Identifying trigger foods can be challenging. In a discussion on the Huberman Lab, Dr. Sean Mackey highlighted the complexities of pinpointing specific foods that cause adverse reactions. After experiencing chronic abdominal pain following food poisoning, Dr. Mackey identified that foods in the onion family were triggers for him.

Key challenges include:

• Delayed Symptoms: Symptoms may not appear immediately after consuming a trigger food, complicating identification.
• Varied Reactions: Different foods can cause varied symptoms, making patterns difficult to detect.
• Food Combinations: Some reactions may only occur with certain food combinations.
• Record Keeping: Keeping a detailed food journal is essential but can be cumbersome.

Dr. Mackey emphasized the importance of experimenting with diet and maintaining a food journal to gradually isolate and identify food triggers 1.