Decoding food sensitivities: A step-by-step approach for practitioners

This course...

is: an online live course

is for: nutritional therapy practitioners, nutritionists, dietitians, naturopaths, other health care providers and final year nutrition students interested in applying functional medicine approaches to health and well-being (i.e. exploring how nutrients, other foods and lifestyle factors influence the function of the body and how to apply findings in a person–centred manner that recognises individuals’ unique differences)

is led by: Charlotte Hunter PGDip MSc BSc BA

spans: 1 day

provides: ION CPD 5 hours, BANT CPD 5 hours, NNA CPD 5 hours

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1. What is this course about?

• This course demystifies food sensitivities and explores how they sit within the wider landscape of adverse food reactions and gut–immune health.
• It combines current research, clinical reasoning, and practical interpretation of food sensitivity testing to help practitioners use results appropriately.
• Participants will gain a clear, step-by-step framework to create personalised, safe, and effective nutrition plans.

This course will provide practitioners with a clear, evidence-based approach to understanding food-sensitivities and applying testing in clinical practice. It will explore the broader landscape of adverse food reactions and evaluate the strengths and limitations of common test panels. The sessions will also integrate gut–immune physiology to support decision-making. Practitioners will learn a practical, step-by-step framework for interpreting results and creating personalised, effective client protocols.

Practitioners often struggle with conflicting information about food sensitivity testing. Diagnostic boundaries can be unclear and interpreting complex or overly broad test reports can be difficult.
This course provides clarity on what tests measure, how to evaluate their usefulness, and how to avoid dietary over-restriction.

Practitioners will gain a structured, evidence-informed framework for making confident clinical decisions and designing personalised client protocols.

This course will provide an overview of adverse food reactions and where “sensitivities” fit within clinical practice. It will then define how to evaluate different food sensitivity tests, including their strengths, limitations, and evidence base. Understanding immune responses, gut barrier function, and why these influence test results and Step-by-step clinical workflow for designing personalised protocols.

Examples of questions it will answer

• How to decide when testing is appropriate and when it isn’t.
• Practical interpretation of IgG and multi-marker panels, including C3d complement.
• Frameworks to prevent over-restriction and support food reintroduction.

Finally, it will provide case studies and examples of panels to apply learning in real life scenarios. Along with take-home tools: decision tree, lab comparison grid, and 7-step protocol template

By the end of the course, you will be able to

• Create structured, personalised food sensitivity plans that address symptoms while minimising unnecessary dietary restriction.
• Apply research on adverse food reactions, immune tolerance, and gut barrier function to inform your clinical decision-making.
• Choose food sensitivity tests with greater confidence, understanding what different panels measure and when testing is appropriate.
• Avoid common pitfalls such as over-interpreting results, false positives, or excessive elimination diets that may compromise nutritional status.
• Support clients more confidently through testing and clinical history.
• Keep clients motivated and engaged through clear explanations, structured plans, and appropriate reintroduction strategies.

What will be covered

- Differentiate accurately between allergy, intolerance, and food sensitivity, enabling you to choose the right clinical pathway and avoid unnecessary testing.
- Critically evaluate popular food sensitivity tests (including IgG and multi-marker panels) so you can decide when they are helpful, when they are not, and how to interpret them safely.
- Apply gut–immune physiology, including barrier function and tolerance mechanisms, to real cases, to improve your ability to explain results and design targeted interventions.
- Build personalised, phased food-sensitivity protocols using a 7-step framework to support symptoms and goals without over-restricting.
- Communicate test findings with confidence, helping clients feel informed, supported, and empowered rather than confused or overwhelmed.

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About the presenter:

Charlotte Hunter PGDip MSc BSc BA

Charlotte Hunter is a nutritionist and has been in clinical practice since 2010. Her work focuses on adverse food reactions, immune-gut interactions, and the practical use of functional laboratory testing to improve clinical outcomes.

Charlotte is currently completing her MSc in Nutritional Medicine and has a particular interest in how immune tolerance and intestinal permeability influence food sensitivity responses. She also leads a team of nutritionists in her busy menopause practice.

Charlotte manages KBMO Diagnostics UK, NutriDyn Europe and has worked extensively with a range of laboratory providers. This gives her a unique, balanced perspective on the strengths, limitations, and clinical application of food sensitivity testing across the industry.

She is passionate about helping practitioners move beyond test results alone, combining clinical reasoning, current research, and practical tools to create safe, personalised nutrition strategies.

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