Are You Eating Too Much of a Food?
You may be able to tolerate a food if you eat just a little of it. Eat smaller portions and see if things improve. If you are on a rotation diet, put the food on a longer rotation – eat it once a month for a while, then once a week and see if things improve. Try eating a food only once in a day, especially if on a rotation. Eat it just at one meal or snack and see if that makes it tolerable.
Are You Cross-Reacting to Closely Related Foods?
You may get unexpected reactions through cross-reaction to foods which are closely related to other foods to which you are sensitive. Some foods are related in ways you would not expect – for instance, peanuts to beans, peas and pulses; potatoes to tomatoes, aubergines and peppers; carrots to parsley and parsnips; avocado to bay leaves and cinnamon. Obtain a full list of food families, if necessary, for understanding these relationships may make sense of the pattern of your reactions.
Are You Eating a Food in Combination?
Some people can only tolerate a food if they eat it completely on its own, without any other food with it (including herbs, spices and oils for cooking). Try eating a food singly, to see if it helps. Leave a three-or four-hour gap before you eat anything else.
Alternatively, you might respond to eating foods on the Hay System, which is of benefit to some people with food intolerance. This is a way of eating, the main principles of which are to eat fruit before meals, and not to mix acid and alkali foods at the same meal.
Are You Bingeing on Substitutes?
Having left out a food or foods that upset you, are you going overboard on their substitutes? If you overload on substitutes (such as oats, soya or goat’s milk), you can become sensitive to them, even if they were fine at first. Go easy, eat substitutes in moderation and keep your diet varied and unrepetitive to protect against new intolerances or allergies.
Are You Eating Pure Foods?
Some people do not tolerate certain food additives well – this is well-recognised in some cases of hyperactivity in children. Avoid processed food generally to avoid additives.
Some people who are chemically sensitive react to traces of chemicals in foods and drink. To see if this applies to you, try eating an organic or additive-free version of a food to see if you tolerate it better. You can be sensitive to foods or drugs ingested by an animal you consume.
Drink pure water and eat foods free of water from processing.
Do not use plastic wrapping or containers on foods. Use ceramic, glass or marble kitchen utensils.
Some people are sensitive to tiny traces of invisible moulds on foods, even fresh or organic foods.
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