Have you gone from doctor to doctor to find relief from conditions like migraines, arthritis, and fatigue but to no avail? Or do you have chronic, unexplained symptoms even though standard medical test results are considered “normal” without a clear diagnosis? Are you frustrated that even with changes such as diet, physical activity and/or medications, there is little improvement in your condition? It could be that the root cause may be from food sensitivities.
What Is Food Sensitivity?
Food sensitivity is a non-allergic, often delayed reaction to certain foods or ingredients that can cause a range of symptoms. Unlike food allergies (which involve the immune system’s IgE antibodies and can trigger severe, immediate responses like hives or anaphylaxis), food sensitivities are typically less severe and more subtle, with symptoms often appearing hours or even days after eating the offending food.
How Food Sensitivity Affect the Immune System?
Food sensitivities trigger an immune response. Immune cells—particularly white blood cells like mast cells, basophils, and others—release chemical substances (called mediators) when they detect a trigger, such as an infection, allergen, or food sensitivity. These mediators enter surrounding tissues or the bloodstream. Depending on the person and the specific mediators involved, symptoms may appear in the gut, nervous system, skin, and more.
The duration of mediator release plays a critical role. During acute reactions, mediator release occurs briefly to help the body heal and provides beneficial effects. But when mediator release becomes chronic, the body acts as if it’s under constant attack. This ongoing response leads to chronic inflammation, which can contribute to a wide range of health problems.
How is mediator release related to food and/or chemicals?
When your immune system reacts to certain foods or chemicals, it may release these mediators even if there’s no infection or true allergy. This reaction can:
- Disrupt digestion causing gut issues.
- Cause inflammation throughout the body.
- Can affect the gut-brain axis and mood-regulating neurotransmitters leading to anxiety and depression.
- Trigger a wide variety of symptoms (headaches, fatigue, brain fog, skin issues such as eczema or acne, joint pain).
Below is a diagram that illustrates many of the various conditions.
Related Health Conditions
Some additional conditions that may be affected are autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, lupus and psoriasis. Chronic inflammation from food sensitivities can also lead to metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome (high blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and waist size), obesity, and insulin resistance.
If you are experiencing any of these conditions, food sensitivities may be a significant factor. At the Unconventional Dietitians, we can provide food sensitivity testing. MRT testing (Mediator Release Test) is a type of food sensitivity test that measures how your immune cells react to 170 plus specific foods and food chemicals by detecting the release of inflammatory mediators such as histamine, prostaglandins, and cytokines.
Instead of measuring antibodies (like in IgG testing), MRT measures the volume change in white blood cells, assuming that a change means mediators were released in reaction to a specific food or chemical. The more mediator release, the greater the immune reactivity—and the greater sensitivity to the food/chemical.
Personalized Support from Our Dietitians
Instead of following a “one size fits all” elimination diet, you can use MRT testing to identify hidden food triggers that drive systemic inflammation. MRT testing uncovers non-obvious or delayed reactions (e.g., to foods like avocado, spinach, or rice) that standard diets typically leave in. This approach removes the guesswork and targets the root cause of chronic inflammation. It reduces your immune system burden and improves symptom management by calming low-grade, food-driven inflammation. When you work with our dietitians to develop your personalized elimination diet plan, you’ll see improvements in your condition and restore your health.
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