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Elenor MacGregor

The Four Types of Food Reactions and how knowing about them can help with solving Anxiety, Depression & ADHD holistically.

Updated: Jun 20


A young man in a blue and pink striped shirt looks confused. He has dramatic pink, green, and yellow graffiti in the background behind him.
Confused about Food Reactions and how they relate to brain health problems like anxiety, depression, and ADHD?

Hey there, concerned parents! When your child,  teens, and young adults are grappling with focus issues, hyperactivity, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, or perfectionism you know they are suffering.  Tummy and headaches, getting sick a lot, trouble in school, and feeling run down take a toll on your child and on you. Sometimes food reactions are at the root cause of some of these issues and addressing them can be one of the natural remedies.

Have you ever been confused about food reactions, you're in the right place. Let's dive into the different types of food reactions together to shed some light on what might be going on with your little one's health.


The Four Types of Food Reactions:

  1. Food Allergies: These can be super serious, triggering an immediate immune response that needs urgent attention. Think of it like your body hitting the panic button when it encounters certain foods like peanuts or shellfish. For more great information about food allergies check this post by Mayo Clinic that goes into detail about all the symptoms of food allergies.

  2. Food Sensitivities: These sneaky reactions can be a bit harder to spot. They don't always show up right away and might cause things like tummy troubles or changes in behavior. But don't worry, we'll help you learn how to recognize them.

  3. Food Intolerances: Ever felt a bit off after eating something like dairy? That might be your body saying, "Hey, I don't like that!" It happens when your body struggles to digest certain foods, like lactose in milk.

  4. Celiac Disease: This is a big deal—it's when your body goes into full-on attack mode against gluten, a protein found in wheat, and starts to attack your intestines. People with celiac disease have to steer clear of gluten to keep their insides happy or they can have serious health problems. If you think your kid might have celiac disease here is a great quiz by the celiac foundation.


HOT TIP ➡️ If you want your kids to focus better, feel calm, relaxed, and happy, sleep well, and build resilience, listen up:


One thing I suggest is focusing on gut health. The gut can often cause problems throughout the body, especially with the brain. In fact, there is something called the Gut-Brain Connection.


The gut-brain connection is like a two-way street where the brain and the gut talk to each other. It means that the brain and the gut's nervous systems can chat back and forth, connecting how we feel emotionally and think mentally with how our intestines work. So basically, what happens in our head can affect our tummy, and vice versa! Cool, right?


As a holistic pediatrician, I uncover and treat the underlying causes of symptoms while working to reduce the need for medications so they can get back to being a kid and reclaim their childhood joy. 


With advanced diagnostic testing and a personalized treatment program I take a thoughtful,  thorough, and caring medical approach to address your child’s health.  We will address genetic factors, diet, gut health, lifestyle as I walk hand in hand with you and your child toward sustainable well being, resilience, and joy. 


Food reactions might seem mysterious, but with a little know-how, I can help you be your child's food detective, uncovering any potential culprits that might be affecting their health and happiness.


If you want to know more about how to improve your kid's health through gut health check out my Guide to Whole Child Health


For more information on Gut-health check out these other helpful articles:




Dr. Ellie smiling. She is wearing a black top and is sitting by an arrangement of wheat fronds.


When you're ready here's how Dr. Ellie can help: 


When your child, teen or young adult child is grappling with focus issues, hyperactivity, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, or perfectionism you know they are suffering.  Tummy and headaches, getting sick a lot, trouble in school, and feeling run down take a toll on your child and on you. 


You want to help the ones you love ease their suffering and alleviate their symptoms by 

addressing their underlying medical conditions without going straight to adding pharmaceutical medications that can come with their own set of adverse side effects and complications.


As a holistic pediatrician, I uncover and treat the underlying root causes of symptoms while working to reduce the need for medications so they can get back to being a kid and reclaim their childhood joy. 


With advanced diagnostic testing and a personalized treatment program I take a thoughtful,  thorough, and caring medical approach to address your child’s health.  We will address genetic factors, diet, gut health, lifestyle as I walk hand in hand with you and your child toward sustainable well being, resilience, and joy.



For more information on brain health check out my other posts:




Dr. Ellie smiling. She is wearing a blue floral dress and is in front of golden foliage
Dr. Ellie

Dr. Ellie MacGregor is a holistic integrative and functional medicine pediatrician who specializes in the treatment of celiac disease, food allergies, ADHD, anxiety, depression, gut issues, eczema, and other recurring symptoms using a blend the best of conventional and alternative therapies to prioritize your child's health..  She is the owner of Middle Path Integrative Pediatrics with over 14 years of experience.  Dr. Ellie MacGregor helps readers separate fact from spin to make informed decisions about their health and the health of their children.


Get Dr. Ellie’s Guide to Whole Child Health for more information or view her website to get in touch. 

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