Systematic Kinesiology and Food Intolerances
A food intolerance is characterised by difficulty digesting certain food types. Unlike an allergy, an intolerance is not usually serious, but it can leave you feeling unwell afterwards. Whilst this may not be life-threatening, it is still unpleasant and frustrating, especially because the foods you may be intolerant to tend to be tricky to pinpoint. This article is going to review what food intolerance is, the general symptoms experienced and how Systematic Kinesiology can assist with food intolerance issues.
How do food intolerances occur?
A food intolerance is caused by your body not being able to digest a certain food or an ingredient easily. It is thought that people with food intolerances don’t make enough of a particular enzyme that the digestive system needs to break down a certain food type. However, experts are not entirely sure why some people develop food intolerances.
There are many different types of intolerances but the most common are lactose, gluten and caffeine. Interestingly, another common intolerance is to nightshade vegetables (such as tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant). In fact, nightshade vegetables can actually aggravate health conditions for some people. For example, many credible medical establishments, including the Cleveland Clinic, encourage the avoidance of nightshades to relieve arthritis pain and other inflammatory diseases.
How do you know if you are intolerant to something?
According to the NHS, if you are intolerant to something, you will normally experience symptoms a few short hours after eating it. The most common symptoms include:
Nausea
Belly ache
Bloating
Farting/belching
Diarrhoea
Less common symptoms can also erupt such as:
Rashes
Constipation
Tiredness
Headaches
Joint pain
Most of the time (if you are experiencing a common symptom) it's easy to tell that you have consumed something which does not agree with you, thanks to the less-than-desirable side effects experienced. What is a bit trickier is figuring out exactly what is causing the intolerance. Especially if the symptoms you get are less common (such as exhaustion) and could be caused by a multitude of reasons.
A classic example of food intolerance frustrations:
A few years ago my partner kept breaking out in large red blotchy rashes that were extremely itchy. They were not isolated to any particular area; they appeared on her face, legs, arms and elbows at different times. After seeking advice from a health professional she was told that it was likely a food intolerance causing the rashes. However, her options to find out the cause were limited. She was told it was not serious enough to be referred to a dietitian, and that blood tests could be taken but probably would not identify the main trigger. Her best option was to keep a food diary, avoiding various food groups, to see if it was possible to work out what exactly was triggering the rashes. This of course was lengthy, time-consuming and based on a process of elimination. Whilst the rashes were not serious and did not prevent her from living her day-to-day life, they were unpleasant and irritating. If only we both knew about Systematic Kinesiology then.
How can Systematic Kinesiology help with food intolerances?
Systematic Kinesiology employs the science of muscle testing to figure out what is healthy and unhealthy for the body. Muscle testing is where the Kinesiologist applies gentle pressure against muscles to determine if the muscle is strong (and healthy) or weak (and needs restoring to balance). If the muscle is strong, it will effortlessly lock into place, whereas when weak it will feel spongy and wobbly. Systematic Kinesiologists can use muscle testing to see if the body has any food intolerances. All the practitioner would need to do is muscle test various food groups to find out which foods make the muscle strong and which foods make the muscle weak. If the muscle goes weak against (for example) peppers, it signals to the Kinesiologist that peppers are not good for the individual and should be avoided from your general diet where possible.
It is important to remember that food intolerances can be caused by consuming too much of a particular food too. Everything in life should be balanced and sometimes by consuming too much, too often we disrupt the scales and intolerances can surface. By understanding this and then having a sustained break from the particular food (of around 3 months) we are giving the body an opportunity to heal. A Systematic Kinesiologist can then test the foods again to see if the body responds better. Systematic Kinesiology can confirm through muscle testing if food sensitivity has subsided or not.
In summary, Systematic Kinesiology can use muscle testing to identify any food sensitivities you may have. If you are having strange symptoms that you think could be caused by certain foods, why not get in touch and book a session? We can see how your body is responding to what you are eating. For more information, please contact us.
