The Conditioned Food Avoidance and Sensitivity Trap (C-FAST) shows how fear, restrictions and worsening symptoms can become a vicious cycle. It usually starts with a few food restrictions and gets worse over time. Eventually, you find yourself stuck deep in the trap and cannot see a way out.

When you are stuck in the C-FAST cycle:

Your brain sends false alarm signals about the dangers of food, putting your nervous system on constant alert.
Food becomes a trigger for stress.
You think about food and your symptoms more than you want to.
You are caught in a never-ending cycle of wondering what will make you sick, then feeling sick.
Your food sensitivities keep getting worse.