Almond and Garlic. It's not always gluten.

Recently I saw a patient who came to me with the common digestive complaints of gas, bloating, abdominal discomfort and loose stools. This had been going on for many years and she was getting very frustrated with her situation. It interrupted her work life as well as her social life, and she wanted to figure out what was wrong.

We ran some thorough testing for food allergies and guess what? She wasn't reactive to gluten, or to dairy, or to eggs, or to any of the things that people more commonly think of as food allergens or intolerances. In fact, she was reactive to two very simple foods that most people rarely think of as causing health problems: almonds and garlic.

Yes, that's right. Almonds and garlic. Two foods that many people assume are good for you. The reality is that they are no different than any other food. They are good for some people, and not so good for others.

This patient happened to really like almonds and garlic. She ate them almost every day. But for her they were causing all of her digestive problems and affecting her health in other ways as well. Once she removed almonds and garlic from her diet she felt dramatically better. In fact, she was completely fine after she stopped eating these foods.

It is just one example of how we are all different. Everyone is unique, and different people react to different foods. There is no one diet that is truly good for everyone. This is why I don't assume that my patients are gluten intolerant, or have a dairy allergy, or have any other food reactions until I can thoroughly assess them. If you are interested in learning more about this approach please visit www.IBSTreatmentCenter.com.