by Ruth Thompson, Registered Holistic Nutritionist

Sensitivities to foods can typically cause digestive upsets—indigestion, bloating, etc. But, other parts of the body can also be affected. My clients regularly display five signs of food sensitivities that are not related to digestion—rashes, headaches, sinus congestion, asthma, and food cravings.

It is disturbing to me that these symptoms are not always (at least at first) connected with food, but rather treated with medications or, worse still, ignored.

In a series of blogs, I talk about the possible causes of these five symptoms and what can be done to identify or rule out food(s) as the culprit.  In my last blog I wrote about rashes. This blog addresses headaches.

Many of my clients once suffered with headaches but considered them normal. They would ask: “Doesn’t everyone get headaches?”  My answer? A definite “no.” 

Headaches can come from many sources–viruses, infections, sunstroke, emotional stress, lack of sleep, menses, and hangovers. In these situations the headache is easily explained, and usually short-lived. Chronic, persistent headaches can result from injuries to the back or neck, long-term illnesses, and as a side effect of medications. In the absence of these influences, food and other environmental agents must be considered.

Recurring, unexplained headaches could be triggered by sensitivities to a food or chemical. Even foods that are considered healthy can trigger a headache, if you are sensitive to that food. Food additives such as MSG often produce a headache. Household and personal care products could also be involved.  

Headaches are not normal; they are a sign of a body in distress. It is important to rule out sensitivities as the culprit. The Bio Energetic Evaluation that I use in my practice is one of the few devices that can pinpoint sensitivities to foods, food additives and household chemicals. Over the past ten years, this has allowed me to help many people discover a new normal—life without headaches!

Contact me to learn more about what your headaches mean. Bio Energetic Evaluation testing is available at Nature’s Vibe on Friday and selected Saturdays.