Digestive Health

Digestive health · Food intolerances: Food Intolerances

Know what really bothers you, and eat everything else with confidence.

Find out which foods really cause your symptoms, and how much of them you can enjoy, with a structured elimination and reintroduction guided by a Registered Dietitian. In person in Ottawa and Gatineau, or online anywhere in Ontario and Quebec.

Book Now The three steps
Fresh vegetables, eggs and herbs on a wooden cutting board
Test, don’t guessObserve. Eliminate. Reintroduce.

Start with understanding

What a food intolerance is, and where food fits in

A food intolerance is a reaction to food that doesn’t involve the immune system. It usually causes digestive symptoms such as bloating, gas, cramps or loose stools, sometimes hours after eating, and it depends on how much you eat. Common examples include lactose, other FODMAPs such as fructose and polyols, and food chemicals such as histamine or sulfites. A food allergy is different: it involves the immune system, can be triggered by tiny amounts and can be dangerous.

Why a structured approach matters

Many people try to work out their triggers alone and end up avoiding more and more foods, which can leave gaps in nutrition and make eating stressful. Popular tests, such as IgG food sensitivity panels, hair analysis or muscle testing, aren’t reliable, and Canadian allergy specialists advise against IgG testing. The approach that works is a short, structured elimination followed by careful reintroduction, sometimes alongside medical tests such as a lactose breath test.

Who we see

We work with adults who suspect that food is causing their symptoms, people who are already avoiding many foods, and people with a diagnosed intolerance who want to eat more freely. Food allergies are diagnosed by an allergist; we can then help you avoid the allergen while eating a complete diet.

Your path forward

Three steps to finding your triggers

Each step has a clear end date. The goal is to avoid as little as possible, for as short a time as possible.

  1. 01

    Weeks 1 to 2

    Look before cutting

    A food and symptom journal, your history and your current diet help us narrow down the real suspects, and spot anything that needs a medical check first.

    • A food and symptom journal
    • A short list of suspects
    • Medical causes checked first
  2. 02

    Usually 2 to 6 weeks

    Eliminate, briefly

    You remove only the suspected foods or food groups, with replacements so your diet stays complete. If symptoms don’t improve, those foods probably aren’t the cause.

    • Only the suspects removed
    • Replacements planned
    • A clear end date
  3. 03

    The weeks that follow

    Reintroduce and find your amount

    We bring foods back one at a time, in increasing amounts, to find which ones bother you and how much you can comfortably eat.

    • One food at a time
    • Increasing amounts
    • Your personal threshold

Not every reaction is the same

Not every reaction to food is the same

Different reactions need different approaches. Knowing which one you’re dealing with keeps your plan safe and as unrestricted as possible.

Type 01

Lactose intolerance

What it looks like

Bloating, gas or loose stools a few hours after milk or other dairy, because of low levels of the enzyme lactase.

How nutrition helps

Finding your amount. Many people tolerate about 12 grams of lactose at once, roughly a cup of milk, plus yogurt, hard cheeses and lactose-free products.

Intolerances cause discomfort but don’t harm the body; allergies can be dangerous. If you’ve had swelling, trouble breathing or fainting after a food, see an allergist and don’t reintroduce it on your own.

Support for your everyday

How we support you between visits

We use clinical software built for elimination and reintroduction, so every decision is based on your results rather than guesswork.

Each food group tracked through reintroduction

Your dietitian records each group being tested, such as FODMAP groups, lactose or histamine, as removed, being tested, tolerated or causing symptoms, with a dated history. Confirmed reactions are saved to your file.

Allergies and intolerances kept apart

Your file tells true allergies apart from intolerances, and the recipes we suggest are checked against both at the portion you’ll actually eat.

Lactose matched to your tolerance

If lactose bothers you, recipes are checked for the amount of lactose in your portion against the amount you tolerate.

A food and symptom journal we review together

You log meals and symptoms in our patient portal. Your dietitian looks for links, with checks that avoid blaming a food based on a few bad days.

Putting it into practice

Everyday habits that help

Keep a journal before cutting anything

Two weeks of notes on what you eat and how you feel usually narrows the suspects far more than guessing.

Change one thing at a time

Removing or adding several foods at once makes it impossible to know which one made the difference.

Think in amounts, not yes or no

Most intolerances depend on how much you eat. A small portion is often fine even when a large one isn’t.

Be wary of online tests

IgG panels, hair analysis, muscle testing and electrodermal tests aren’t reliable ways to diagnose food intolerances.

Put reintroduction on the calendar

An elimination should have an end date. Long, open-ended restrictions rarely help and can cause nutrient gaps.

Replace what you remove

Avoiding dairy? Plan for calcium and vitamin D. Avoiding wheat? Plan for fibre and B vitamins.

WORKING WITH YOUR DIETITIAN

How we work on it together

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  1. 01

    Assessment

    We review your symptoms, when they happen, foods you already avoid, your medical history and tests, and a typical week of eating.

  2. 02

    Elimination and reintroduction

    We plan a short, targeted elimination with replacements, then each reintroduction test: which food, how much, and over how many days.

  3. 03

    Your long-term plan

    We turn your results into a plan with the foods and amounts that work for you, and re-test foods over time as your tolerance changes.

FAQ

Common questions

What’s the difference between a food allergy and an intolerance?

An allergy involves the immune system, can be triggered by tiny amounts and can be dangerous. An intolerance doesn’t involve the immune system, usually causes digestive discomfort, and depends on how much you eat.

Are food sensitivity tests accurate?

IgG food sensitivity tests aren’t: they reflect normal exposure to foods, not intolerance, and Canadian allergy specialists advise against them. Some medical tests can help, such as a breath test for lactose intolerance ordered by your doctor.

Can food intolerances go away?

Your tolerance can change over time, for example after a gut infection settles or when other symptoms improve. That’s why we re-test foods rather than avoiding them forever.

Do I need to avoid lactose completely?

Usually not. Most people with lactose intolerance can handle about 12 grams at once, roughly a cup of milk, and more when it’s spread through the day. Yogurt, hard cheeses and lactose-free products are often well tolerated.

What about histamine intolerance?

Research on histamine intolerance is still developing, and there is no reliable test for it. If other causes have been ruled out, a short, supervised low-histamine trial with reintroduction can show whether it helps.

Is it covered by insurance?

Many private insurance plans cover services from a Registered Dietitian. We provide receipts for you to submit. Check your plan for coverage details.

Can I meet online?

Yes. Online appointments by secure video are available anywhere in Ontario and Quebec. You log your meals and symptoms in our patient portal, and we go over them together at each visit.

Based on current guidelines and research

This page is general information, not individual advice. Your needs depend on your diagnosis, your health and your goals.

Digestive health care in Ottawa, Gatineau and online

We see you in person at our Ottawa and Gatineau clinics or by secure video anywhere in Ontario and Quebec, in English or French. With your consent, we share your plan with your family doctor or gastroenterologist.

Let’s take the next step

Get a plan built around your digestion.

Start with a free initial consultation, in person in Ottawa or Gatineau, or online anywhere in Ontario and Quebec.

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