up to you to make the choice for yourself to start on that journey.

I will say this though–getting the test done doesn’t mean you have to make any changes. You can get it done and do nothing about it, if you want. It’s your choice, no one else’s. The very least it could do is give you some tenacity to start making small adjustments…saying none of “that” on occasion, or substituting “this” for “that” once in a while. You will have the ability to perform your own experiments to see how much is too much.

My one bit of rah-rah encouragement I will say is this: If you want to make a change, you can!