FOOD ALLERGIES
Food allergies are a problem when the body develops an exaggerated response to a substance that is ingested. This response is usually mediated by the immune system. The function of the immune system is to identify substances that are foreign and harmful to the body and eliminate them. Type 1 immediate hypersensitivity reactions are caused by an interaction between the food (the antigen) and immunoglobulin E (IgE – the antibody). This starts a cascade of other chemicals being released. The effects on the body are immediate and dramatic. A person may get hives, wheezing or shortness of breath, severe itching, swelling of the lips or mouth, low blood pressure, intestinal cramps or total cardiovascular collapse and death (anaphylaxis). This is not hard to recognize and the offending food can usually be identified readily. This type of reaction is relatively uncommon.
A much more common type of reaction involves parts of the immune system that are much slower to react. It may take up to 2-3 days for symptoms to develop after exposure to a food. The kinds of symptoms that can occur are extremely varied and can include nearly all body systems and organs. Since most of these symptoms are not thought of as allergic in origin, patients and physicians seldom consider food allergies are being the source of the problem. There is usually an underlying cause for why the body reacts to a nontoxic food with an allergic response. Causes may include yeast overgrowth of the intestines, intestinal parasites, inadequate digestive enzymes, heavy metal toxicity, liver dysfunction, anti-inflammatory medication, weak adrenal glands, excessive alcohol use, severe stress and a “leaky gut”. A knowledgeable nutritional practitioner that identifies and treats these problems can help clear them up.
The simplest and most cost effective way to diagnose food allergies is to go on an elimination diet. The most common food allergy offenders are milk, wheat, citrus fruits, eggs, peanuts, chocolate, soy, corn and tomatoes. Eat a diet with none of these foods for two weeks and keep a diary of symptoms. If symptoms improve or disappear, you are very likely to have an allergy to one of the foods. You are most likely to be allergic to a food that you crave, eat frequently, that stimulates you or that you suspect of making you feel badly. If any of the eliminated foods fit this category, resume eating it in every meal for two days and record your symptoms. If they return, you have identified the offending food and should avoid it. In addition to elimination diets, other methods of diagnosing food allergies include blood tests, electrodermal screening, applied kinesiology, intradermal and sublingual challenges. A practitioner experienced in one or more of these tests can advise you on the strengths and limitations of each type of test. The bottom line is food allergies are very common, relatively difficult to diagnose but fairly easy to treat. A number of books are available that have a lot of detailed information on this topic.
Daniel Blodgett MD