Food Addiction, Food Allergy and Overweight
By Martha Castro, DC

Have you ever eaten something – a bowl of ice cream, a piece of cheese, an orange – and felt hungrier than before?  Do you have urges for a particular food and find it hard to satisfy your craving unless you eat that particular food? If the answer is “YES” to these questions, then you may have a food allergy.  If you are also overweight, then chances are your food allergy is contributing to the weight gain.          

Food sensitivities may cause allergic people to crave those foods to which they are allergic.  Just as a drug addict suffers with withdrawal symptoms when the drug is withdrawn, allergic people experience discomfort when they lose access to a particular food.  The obese person has no idea that his daily food cravings and eating habits are based on a physiological need to stop withdrawal symptoms caused by his food allergy addiction.

Specialists now believe that many chronic health problems or sudden onset of problems such as migraine, fatigue, depression and arthritis are caused by allergies to foods and chemicals. Approximately one-third of the populations living in industrialized countries are affected.           

It is commonly observed that the same food may cause different reactions among different people.  An individual’s genetic predisposition to allergies will determine which part of his body will become the vulnerable target organ or tissue. 

The problem with most food allergies is that they may not develop right away.  When we are young, our bodies can redirect the problem to an organ or tissue that presents with very little symptoms.  As we get older, symptoms such as: pains and aches in muscles and joints, chronic fatigue, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headaches, insomnia, dizziness, increased heart rate, asthma, depression, irritability, anxiety, inability to concentrate and the inability to lose weight, are mistakenly attributed to the unavoidable aging process.

Many of these symptoms, even our ability to respond to chiropractic treatment are dependent on your body’s ability to heal itself.  In order to most efficiently heal itself, your body’s chemistry must be in a state of perfect balance.  An improper diet and/or the body’s inability to properly digest even healthy foods can lead to chemical imbalances with far reaching effects.

Through diet, nutrition and food allergy identification, I have successfully helped many of my patients overcome their “addictions” and eliminate many of the above mentioned symptoms. Many of my patients have finally shed those unwanted pounds.  Most children have experienced dramatic improvement in the following areas: allergies, headaches, digestion, stomach pain, asthma symptoms, hyperactivity, concentration, and obesity.

Our health and our body’s ability to maintain that health should be a priority for all of us.