Wouldn't it be lovely if food sensitivities were just a food thing? If it really was as simple as figuring the one or two or maybe even three foods that bother you, getting rid of those forever and then feeling great?
I wish that's the way it worked.
But food sensitivities truly affect every part of your body and life - how you sleep, how you relax, how well you think, and even your relationships with others.
That's the thing that conventional medicine seems to have forgotten somewhere along the road - you are not just an inflamed gut or an anxious person. You are a body, mind and spirit and there is no way an illness, disease or intolerance doesn't affect those three areas. When we focus on only one area, the others are left behind.
Seems a little "out there"? OK, let's talk about what most of us do with food sensitivities - you focus on gut health and the foods you eat. You take lots of supplements to help heal leaky gut and support a diverse microbiome. You exclude food after food after food trying to find the magic recipe for feeling better. You drink more water. Maybe you add fermented foods like yogurt or kimchi. You get the idea…
But then you actually feel worse. Your gut feels more inflamed and angry. Your mood ends up in the garbage. You're anxious about what to eat and what not to eat. Perhaps you even get to the point where you're afraid to eat anything other than three foods. You don't go out to eat with friends and family any more. Maybe you even start avoiding family meals because they won't eat what you're eating and you can't eat what they're eating and it just gets awkward.
Stick with it long enough and hit enough of these challenges and you might do what so many do - decide it's not worth it and give up. Decide to just eat what the family is eating, even if it causes problems, and just use medications to manage the symptoms.
The key to food sensitivities is knowing you can feel better but the journey is not easy. I promise you, it's not easy - after over 45 years of doing this myself, I can attest! But it is so worth it. You are so worth it.
Know that when you start down this road, your journey is going to involve every aspect of your life. That's one of the things I wish someone had told me back when - even if my kiddo brain didn't really understand. I understand now and it's nice to have some validation! And that's why I'm here - to tell you, You're not crazy. You're going to feel better. You can find some balance in all of it so it doesn't feel as much like a full-time job.
Sixty-second Self-care Tip…
This week's tip is super special! It's a FREE download of a coaching tool I love to use with my clients. It's quick. It's easy. It helps you track changes over time. And it helps you find your balance on your own unique food sensitivity journey.
When we talk about all of the impact food sensitivities have on every aspect of life, it gets really big and complicated. The Wheel of Life with Food Sensitivities will help simplify things by giving you a snapshot of your life with food sensitivities, and help you see where you might focus a bit more support for your journey.
Because even on a food sensitivity journey, you want to feel good, be happy, and see how things are changing and improving with the choices you make. I see you! This tool will help you figure out your next steps toward all of that!
Click here for your free download! Seriously! You don't even need to enter an email address!
And if you feel stuck once you see your wheel, feel free to email me your biggest question about living with food sensitivities. My email is melissa@melissaoverman.com.