Weight Gain and Food Intolerance
Seeing the number on the scale increase without any dramatic change in lifestyle can be frustrating. Even more, identifying the issue that’s actually leading to the weight gain can be just as problematic.
How Does Weight Gain Occur?
Simply put, typical weight gain occurs when your energy intake exceeds your energy expenditure—all extra energy is stored as fat, thereby causing weight gain. However, weight gain is also affected by other extrinsic factors such as stress, medications, and more.
On the other hand, sudden, unexplained weight gain is harder to pinpoint. Yet, recent studies suggest that low serotonin levels due to a food intolerance might be the cause of your problems.
Symptoms Include:
- Noticeable weight gain without any significant change in diet or consumption habits
How Serotonin Affects Weight Gain
Serotonin is the powerful chemical in our bodies responsible for maintaining mood balance, social behavior, libido, memory, and digestive health. More importantly, though, serotonin acts as the natural appetite suppressant in our bodies, making us feel satisfied even when our stomachs are not full.
What Does Food Intolerance Have to do with Serotonin Production?
When fighting a food intolerance, serotonin production (95% of which originates from the cells in our intestines) can decrease dramatically, leading us to intense carb and sugar cravings.
This process can send the body into a vicious cycle of mood swings, depression, and unwanted cravings, ultimately leading to weight gain—all stemming from the fight against food intolerance.
How a Food Intolerance Test Can Help
Eliminating and replacing problem foods from your diet may help fight against sudden weight gain. In fact, the quickest way to identify your food intolerances is by taking a blood test that measures IgG antibody levels against a variety of different food proteins.
This kind of testing helps to quickly identify which foods are responding negatively with your system and can be much more efficient than food journaling or guess-and-check diets.
All that’s left to do after you get your results is to eliminate the foods you’re intolerant to. That’s it. No follow-ups. No exercise regimens. Zero hassles.
