Chronic Food/Chemical Sensitivity Basics

By David August 12, 2022

“What about elevenses? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them doesn’t he?”
Two Towers (Lord of The Rings)

Food/Chemical Sensitivities In Traditional Chinese Medicine:

There are a HOST of dis-eases in TCM that correspond to food/chemical sensitivities so rather that listing them all I am going to break them down into 3 basic categories. Notice that TCM takes a much broader view of this issue.

Problems in the digestive tract:

This category includes all of the problems with proper digestion. Symptoms always include some digestive symptoms such as:

Constipation
Diarrhea
Bloating
Gas

Additionally depending on the cause other symptoms tag along such as:

Headaches
Neck Pain
Fatigue or tiredness after eating
Body aches or fatigue
Muscle weakness

Problems outside the digestive tract:

This is the most common category for chronic sensitivities as they show up with autoimmune-type symptoms such as:

Feeling of heat in the face
Mouth Ulcers
Low grade fever
Dizziness
Muscle weakness
Chronic fatigue
Feeling cold in general
Spontaneous sweating
Anxiety
Depression
Alternating hot and cold (as if you have the flu but without flu symptoms)
Nausea
Frequently getting ill (catching colds)
Problems breathing/Asthma
And more…

Stuck energy in the “psyche”:

I have never worked with someone who had chronic food/chemical sensitivities that didn’t fit into this category and didn’t find relief in treating it.

This is a bit of a complex topic and if you want to read more about it now you can find some links at the end of this post. For today however I want to make this very simple…

When there is anxiety, fear, worry, or concern related to your experience with food or other chemical sensitivities that energy gets stuck in the system and makes it far more likely that you will experience symptoms.

This category will get it’s own full post (probably a few of them) shortly so for now lets just list the symptoms:

Constant thinking about managing symptoms
- What might/did I eat that…

Anxiety
Depression
Allergies/Sensitivities that get worse over time**
Allergies/Sensitivities that developed during or shortly after a stressful period in life or specific traumatic event
Allergies/Sensitivities that don’t follow obvious rules (sometimes a food is ok and sometimes it is not)
Temporary sudden relief from symptoms especially when on vacation or during periods of change/transition

Treatment Options in Traditional Chinese Medicine:

Traditional Chinese Medicine views chronic food/chemical sensitivities as often both a dis-ease of the body and of the “psyche”.

Chronic stress especially during childhood and adolescence can lead to physical problems in the body that cause these sensitivities and Visa Versa if you have symptoms that cause you anxiety, worry, fear, concern overtime they tend to greatly magnify the symptoms and in-fact often prevent them from healing even once the body is much healthier. (future posts will cover this in detail)

While there are only 3 main “categories” corresponding to food/chemical sensitivities in Chinese Medicine each of these 3 can be triggered for more than 1 reason and therefore each requires its’ own specific treatment.

Each different imbalance of the mind or body in Chinese Medicine can be treated through a variety of different therapies including:

Diet (what you eat, how you eat it, and your relationship with it)
Treatment of the mind (through mindfulness practices such as meditation, emotional digestion practices, and de-storying practices). (All available in a 1-1 setting)
Treatment of the channels/organs (through acupuncture, acupressure, and qigong)
Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine. Offered locally in Colorado Springs here.

I will delve into many aspects of chronic food/chemical sensitivities in future posts with a special emphasize on:

Each type of imbalance, common signs and symptoms so you can get a clearer picture of where you fit
Treatment options for each with a focus on what you can do at home starting today and where you might find help from a healthcare professional most beneficial
Interviews with other specialists in their field and what suggestions they have to share for coping with and overcoming your sensitivities.
Interviews with others who are either currently suffering with or have overcome their food/chemical sensitivities. What worked and didn’t work for them and their stories.

Wishing you a life of unparelleled joy and acceptance!

David

Where To Next?

Delve into understanding the “psyche” in TCM:

Build on your understanding of chronic food/chemical sensitivities in the following post: