According to the Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), it is estimated that almost 15 million Americans, young and old, currently suffer from a food allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity of some sort.  Although much more light is being shed on this major healthcare concern these days, this number seems to be growing with each year.  So why is it that we are becoming less and less tolerant of our food choices (even healthy ones), and what is causing this epidemic? In the eyes of Ayurveda, it comes down to one final word: Digestion!

Although there are some major differences between the three main types of negative food responses (i.e. allergy, sensitivity, and intolerance), Ayurveda terms them all the same.  They are all listed under Asatmaya (translated as intolerance) and although different effects technically occur for each type, the end result is the same: inflammation, reduced digestion, toxic accumulation, and eventually (with long-term exposure) disorder and disease. 

Although they are all considered to be ultimately intolerable (asatmaya) by the system, here is a more scientific look at the specific differences for each intolerance type.

Three Main Types of Food Intolerances

1. Food Allergy

The commonly known food allergy is called so because it creates an immune response, producing an increase of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody and mast cell activation.  These mast cells release histamine and produce an inflammatory reaction.  This in turn causes a fairly instant and obvious reaction such as redness, itchiness, rash, hives, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headache, and/or increased heart rate.  In severe instances, the allergic reaction will cause life-threatening anaphylactic shock.  With these more abrupt and noticeable effects, an allergy tends to be well known to the recipient and therefore more likely to be avoided.

2. Food Sensitivity

Food sensitivities also create a negative immune response, but this time they increase the production of Immunoglobulin A (IgA) and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies.  These particular antibodies, although still equally as harmful to the system when overproduced, often manifest milder and less obvious symptoms than their allergy counterpart. In fact, the symptoms are so obscure they can even occur days after the consumption of that particular food. 

The specific symptoms will vary with each individual; however, they are often seen as vague issues such as sluggishness, fatigue, mental fog, abdominal pain and cramping, inflammation in the gut, heartburn, GERD, loose stools, constipation, skin disorders, respiratory issues, sinus issues, etc.  Since these symptoms are not as instant, they can seem to be unrelated and go overlooked or can even come to be considered normal.  With the vague nature of these symptoms, this type of intolerance can get misdiagnosed or undiagnosed altogether.     

3. Food Intolerance    

Food intolerance is the only one of the three that does not spark an immune response.  Instead, it is caused by the lack of a particular enzyme that is needed to break down a particular protein.  This causes an inability to process that food, making that food indigestible and toxic to the system.  The symptoms of intolerance may be more instant and obvious such as severe diarrhea shortly after consumption, or it can be milder and more obscure such as inflammation in the GI tract.  The latter can often be more dangerous, as the consumption of an unknowingly intolerable food can lead to severe issues (i.e. leaky gut, diverticulitis, IBS, etc) when consumed regularly long term.  A few common forms of food intolerance include milk, dairy, gluten, and sugar.

No matter which of these three types of intolerances you may suffer from, the number one root cause is from a weak Agni or digestive fire (although other factors will play a role), and therefore the digestion must be treated.  But before we go into treatment, let’s discuss the top major allergenic/intolerable foods, common signs and symptoms of food intolerance, and common causes.

Most Common General Food Allergies

• Sugar
• Eggs
• Dairy (especially cow milk)
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts
• Fish and/or shellfish
• Wheat
• Gluten
• Soy
• Corn

Although these are the most common food allergens on a general scale, each dosha type is more susceptible to particular food sensitivity of a wider variety.  Each food sensitivity is caused by a digestive disorder stemming from that particular dosha.  For example, Vata digestion (called Vishama Agni) may cause a negative reaction after eating heavy meats such as gas, bloating, and constipation.  If the dosha and digestion are in balance, then that particular food can be consumed without any negative effect.

Common Vata Allergies, Sensitivities, and Intolerances

• Protein
• Heavy meats (beef, pork)
• Most beans such as black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, and adzuki beans
• Raw, cold, and/or dry foods
• Bitter or astringent foods, beverages, and herbs
• Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and collard greens
• Nightshades such as tomato, potato, peppers, and eggplant
• Sugar, especially refined
• Caffeine
• Processed foods, refined foods, preservatives, additives, and dyes

Vata food intolerances typically cause Vata symptoms such as gas, bloating, cramping, constipation, dry skin, malabsorption, joint pain or arthritis, anxiety, restless mind, hyperactivity, and insomnia.

Common Pitta Allergies, Sensitivities, and Intolerances

• Hot, spicy foods
• Citrus fruits (except lime)
• Bananas, strawberries, pineapple, and cranberries
• Sour or acidic foods
• Fermented foods (vinegar, kimchi, kombucha, etc)
• Salty foods
• Yogurt (homemade is alright) and hard cheeses
• Eggs
• Yeast
• Peanuts
• Garlic and onion
• Nightshades such as tomato, potato, peppers, and eggplant
• Inflammatory and heating foods
• Pork and red meat
• Processed foods, preservatives, additives, and dyes
• Chemicals and pesticides

Pitta food intolerances typically cause Pitta symptoms such as hyperacidity, inflammation (in the gut and/or other areas), diarrhea, loose stools, heartburn, hives rash, eczema, psoriasis, headache, redness, mouth sores, anger, frustration, impatience, or (in severe cases) anaphylactic shock. 

Common Kapha Allergies, Sensitivities, and Intolerances

• Dairy
• Wheat
• Grains 
• Gluten
• Sugar (except honey)
• Heavy meats
• Fatty foods
• Processed foods, refined foods, preservatives, additives, and dyes

Kapha food intolerances typically cause Kapha symptoms such as heaviness, lethargy, sleepiness, mucus, congestion, cough, colds, sinus issues, asthma, edema, sneezing, runny nose, wheezing, mental fog, low motivation, and depression.

The long list of effects of a food allergen (or sensitivity, or intolerance) can vary quite a bit.  They can also be instant and obvious reactions, or they can be a bit more obscure and spread out.  In fact, at times they can occur days after consumption, or only when a food has been avoided for a while and then reintroduced again.  They may only show up in times of weakened immunity, high stress, or other imbalance, while not being an issue when one is strong, robust, and at their best.  Whatever the case, here are some of the main effects to look out for when dealing with a potential food sensitivity. 

General Signs, Symptoms, and Effects of Food Allergies, Sensitivities, and Intolerances

• Gas, bloating, cramping, gurgling, and/or constipation
• Hyperacidity, GERD, or heartburn
• Digestive disorders such as IBS, gastritis, and diverticulitis
• Sleepiness, heaviness, or lethargy (directly after or chronically)
• Excessive levels of toxins in the system (Find out if you have toxins in your system here)
• Dull, foggy mind
• Cold, cough, congestion, mucus, runny nose, sore throat, etc
• Asthma, wheezing, or shortness of breath
• Inflammation (in GI tract or elsewhere), redness or swelling
• Joint pain
• General, dull body aches
• Rash, hives, eczema, acne, psoriasis, or other skin conditions
• Edema
• Malabsorption
• Leaky gut (this can be a cause as well as an effect)
• Autoimmune conditions (with long-term exposure)
• Cancer (with long-term exposure)

Although the causes (yes, plural) will vary for each individual, it is fairly safe to say that an imbalance in the digestion (Agni) is always going to play a role.  However, there often are multiple causes at play, all of which should be addressed and eventually removed if possible.  Here are some of the most common causes to look out for.

Common Causes of Food Allergies, Sensitivities, and Intolerances

• Genetics or family history
• Weak digestion (low Agni)
• Dysbiosis (imbalance of gut flora)
• Stress
• Overwork and exhaustion (mental or physical)
• Lack of sleep
• Repressed emotions
• Leaky gut (this can be a cause as well as an effect)
• GMO consumption
• Pesticides and chemicals
• Environmental pollutants
• Processed foods, preservatives, additives, dyes, etc (the body does not recognize these as food and does not have the means to process them)
• Overuse of antibiotics and prescription medications
• Poor diet and lifestyle habits
• Improper food combining (see full chart here)
• Low Ojas
• Weakened immunity

Phew! With the long, varied list of causes and effects of these food issues, it is no surprise that they can be hard to detect and distinguish.  Confusion around what foods are tolerable (satmaya) and which are intolerable (asatmaya) can often lead to frustration and hopelessness.  Therefore it may be useful to perform a muscle, skin, or blood test with a doctor or holistic practitioner.  However, these tests are not always accurate in detecting food intolerances (or sensitivities, etc) and therefore it may be necessary to perform an elimination diet (see below for details) and listen to your own body.

Treatment of Food Allergies, Sensitivities, and Intolerances

In the eyes of Ayurveda, no matter what the scientific title may be, the general treatment protocol will remain the same, as they can all be classified as asatmaya (intolerance).  Therefore they will all involve removing the cause(s), increasing Agni (digestion), palliating the specific symptoms, reducing inflammation, detoxifying the system, and increasing Ojas (immunity, vitality, strength).   

1. Remove the main cause (meaning allergenic/intolerable foods) using the elimination diet.

The first line of action in any treatment protocol must be to remove the cause.  Otherwise, we are simply subduing the symptoms without any real change.  Since many food sensitivities are hard to decipher, one should perform a strict elimination diet for three months before trying to rotate the potentially allergenic foods back into the diet.  Here is a general breakdown of how this should look.

• Give up all of the most likely allergenic foods (as listed above) along with any other suspects that may not be on our lists. 
• Remove each of them 100% from the diet for three months minimum. 
• After this timeframe, rotate the previously eliminated foods into the diet one at a time each week (i.e. first week add in dairy, next week eggs, next week grains, etc). 
• After giving up a food type for three months (with absolutely no cheating!), the body should become much more sensitive and show a negative reaction more quickly and powerfully, making it fairly obvious if your body can tolerate it or not.
• Any foods that spark a negative reaction (i.e. rash, inflammation, gas and bloating, heartburn, fatigue, sleepiness, congestion, etc, etc), should be given up indefinitely.
• Many food sensitivities can be cured after a 12-month avoidance period (possibly shorter for children), when one has strengthened their digestion and flushed out the built-up toxins in their system. 

2. Increase Agni (digestive fire).

While performing the elimination diet, it is important to simultaneously strengthen the digestive fire.  This will allow the body to process food better and reduce the likelihood of the food intolerance.  Here are some steps to take during this time.  Remember consistency is essential for effective results!

• Drink 16 ounces of hot lemon water each morning upon awakening (before food intake)
• Drink CCF Tea between meals 
• Take a digestive aid before each and every meal.  Some great option includes the Agni Elixir, Digestive Tonic Tincture, or our Ginger, Lime and Honey Appetizer (get home recipe here!)
• Avoid ALL food after 6 pm
• Avoid grazing (and all snacking if possible)
• Avoid overeating
• Avoid all improper food combinations (see full chart here)

3. Follow a diet according to your doshic imbalance and food sensitivity type.

Each dosha type will have food guidelines that are specific for keeping them in balance.  For this step it will be necessary to find out your:

• Dosha Type (take our dosha quiz here)
• Digestion Type (read about the 4 types of digestion here)

Once you discover these, you can then identify which dietary recommendations to follow.  The lists that are shown above will also help to guide you.  For example, if you suffer from chronic mucus, runny nose, and congestion and are sensitive to dairy and gluten, you are most likely suffering from Kapha type digestion (aka Manda Agni) and would therefore follow a Kapha-reducing diet.

Here are some links to the specifics for each dosha and their dietary guidelines:

• Vata-Pacifying Diet
• Pitta-Pacifying Diet
• Kapha-Pacifying Diet

4. Commit to eating clean! Eliminate all GMOs, processed foods, preservatives, additives, and dyes (read labels!).

No matter your dosha type or food sensitivity, these “foods” will weaken digestion and contribute to food sensitivity and toxic accumulation.  Our bodies simply do not recognize these food types and therefore cannot process them properly.  This in turn creates toxic waste in the system (called ama) and leads to sensitivity to these foods and potential sensitivities to other foods.

This step is extremely important to be strict with.  The best way to follow clean eating is to eat organic, read labels, and make your own meals.  There are hidden ingredients in so many packaged foods, prepared foods, and restaurant meals—even the seemingly healthy ones.  Taking the time to prepare your own meals and snacks will be essential.  Remember you and your health are worth it!

Check out our long list of healthy meal and snack recipes here!    

5. Increase the intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in your diet.

Since food sensitivities often lead to malabsorption of nutrients, it will be beneficial to increase your intake of all of these nutrient essentials at this time.  Further, this should not be accomplished with supplements (unless completely necessary), but instead through eating a healthy diet filled with a wide variety of colorful fruits, veggies, and other nutrient-rich foods.  Aim to eat a large serving of vegetables with both the lunch and dinner and a smaller amount of low sugar fruits between meals or as your breakfast (do not eat fruit with any other foods, however).

The most important vitamins and minerals to look out for will be vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin Bs, iron, magnesium, and a wide range of antioxidants.  These all will help boost immunity, reduce inflammation, and heal cellular degeneration.    

6. Detoxify the system.

Since many individuals with food sensitivities have been ingesting the intolerable foods for a long time, it is likely that toxins have accumulated in the system.  This will reduce the digestive fire further and lead to more severe reactions to that food. 

A few simple detox remedies at this time will be:

• Follow the guidelines for increasing the digestive fire in #2 above
• Take 1 tsp of Tikta Ghrita or Triphala Ghrita each morning on an empty stomach
• Take 1/2 to 1 tsp of Triphala Churna each night before bed
• Drink CCF Tea or Detox Tea between meals each day 

7. Promote healthy gut flora.

While we work to increase digestion and flush toxins, we must also be promoting healthy bacteria in the GI tract as well.  It is possible to take a probiotic supplement, however, I highly recommend getting your probiotics from a healthy whole food source.

The easiest way to accomplish this regularly would be to drink 1/4 cup of spiced lassi after each meal (click here for our Golden Spiced Lassi recipe).  Other options include:

• Kimchi or sauerkraut*
• Plain kefir or yogurt (add a pinch of honey, cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger for flavor and to reduce heaviness), always avoid the ones with sugar added and/or fruit as these are not actually healthy for you
• Kombucha (only drink ones with low sugar)*
• Raw apple cider vinegar*

*Not recommended for Pitta, the best option for Pitta will be lassi, homemade plain yogurt, or homemade kefir

8. Reduce inflammation.

If food intolerances have been taken in over a long period of time, it is more than likely there is a chronic inflammatory response occurring in the system.  In order to treat the inflammation directly (and in turn reduce many of these unwanted symptoms), one should take the proper anti-inflammatory herbs during this healing process.  Additionally, it is recommended to avoid inflammatory foods while taking in soothing, anti-inflammatory foods. Here are some options to work with:

Anti-Inflammatory Herbs:

• Guduchi
• Ashwagandha
• Shatavari
• Kama Dudha
• Neem
• Mahasudarshana
• Tikta Ghrita
• Turmeric
• Ginger
• Boswellia
• Licorice
• Spirulina

Cooling, Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Favor:

• Bitter greens such as kale, dandelion greens, and collards
• Bone broth (get a recipe here!)
• Coconut meat
• Coconut water (raw)
• Coconut, hemp, or almond milk (homemade is best)
• Coconut oil, sunflower oil, and ghee
• Almonds (raw, unsalted, soaked, and peeled)
• Cilantro
• Cilantro juice (get the recipe here!)
• Cucumber and watermelon
• Aloe vera
• Pomegranate juice
• Cooling spices: fresh ginger, fennel, coriander, cardamom, cilantro, parsley, and mint 
• Sweet fruits (avoid sour) including dates, ripe mango, raisins, red grapes, and figs
• Avocado
• Omega-3 fats (e.g. flaxseed, chia seed, hemp seed, salmon, salmon roe, sardines, and walnuts)
• Antioxidant-rich foods (e.g. blueberries, blackberries, black plums, sweet potatoes, colorful veggies, mung beans, raw nuts, and dark leafy greens)
• 100% whole grains (if tolerable)

Heating, Inflammatory Foods to Avoid:

• Nightshades: peppers, tomatoes, white potatoes, eggplant
• Spinach, chard, onions, garlic, and red beets
• Coffee
• Caffeine
• Chocolate
• Alcohol
• Red meat and pork
• Fatty, fried, and oily foods
• Heating oils such as peanut, almond, safflower, and vegetable oil
• Trans-fat, saturated fat (ghee and coconut oil are exceptions), and partially hydrogenated fats
• Processed foods, additives, preservatives, pesticides, etc
• Roasted and salted nuts and seeds
• Refined grains
• Sugar, especially refined
• Salty foods
• Sour or acidic foods
• Hot, spicy foods (hot peppers, hot sauce, spicy Thai food, etc)
• Citrus fruits (except lime)

9. Reduce stress.

Stress can cause or provoke just about any disorder imaginable.  It weakens our digestion, increases inflammation, reduces immunity, and depletes our Ojas.  Between these major factors, stress will undoubtably make any food allergy more prominent or even manifest out of nowhere.  Therefore stress reduction is an essential addition to our treatment protocol for any type of food allergy, intolerance or sensitivity.  Here are some effective ways to reduce the stress in your daily life!

Stress-Reducing Activities:

• Follow a consistent and healthy daily routine (get our Ayurvedic Daily Routine chart here!)
• Avoid overworking
• Avoid over-packing daily tasks; prioritize when needed
• Perform at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily (this can be as simple as a walk each day)
• Get fresh air throughout the day
• Take deep breaths every hour; avoid shallow chest breathing!
• Meditate daily, even if just for 5 minutes
• Perform gentle Yoga or stretching at least once a week
• Perform Abhyanga (oil massage) with Vata Massage Oil or Ashwagandha-Bala Oil at least once a week
• Take a warm ginger, baking soda bath at least once a week (get our recipe here)
• Take stress-reducing herbs such as Ashwagandha, Tulsi, Shankapushpi, Jatamansi, Brahmi, and Majja Ghrita

10. Boost immunity.

When dealing with food sensitivities long-term, our natural defense is sure to become depleted.  This only makes us more susceptible to the sensitivity and the nasty cycle continues.  On the contrary, taking measures to strengthen our immunity at this vital time will help expedite the healing process and allow the body to fight against the allergen.  Here are some tips for increasing your immune system naturally.

Immune Boosting Recommendations:

• Drink Tulsi, Turmeric, and Ginger Tea (great for inflammation and digestion too!)
• Reduce stress in your daily life (see above)
• Get proper sleep each night; an ideal sleep schedule is generally to be asleep by 10pm and awake by 6am
• Eat three healthy, home-cooked meals each day; do not skip meals!
• Eat a healthy diet filled with whole foods and antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies
• Make sure to get plenty of vitamin A, C, D3, and Bs along with zinc, iron, and other essential minerals and antioxidants
• Increase the digestive fire (see above)
• Take an herbal immune tonic such as Mahasudarshana Churna
• Take immune-boosting herbs such as Ashwagandha, Licorice, Tulsi, Ginger, and Turmeric

11. Boost Ojas.

Ojas is the vital energy that controls our immunity, vitality, strength, and energy.  When this essential force is depleted (which is more than likely with chronic food allergies) our natural defense is low and our whole system is in a weakened state.  This leads us to be more susceptible to food allergies and prevents healing.  Here are a few ways to promote healthy Ojas during this time:

Ojas-Boosting Recommendations:

• Eat Ojas-increasing foods such as mango, coconut, Golden Milk (use nut or seed milk if needed), whole grains (if tolerable), healthy oils, avocado, coconut, ghee, bone marrow broth, dates, tahini, and healthy seeds and nuts (if tolerable)
• Reduce stress
• Avoid excessive work, worry, sex, and intense exercise (moderate daily exercise is recommended, however)   
• Get proper sleep
• Perform mental detoxes as needed (see details here)
• Create emotional balance in your daily life
• Work on releasing suppressed emotions (we all have them!)
• Take Ojas-enhancing herbs such as Ashwagandha, Licorice, Shatavari, Triphala Churna, Vidari, Bala and Amalaki

Read our extensive article for 11 ways to increase Ojas here.

Try our Ojas-Increasing Oatmeal Recipe.

Try our Ojas-Increasing Energy Ball Recipe.

Conclusion

Whether you are suffering from a food intolerance, allergy or sensitivity, it is essential for your long-term health to discover the culprits and remove them from your daily diet.  Since a weakened digestive fire (Agni) is said to be the root cause of all asatmaya (intolerance), then this should be your number one focus when treating any of these food issues.  Once the digestion is robust, the body is detoxified, and balance is restored in the system, the original allergen can often (but not always) be reintroduced (ideally after a 6 to 12-month period) without negative reactions.  Until then, you must be strict with the allergen avoidance, as even small amounts every so often will delay the healing process.

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