<\/p>\n
\u201cToo much of a good thing isn\u2019t good for you\u201d may be a clich\u00e9, but, in many situations, it can be accurate advice.<\/p>\n
Perform the same workout over and over again, like running? That\u2019s a recipe for developing imbalances, injury, or forcing your body into a plateau. Do too many hard workouts in a row? <\/span>Welcome to burnout city<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology says there is \u201cno relationship\u201d to consuming a large quantity of a food and developing an allergy.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n But what about eating too much of one thing? Can that repetitive behavior cause food allergies that trigger symptoms such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, and other more problems with names that make people squirm?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Hang out in <\/span>enough forums or read social media conversations,\u00a0<\/span><\/a>and you\u2019ll undoubtedly hear someone claim: \u201cI ate eggs every day and they made me fat.\u201d<\/em> Or: \u00a0“I used to drink a whey protein shake after every workout, but now I have food allergies and can’t drink any protein.\u201d <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n You glance at the frothy chocolate post-workout mix in your hand and think ominously, <\/span>can I give myself food allergies? <\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Adult-onset food allergies are rare. That doesn’t mean they don’t exist. <\/span><\/p>\n When they do occur, it happens within a specific subset of the population, says allergist and clinical immunologist <\/span>Dr. Matthew Bodish<\/span><\/a>. \u201cMost adult-onset food\u00a0allergy\u00a0comes on in our 30s, especially in women and those with underlying\u00a0allergic\u00a0diseases, like nasal\u00a0allergies\u00a0and asthma.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Bowdish adds that, \u201cWhile we hear occasionally of this in the clinic, I don’t see much evidence in the literature about eating a lot of one specific food causing adult-onset food\u00a0allergy.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n The <\/span>American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology<\/span><\/a> goes a step further, stating there is \u201c<\/span>no relationship<\/span><\/a>\u201d to consuming a large quantity of a food and developing an allergy. <\/span><\/p>\n Unfortunately, allergists aren\u2019t exactly sure why adults develop food allergies, but research is ongoing and nothing is pointing to your repetitive meal plan behavior. It’s a frustrating reality when you have stomach issues and don’t know why. Naturally, you try to find a cause-and-effect relationship in the absence of other evidence. You eat the same thing, your stomach now hurts, so it must be the food! <\/span><\/p>\n The reality is, scientists have some good suspects\u00a0but need more time to figure out the answer. “It’s possible that a factor such as a change of environment, viral infection or alteration of the large population of gut bacteria called the microbiome may contribute,” Bowdish says. <\/span><\/p>\n Now, that\u2019 not to say food allergies don\u2019t exist. They do, and, if you suffer from them, you\u2019re probably aware of the frustrating symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n Those symptoms hit quickly, often within minutes. So if you were to truly have a food allergy, you would know about it almost right away. The reaction could be severe, even deadly. Which is why, if you truly suspect that you have a food allergy or experience anything like what Bowdish describes, you need to see an allergist for a true diagnosis. <\/span><\/p>\n But even if you discover that you have an allergy, it\u2019s not because of you ate your way to a problem. What\u2019s more important is understand why your stomach might be sensitive to certain foods, and what you should do about it.<\/span><\/p>\n Ok, so you\u2019re not allergic. But eggs — which never seemed to cause problems — suddenly seem to send you straight to the nearest restroom. What gives? <\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s possible that you have a food intolerance or sensitivity (the terms are interchangeable). In fact, according to a <\/span>2015 review of studies<\/span> <\/a>published in <\/span>Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics,<\/span><\/i> between 15-20 percent of the population suffers from some sort of food intolerance. Here\u2019s where things get complicated. <\/span><\/p>\n The symptoms most often associated with a food intolerance are cramping, gas, bloating and diarrhea. But there\u2019s a lot about intolerances that we still don\u2019t know. <\/span><\/p>\n Some intolerances, like lactose intolerance, scientists clearly understand. But the debate continues on what exactly causes things like non-celiac gluten sensitivity, which was <\/span>only recently recognized<\/span><\/a> as a condition by the scientific community. <\/span><\/p>\n There\u2019s an entire category of food intolerances called <\/span>\u201cidiosyncratic\u201d intolerances,<\/span><\/a> meaning we know they happen, but we don\u2019t necessarily know why. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But even with idiosyncratic intolerances, excessive exposure to a single food over time isn\u2019t the cause, according to Razvan Arsenescu, the chief of the <\/span>Atlantic Digestive Health Institute in Morristown<\/span><\/a>, New Jersey. He says there just isn\u2019t good research that shows a correlation between eating something regularly and becoming more sensitive to it over time.<\/span> Or, returning to the protein powder example, it\u2019s possible that it\u2019s something else in the protein powder mix causing the problem–like lactose or xylitol, a fake sugar that many people struggle to break down. <\/span><\/p>\n Arsenescu adds, \u201cIf you have an infection or inflammation of the GI tract, then many food items will cause symptoms.\u201d So the problem isn\u2019t the food itself — it\u2019s a breakdown in how you process or digest foods you eat, with certain foods more likely to trigger a reaction. <\/span><\/p>\n That’s where fixing the symptoms becomes tricky. If you have a food intolerance (note: not food allergies), then removing the food and keeping it out of your diet might do the trick (more on this in a moment). But, if you have a bigger picture issue — like gut inflammation — removing\u00a0foods that aren\u2019t necessarily the issue might not be enough. <\/span><\/p>\n If you feel better without certain foods –whether eggs, or whey, or grains –that\u2019s a personal choice. Do what works for you. But don\u2019t assume that will put an end to your discomfort. Other foods — one\u2019s you love and feel you can\u2019t live without — might also cause issues, and removing all foods isn\u2019t a long-term solution. <\/span><\/p>\n The good news is that if you fix the problem (such as reducing inflammation), you should be able to go back to consuming foods that became a problem. So what feels like a frittata-induced flare up may end up being nothing once you get your gut health back on track. That said, beware that some intolerances\u2014like lactose intolerance\u2014are with you for life. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Having a food intolerance shouldn\u2019t freak you out. There are plenty of options to help you feel great and eat most (if not all) the foods you love. And here\u2019s why: the pharmacology of certain foods, meaning its chemical makeup, is most likely to blame for your troubles. <\/span><\/p>\n Take coffee, for example. Some people can drink gallons with no issue, while one cup will send others sprinting for the bathroom. Is it a built up tolerance for years of drinking coffee? Maybe a little, but more likely your body is not chemically matched to handle the combination of salicylates (a naturally occurring chemical that often functions as natural pest deterrent) and caffeine.<\/span><\/p>\n This might help you understand the buzz about FODMAPS, which have been increasing linked with food intolerances and sensitivities. FODMPAS stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols, a naturally set of components in the foods you eat. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe problem is that bacteria like to eat these things, and that can cause gas,\u201d explains Danielle Flug Capalino, RD, and author of <\/span>Healthy Gut, Flat Stomach<\/span><\/i><\/a>. \u201cIn other cases, these foods tend to sit in the gut for a long time and water is drawn into the gut via osmosis and that causes diarrhea.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Researchers studying irritable bowel syndrome have found that eliminating FODMAPS is a reliable way to soothe GI distress. Any gastroenterologist or registered dietitian familiar with the low-FODMAP diet should be able to walk you through the basic eliminations. <\/span><\/p>\n At first, the cuts may seem severe (onions, garlic, and many veggies and fruits are on the list), but Capalino explains that after a few weeks, you can reintroduce one food at a time. If you have a reaction, you\u2019ll know which food you struggle to digest. <\/span><\/p>\n The bottom line is that you shouldn\u2019t be afraid to consume your favorite healthy foods on the regular. However, Capalino, as a dietician, is obligated to point out that having variation in your diet is important too\u00a0since no single food can provide all the nutrients you need. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To get you started, here is a list of foods that you might want to consider removing if you have stomach discomfort. <\/span><\/p>\n Split the foods up into groups of 3-5 foods, so that you don\u2019t tackle too many foods at once (this is more likely to lead to failure). After 3 weeks of withdrawal. Add one food back in at a time for 3-4 days. See if you have a reaction. If not, that food isn\u2019t the issue, and you can continue building your diet back with freedom and comfort.<\/span><\/p>\n Do Carbs Actually Make You Fat?<\/a><\/p>\n Winning the War on Hunger: Practical Solutions to Overeating<\/a><\/p>\nCan You Eat Your Way to Food Allergies? (No, and here\u2019s why)<\/h2>\n
Why Some Foods\u00a0Really Do Cause Problems<\/h2>\n
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Instead, Arsenescu thinks there may be other factors to consider. For example, if you suddenly start eating a dozen eggs a day in an attempt to move to a ketogenic diet, your gut may be rebelling because of the much higher fat load that diet carries. <\/span><\/p>\nThe Missing Piece: What About FODMAPs?<\/h2>\n
\n
READ MORE:\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n