Food Intolerances
GUT HEALTH · FOOD INTOLERANCES NATUROPATH GEELONG
Food intolerances are symptoms of an underlying gut problem — not the problem itself.
Many people manage food intolerances by progressively eliminating more foods from their diet — often without lasting relief. The foods themselves are rarely the issue. The issue is a gut that has become reactive — through dysbiosis, intestinal permeability, SIBO, or enzyme deficiencies — and until that's addressed, the list of 'safe' foods will keep shrinking. At The Sana Co. we investigate and treat the gut dysfunction driving your food reactivity, with the goal of reducing your reactions and expanding your dietary freedom over time.
Food intolerance symptoms that go beyond the obvious
Digestive symptoms within hours of eating
Skin reactions
Fatigue and brain fog after meals
Bloating, cramping, loose stools, constipation, nausea, or reflux that consistently appear after eating certain foods — or seemingly after any food.
Post-meal energy crashes or mental clouding — a sign the immune system is activated by food particles, triggering an inflammatory response affecting energy and cognition.
Post-meal energy crashes or mental clouding — a sign the immune system is activated by food particles, triggering an inflammatory response affecting energy and cognition.
Headaches with specific foods
Headaches or migraines consistently triggered by red wine, chocolate, aged cheese, fermented foods, or processed meats — often indicating histamine intolerance or other food chemical sensitivities.
An ever-shrinking list of safe foods
You've been eliminating foods for months or years and still react. Your 'safe' list is getting shorter, not longer. This is the clearest sign that the gut itself needs treatment, not more restriction.
Why your gut has become reactive
Food intolerances develop from an underlying gut vulnerability — not from the foods themselves. Common drivers include:
Intestinal permeability — a compromised gut lining allowing partially digested food particles to reach the immune system | Gut dysbiosis affecting how foods are processed, fermented, and tolerated | SIBO — bacterial fermentation of carbohydrates in the small intestine | Enzyme deficiencies — lactase, diamine oxidase (DAO), and sucrase deficiencies | Post-infectious gut changes after gastroenteritis | Antibiotic use disrupting the gut microbiome and reducing immune tolerance
Our approach: fix the gut, expand the diet
We aim to address the gut dysfunction driving your reactivity — not just identify what to avoid. This approach works toward dietary expansion over time.
Gut microbiome and permeability assessment
Stool analysis (GI-MAP) measuring the microbiome, intestinal permeability markers, digestive enzyme function, and immune markers in the gut.
If your pattern of reactivity — particularly to FODMAPs and carbohydrates — suggests SIBO, breath testing is added to the initial workup.
Stool analysis (GI-MAP) measuring the microbiome, intestinal permeability markers, digestive enzyme function, and immune markers in the gut.
Food diary analysis and pattern identification
Stool analysis (GI-MAP) measuring the microbiome, intestinal permeability markers, digestive enzyme function, and immune markers in the gut.
Targeted elimination and structured reintroduction
A specific elimination protocol based on your testing and symptom patterns, followed by structured reintroduction to identify individual tolerance thresholds.
Addressing the intestinal permeability and dysbiosis driving your reactivity — the gut lining repair and microbiome restoration phase that enables gradual dietary reintroduction.
Gut healing protocol
DAO enzyme supplementation for histamine intolerance, digestive enzyme support, and specific probiotic strains that improve food tolerance.
Enzyme support where indicated
