Food allergy organizations like the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network estimate that more than 12 million Americans have a food allergy to fish, shellfish, peanuts, or tree nuts, which are the most common allergenic foods. The other common food allergy culprits are soy, wheat, cow’s milk, and chicken eggs. People with allergies to these foods usually know about them because the symptoms are often severe (e.g., hives, wheezing, anaphylaxis, etc.).
Countless other people have an unknown food allergy. You may have a food allergy you don’t know about because it is to an uncommon food, it is missed or misdiagnosed by your doctor, or because the symptoms aren’t severe or are attributed to some other condition. Some of the symptoms of a food allergy include fatigue, headaches, indigestion, and inflammation.
These symptoms can make weight loss exponentially more difficult. Fatigue caused by a food allergy can make working out a painful inconvenience. Headaches and indigestion can make the stress of dieting for weight loss intolerable. The chronic inflammation caused by constantly eating allergenic foods can lead to insulin resistance which can make weight loss next to impossible.
By discovering hidden food allergies through comprehensive food allergy testing, and then eliminating those foods, most people will experience weight loss without any other changes to their diet or workouts. Many people will also experience a significant increase in their energy which will make working out – and thus weight loss – much easier.