Even with a medical background of studying the gastrointestinal system, doctors sometimes eat things that are not “good” for them. They pay in ways that range from the odorous to hours of pain, all self-inflicted, really; how ridiculous is that, because they know better.

Food allergies persist and are becoming more commonplace, including dermatitis herpatiformis and celiac disease. Stop eating the top five allergens and see what happens. If you took an entire week and avoided these items you’d start isolating your allergies and improving your own health. You’d feel better and experience improved sleeping and brain functions.

Dairy and wheat are the worst culprits, along with genetically modified (GMO) foods. These include soy, wheat, yellow corn, canola oil, yellow neck squash, zucchini and dairy products. Most processed foods have gluten, which can be found in postage stamps, envelopes, breads, pastas, seasonings and processed foods.

Interesting symptoms show up due to allergies—red, blistering rashes in armpits or on arms and legs, brain fog, irritability, stomach pains, constipation, joint pain, fatigue, headaches, earaches, itchy ears, puffy eyes or swollen, puffy under-eye bags. The list goes on. What we ingest matters.

By becoming very knowledgeable about gluten: what it does in the body and how it can show up, we can heal the damage. We have organic foods, gluten-free foods, gluten-free bakeries, and dairy-free options available at most stores. We have choices to live a healthy gluten- and dairy-free life. It is manageable. Not feeling sick all the time is the biggest blessing of all.

DeeAnn G. Saber is a doctor of naturopathic medicine specializing in the Endocrine and GI Systems at 3861 WellnessFirst. For more information, visit 3861WellnessFirst.com.