Food Sensitivities - Any DIY/At Home Tests?

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My wife with AS seems to be sensitive to just about everything--not just food but also medication (about the only thing that doesn't cause her to go haywire is ibuprofen), any kind of environmental trigger (we had to move because of our neighbor's smoke), A/C units that aren't perfectly clean, you name it.

It seems to be worse under stress. When I first met her and her stress levels were pretty low, she could eat just about anything. Then she saw a naturopath who suggested a few things and made her think more about her diet.

We know seed oils are detrimental to her because of brain inflammation. We also know processed food in general is bad, but it's gotten so bad that she thinks the entire food supply has toxins in it. Yes, there is merit in that theory if you read some labels, but even the foods without them seem to occasionally drive her nuts.

I saw CVS has a test you can get done in-store for food allergies. Short of experimentation, is there anything that can be done at home for her to see what could be a trigger? We don't really have the money for an allergist right now but it may be something we look into when open enrollment rolls back around next month and we pick a new plan for her. I do know someone currently being evaluated by a holistic nutritionist and may get the number from her this week.

I'm no expert in this field but I'm wondering if it could be some oddly specific thing that nobody would ever pick up. I also wonder if it developed later in life; I know plenty of people who seemed to get a gluten intolerance over the age of 21 and have a friend who developed an egg allergy at 33 (yet was fine previously). One of the gluten intolerant folks is so bad she has to bring her own food to anything in case of cross-contamination (yet she was never that way in her 20s). My wife is 34 for reference.

I do know there are a lot of special diets for AS and I'm going to spend the next few days researching them in my down time. The naturopath had some suggestions including supplements, but my wife isn't really open to those right now for some reason or another.

Some foods that seem to trigger her: higher amounts of sugar (5g or more), certain pastas, a lot of restaurant food, rice, beans. She thinks some of the cheese tastes funny and is trying to implicate it; I think she just may be looking for any cause at this point.

Her mom is lactose intolerant though lactose doesn't seem to be an issue, at least from a digestive standpoint. I'm unaware of any other food issues in the family.

I'm looking for something like this for myself, too.


In my case, certain hormones very much affects the way I digest, process and how effective it can be.

I only able to gauge how much is how much.
Or deduced that certain dairy products do make my stomach act up for days except I've been like that for years and I spent too much time ignoring it.
Or that certain medications or substances only works as intended if I'm also taking hormonal birth control pills or at a certain phase of the cycle.
Or that I may need some iodized salt from time to time to regulate from cold temperatures.
Or I need a mix of two different supporting supplements for it to notably affect me, else it'll give me more side effects instead.

Other than tracking symptoms and consumptions via bullet journaling (whether digitally or not), I don't know any other sure fire way.

And I'm only 29.

I don't know what I will develop other than increasingly intolerant eating oily foods that just makes me feel my gut queasy and that oily like feeling that resembles like brain fogging.
Or that if I took birth control pills too often and too long, I'd end up with hot flashes and heat intolerance.
Or eating certain foods or drinks that tastes too strongly will put me off kilter.

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I can relate to your problems and you have my utmost sympathy. My wife is also sensitive to lots of foods, and certain types of mould (which are ubiquitous in these parts) have threatened her life. You wouldn't believe the trouble and expense - the way things are going, I fear we'll be exhausted and bankrupt not too long from now.

She thinks your wife very likely has "mast cell activation syndrome"
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/d ... n-syndrome

And she says this inexpensive book about it has been very helpful:
https://www.amazon.com/MCS-Banished-Hum ... B07F1ZQS4R

I don't understand it very well but my wife does. Feel free to ask any questions you have about it and I'll pass on her answers.