Functional medicine support for food sensitivities, intolerances and allergies
We take a personalised, root-cause approach to food sensitivities, intolerances, and allergies. Care focuses on identifying what is really driving your reactions, whether that's digestion, gut lining integrity, or immune activity. We use targeted investigation and individualised treatment to support better tolerance and a less restrictive diet.
Is our food reaction care right for you?
If food reactions have been ongoing or difficult to pin point, particularly when symptoms continue despite removing trigger foods or new sensitivities seem to keep appearing, it can be worth looking more deeply at what may be contributing. Our approach may suit
You feel frustrated by symptoms that continue despite removing suspected trigger foods
You want help making sense of multiple sensitivities, delayed reactions, or conflicting test results
You're looking for a more personalised approach beyond elimination diets alone
You want to understand what’s driving your reactions
Why food reactions can persist or change
In conventional care, food reactions are often centred around the identification of allergies. Allergies are typically assessed with allergy testing and managed with strict avoidance, while common intolerances are often addressed through recommended dietary restriction.
What can be frustrating is that allergies, intolerances or sensitivities can overlap and be driven by different factors. In our experience, things like impaired digestion, an imbalanced gut microbiome, changes to the gut lining, immune activation, a high histamine load, and repeated exposure to certain foods can all influence how someone reacts.
If these drivers are not addressed, people can stay stuck, avoiding more food without getting closer to feeling well.
Our approach to food sensitivities, intolerances and allergies care
We take a functional medicine approach to your unique food reactions, starting with a detailed assessment of your symptoms, health history, dietary patterns, and the timing of reactions. Part of that is working out whether you’re dealing with an allergy, an intolerance, a sensitivity, or some combination.
Depending on your presentation, care may include:
Dietary strategies
Dietary change is often the starting point. Short-term elimination of confirmed trigger foods may give the immune system less to react to, and allow your gut to begin recovery. This is paired with foods that actively support gut lining repair and a healthier bacterial environment, rather than long-term restriction alone.
Gut lining support
In many people with ongoing food reactions, the gut lining has become more permeable than it should be, allowing food proteins and bacterial fragments to pass into places it shouldn’t, and trigger immune responses. Gut repair is a central part of care. Depending on what your assessment shows, this may include:
- Zinc and glutamine to help repair and strengthen the gut lining and are among the most commonly used nutrients in this context
- Herbs, including slippery elm and meadowsweet, have a long history of use for mucosal support
- Vitamin A may support the immune activity that happens at the gut lining and help maintain its protective function
Microbial support
Where bacterial diversity has been reduced, targeted probiotic and prebiotic support is used alongside dietary changes to help restore a healthier gut environment:
- Where harmful bacteria or parasites are found on stool testing, these are typically addressed alongside rebuilding beneficial species
- Specific probiotic strains are selected based on your microbiome needs
- Prebiotic-rich foods and targeted dietary changes support bacterial recovery over the longer term
Digestive function
Where stomach acid, enzyme output, or gut movement is affecting how food is broken down and absorbed, targeted support is used alongside dietary change. Bitter herbs such as gentian and ginger can support gastric acid production and digestive enzyme activity. Where bile flow is low, herbal support can help improve fat digestion.
Immune support
Some food reactions are in response to an immune system that has become over-reactive to foods it should be tolerating. Rather than suppressing immune activity across the board, herbs such as Echinacea, Albizia lebbeck, and Baical skullcap may help bring that response back to a more appropriate level.
Anti-inflammatory support
Where widespread inflammation appears to be a central part of the picture, herbs such as turmeric and boswellia may be used. Where histamine appears to be contributing to your reactions, quercetin and related nutrients can help calm the immune cells responsible for histamine release.
Nutritional support
Several nutrients are commonly depleted in people with ongoing food reactions. Where deficiencies are identified, support may include:
- Vitamin D, which can help reduce gut permeability and calm an over-reactive immune response
- Vitamin C, particularly where histamine is contributing to your reactions, as it is involved in breaking histamine down
- B vitamins, particularly B12 and folate, which are commonly low when gut absorption has been affected by ongoing reactivity
- Magnesium, which supports immune regulation and is frequently depleted when the body is carrying a high inflammatory load
- N-acetyl cysteine, which supports the body’s antioxidant defences and may help reduce inflammatory activity at the gut lining
How we investigate food reactions
Testing is guided by your history, symptom pattern, and the type of reaction suspected. Where it’s needed, it’s selected to clarify how your immune system is responding, how well you’re digesting food, and what else may be keeping reactions going. Testing may include:
- Advanced dietary antigen testing for IgG, and IgE reactions
- Digestive function tests
- Microbiome testing
- Markers of inflammation
- Nutrient deficiency testing
Case study
See how our approach helps our patients achieve better health and richer lives.
Amy, 11, came to us with tiny bumps on her forehead, making her self-conscious at school. Her mother also noted unusual body odour for her age. Amy was constipated (bowel movements every second day), had tummy pain, and snored loudly. An ENT specialist recommended surgery for her enlarged adenoids. Family history revealed food sensitivities in her sister and father.
Read Amy’s story by hitting the button below
Amy’s story
Amy was 11 years old when her mother brought her to see us. She had lots of tiny little bumps across her forehead and was becoming self-conscious about them at school. The other kids were starting to notice and comment on it. Her mother also mentioned that Amy had started developing noticeable body odour, which is unusual for a girl of her age.
Understanding the problem
Questioning revealed that Amy was constipated (moving her bowels every second day), had tummy pains, and snored very loudly. An ear, nose, and throat specialist had flagged the need for surgery to remove her enlarged adenoids. Amy’s family history was also relevant, as her sister and father had food sensitivities.
The global nature of her symptoms, combined with the family history, suggested that food sensitivities could be playing a role. Testing confirmed strong reactions to egg, dairy, and gluten.
Implementing the solution
Her practitioner developed a plan that focused on removing the offending foods – egg, dairy, and gluten – from Amy’s diet for three months while also addressing gut health. Amy’s health coach worked closely with her and her family to ensure the transition was smooth. They helped Amy understand her food sensitivities and guided her through eliminating the triggers, focusing on practical ways to adapt to her new diet. Her coach also supported Amy in exploring new food options and habits to replace the foods that were eliminated, making the process less overwhelming and more empowering for her.
In addition to removing the foods, the practitioner recommended a gut-repair protocol to reduce inflammation and restore gut integrity. Meanwhile, her health coach helped with the behavioural aspect of maintaining consistency in following the dietary changes and encouraging Amy to stick with the plan.
Achieving an incredible result
After three months, the results were remarkable. Amy’s body odour completely disappeared, her snoring stopped, and her bowel motions became regular. The rash on her forehead also cleared up. Most significantly, when the ear, nose, and throat specialist examined her again, her adenoids had returned to normal size. The specialist commented that he had never seen such large adenoids shrink back to normal size so rapidly.
Amy’s food sensitivities, as detected by IgG testing, caused a delayed, cumulative immune response that affected various parts of her body, especially her gut. By eliminating the trigger foods, reducing gut inflammation, and restoring gut health, her body was able to heal. The health coach’s role in supporting Amy and her family with the practical and behavioural aspects of the treatment plan was key to the success of this journey.
We support people with food reactions to optimal health
We’ve helped thousands of people with food reactions to not only reclaim their health but to enjoy life with vitality. Start your care journey today.
Your digestive health care team
GETTING STARTED
Choose how you'd like to begin
3-hour initial apt
3-hour initial appointment
- Comprehensive deep dive into your health picture
- Ideal for complex or longstanding concerns
- Root-cause mapping and strategy session
- Get your personalised health mindmap
Start with a deep dive
1-hour initial apt
1-hour initial appointment
- Review your health history and current concerns
- Receive testing and treatment recommendations
- Leave with a clear plan to get started
A focussed starting point
WHAT PATIENTS SAY
Why Melbourne Functional Medicine is trusted for Food sensitivities, allergies and intolerances
Patient experiences
Our award winning approach is personalised, collaborative and focused on your health.
See what past patients say about their experience below.
Frequently
Asked
Questions
Can this help if I have already tried elimination diets?
Yes, this is a common reason people seek our support. Elimination diets can reduce symptoms, but they do not always explain why reactions developed or why new foods have started causing problems. A deeper and broader clinical assessment can help identify whether digestion, microbiome balance, gut barrier integrity, immune reactivity, or another driver is involved.
Can food intolerances be reversed?
In some cases, yes, particularly when the cause is impaired digestion, an imbalanced microbiome, or gut barrier changes, all of which can improve with the right support. That is different from a true IgE-mediated allergy, which needs a more cautious approach and may require ongoing avoidance. Part of the assessment is working out what kind of reaction you’re dealing with.
Do you offer food sensitivity testing in Melbourne and via telehealth?
Yes. Testing can be arranged for people in Melbourne and across Australia via telehealth. Your practitioner will decide which tests are relevant based on your symptoms, history, and the type of food reaction suspected. Not everyone needs the same work-up, so testing is selected to be clinically useful rather than routine.
Can food reactions affect more than digestion?
Yes. While digestive symptoms are common, food reactions can also affect skin, energy, headaches, mood, or how you feel overall after eating.
Where can I learn more about food reactions?
For a deeper look at how food reactions affect the body and why symptoms can persist, read our detailed guide to food sensitivities, intolerances and allergies.
Ready for a more personalised path forward?
We work with you to get to the bottom of why your food reactions keep happening, and what it takes to feel less reactive and less restricted.
