Allergies
by Stephen Smith ND
Allergies are generally an inappropriate immune system response to a substance or often a various mixture of substances. It is estimates that over 20% of our population suffer a degree of continual distress due to food and / or chemical allergy symptoms. We usually put allergies into two categories, food and chemical. Our bodies reaction to a non toxic substance becomes an over reaction. The reaction then becomes the problem, or allergic reaction. The substances that cause these reactions are referred to as allergens. Almost anything can become an allergen to somebody somewhere in the world. What I would like to focus on here are foods.
Some of the most common foods that cause allergic reactions in the general populus include:
Eggs
Nuts
Dairy Products
Seafood
Strawberries
Wheat / gluten products (see gluten free section)
Even dare I say – Chocolate
Nightshade vegetables
Red Wine
Some food additives and colours especially yellow. Additives to be really careful of include vanillin, benzaldehyde, eucalyptol, monosodium glutamate, BHT-BHA, benzoates and annatto. We must be careful here though to separate food allergies and food intolerances. An intolerance is where the body for whatever reason lack certain enzymes that break foods down in our digestive system where allergies are very much an over reactive immune system starts generating and antibody response to the ingested foods.
Often allergic responses happen immediately during the chewing process but often signs are harder to read. It may just be bloating or a tickle in the back of the throat. We never know why some people have allergies but they often do run in families and there has been some research that has shown non-breastfed children have a slightly increased chance of having a food allergy. There is also an emotional cause often if your immune system is non-functioning well. Stress and anger are the two big ones that come to mind immediately.
A great way to test food a non obvious food allergy is to take your resting heart rate and then eat a pure form of the suspected food. Wait 10-20 minuets for the food to digest. Retake your pulse. If it has increased by more than 10 beats you probably have an issue with that particular food. Another method is to go onto a juice fast for two days then reintroduce the suspected foods one at a time. Your body’s reaction is heightened as it is not pre occupied with other digestive acts so it is easier to spot offending food. Wait a couple of hours though if you intend testing several foods as not to jumble and misinterpret reactions.
Aspirin should be avoided during an allergic response as it allows more allergy provoking substances to be absorbed. So apart from the obvious by avoiding known allergens what else can you do?
Become very aware what is in the foods you are eating; never be embarrassed or afraid to ask.
Raise your immune system by keeping really healthy
Supplement your Calcium and magnesium levels daily, Ca 2000mg and Mg 750mg.
Supplement with a quality B Complex vitamin
And my favourite is a good dose of vitamin C every day around 5000mg (pending on your individual bowel tolerances) 2 kiwi fruit a day and a handful of blueberries in a smoothie will do it for you.
Rotate the foods you eat often, introducing new foods gently. Just because refried beans loosen your stool doesn’t mean you have an allergic response it’s just that they take a little while to introduce to the system. Also remember that because certain foods may cause an allergic response it may not always be the case. Children especially often grow out of such responses as their immune systems develop. Be sensible though, if peanuts send your child into seizures then there’s a good chance that they always will.
http://www.theworldrecipebook.com/
by Stephen Smith ND
Allergies are generally an inappropriate immune system response to a substance or often a various mixture of substances. It is estimates that over 20% of our population suffer a degree of continual distress due to food and / or chemical allergy symptoms. We usually put allergies into two categories, food and chemical. Our bodies reaction to a non toxic substance becomes an over reaction. The reaction then becomes the problem, or allergic reaction. The substances that cause these reactions are referred to as allergens. Almost anything can become an allergen to somebody somewhere in the world. What I would like to focus on here are foods.
Some of the most common foods that cause allergic reactions in the general populus include:
Eggs
Nuts
Dairy Products
Seafood
Strawberries
Wheat / gluten products (see gluten free section)
Even dare I say – Chocolate
Nightshade vegetables
Red Wine
Some food additives and colours especially yellow. Additives to be really careful of include vanillin, benzaldehyde, eucalyptol, monosodium glutamate, BHT-BHA, benzoates and annatto. We must be careful here though to separate food allergies and food intolerances. An intolerance is where the body for whatever reason lack certain enzymes that break foods down in our digestive system where allergies are very much an over reactive immune system starts generating and antibody response to the ingested foods.
Often allergic responses happen immediately during the chewing process but often signs are harder to read. It may just be bloating or a tickle in the back of the throat. We never know why some people have allergies but they often do run in families and there has been some research that has shown non-breastfed children have a slightly increased chance of having a food allergy. There is also an emotional cause often if your immune system is non-functioning well. Stress and anger are the two big ones that come to mind immediately.
A great way to test food a non obvious food allergy is to take your resting heart rate and then eat a pure form of the suspected food. Wait 10-20 minuets for the food to digest. Retake your pulse. If it has increased by more than 10 beats you probably have an issue with that particular food. Another method is to go onto a juice fast for two days then reintroduce the suspected foods one at a time. Your body’s reaction is heightened as it is not pre occupied with other digestive acts so it is easier to spot offending food. Wait a couple of hours though if you intend testing several foods as not to jumble and misinterpret reactions.
Aspirin should be avoided during an allergic response as it allows more allergy provoking substances to be absorbed. So apart from the obvious by avoiding known allergens what else can you do?
Become very aware what is in the foods you are eating; never be embarrassed or afraid to ask.
Raise your immune system by keeping really healthy
Supplement your Calcium and magnesium levels daily, Ca 2000mg and Mg 750mg.
Supplement with a quality B Complex vitamin
And my favourite is a good dose of vitamin C every day around 5000mg (pending on your individual bowel tolerances) 2 kiwi fruit a day and a handful of blueberries in a smoothie will do it for you.
Rotate the foods you eat often, introducing new foods gently. Just because refried beans loosen your stool doesn’t mean you have an allergic response it’s just that they take a little while to introduce to the system. Also remember that because certain foods may cause an allergic response it may not always be the case. Children especially often grow out of such responses as their immune systems develop. Be sensible though, if peanuts send your child into seizures then there’s a good chance that they always will.
http://www.theworldrecipebook.com/
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