Is your chronic fatigue caused by a food intolerance?

Tiredness comes hand in hand with modern-day life. When society’s expectations of us are higher than ever, and we’re constantly juggling the demands of work, family life, social plans and relationships, the reality is that we’re going to feel tired. However, there is a difference between feeling drained at the end of a busy day and constantly exhausted. There are obvious lifestyle changes that could make a difference in our energy levels, such as improving our sleeping habits, exercising more, and making self-care a priority. But have you ever considered that your food intolerances cause your chronic fatigue could be caused by food intolerance, and how do you find out if this is the case?

Fighting a food intolerance cause fatigue

If you eat a certain ingredient that doesn’t agree with your digestive system, your body will work extra hard to digest it. This can use up your energy stores, making you feel exhausted. Likewise, if your body has difficulty absorbing nutrients from specific ingredients because of food sensitivity, your energy levels could be affected. Even if you commonly suffer from other symptoms after eating, such as bloating, headaches and stomach complaints, tiredness and lethargy will likely come as a package deal. An intolerance to gluten, for example, could lead to headaches and stomach pains, leaving you feeling very fatigued. In this instance, eliminating all gluten products from your diet would help these symptoms to subside and get your health, well-being, and energy levels back on track.

We can have a food intolerance to anything

When it comes to food intolerances, there are no set rules, and any ingredient can initiate a physical reaction. Although dairy, lactose and gluten intolerances are well-recognised, the reality is that we can be intolerant to any food item because our bodies all respond differently to the ingredients we consume. Even foods considered to be healthy such as fruit and vegetables, can aggravate our digestive systems. For example, garlic, legumes and apples can often cause food intolerance, meaning nutritious items we’re encouraged to eat as part of a balanced diet are just as likely to be the driving force behind fatigue and other symptoms.    

Take an intolerance test and get your results in days

If you want to find out if you have a food intolerance once and for all, taking a food intolerance test will help you to identify the relationship between eating certain ingredients and the symptoms you experience. We can test your hair cells at UK Food Intolerance to see how they respond to certain food items. Just 4-5 strands are enough for us to investigate how well your cells are functioning and whether a particular ingredient has the potential to cause inflammation. We will then email you a full report detailing the items you’re intolerant to and how severe your intolerance levels are. Once we have received your hair sample at our lab, your results will be emailed to you within 72 hours, so you won’t have to wait long before you find out whether your diet is having a negative effect on your health and energy levels.

Change what you eat to improve your energy levels

Once you have received your test results, you can begin making relevant lifestyle changes and eliminate the identified ingredients from your meals. We suggest avoiding foods containing the item you’re intolerant to for 4- 6 weeks to give your body a chance to repair and reset itself. After this time, you can either gradually reintroduce the food to your diet to see if you have a reaction or continue to avoid it.

If you choose the latter option, it’s a good idea to research alternative products that will improve your health and increase your energy levels. This doesn’t mean your body won’t get the nutrients it needs to function correctly, but you might have to swap certain items for others better suited to your digestive system. By eliminating the items you’re intolerant to, your body will no longer have to use its energy to fight off a response to what you eat, and you’ll feel all the healthier for it.

Why do food intolerances cause fatigue? Reach out

If you’d like to take a food intolerance test to see if your diet affects your energy levels, you can order one by clicking here. We’re happy to answer any questions about intolerance testing and how it can influence your quality of life. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing [email protected] or filling out the contact form on our website.