Food Allergies or Sensitivities
It has been estimated that up to 50% of the general population suffer from adult onset food allergies.
In general, our immune system has two different functions. The major one defends us against potentially harmful substances like bacteria, viruses, and toxins. The other action is triggered by a substance or allergen that is usually harmless and the person develops an allergy. Most allergies are easy to recognize. An example of this is the seasonal sinus congestion associated with airborne pollens.
Food allergies present different problems. For one, the response occurs sporadically. Mandell wrote in the 80’s about a rotational diet, as many foods that you are sensitive to are only reactive if you eat the food again within 4 days. Consequently, he advocated a five-day rotation of sensitive foods.
Reactions to foods may vary from mild to fatal. This depends on the type and the severity of the reaction as well as the amount of allergen accidentally ingested.
While symptoms of food intolerance are common, true food allergy is less common. A food allergy is distinguished from food intolerance and other disorders by the production of antibodies and the release of histamine and similar substances. This matters little to the patient who develops symptoms to eating a specific food.
What are the symptoms of food intolerance or allergy?
The symptoms may be localized to the gastrointestinal tract, from the stomach to the colon, or they may involve other parts of the body after the food is digested or absorbed. The symptoms usually begin within minutes of putting them in your mouth. Seldom will they start more than 2 hours after eating. Usually, the symptoms are related to the gastrointestinal tract and run the gamut from nausea, stomach bloating, cramping, pain, diarrhea or constipation. Aside from intestinal symptoms you may have headaches, lightheadedness, asthma, eczema, skin rash, itching, nasal congestion, swelling around the eyes, wheezing, difficulty breathing or other symptoms.
The following foods are the most common ones causing intolerance syndromes include:
Wheat and other gluten-containing grains
Cow’s milk (milk/lactose intolerance and intolerance of dairy products)
Corn products
Soy products
Food colorings and preservatives
Artificial sweeteners
The following foods are the most common causing systemic reactions like anaphylaxis, hives, or asthma:
shellfish (shrimp, crab, and lobster)
nuts - peanuts (not a true nut) and peanut product
fruits (melons, strawberries, pineapple, and tropical fruits)
tomatoes (other nightshades like potatoes, peppers, eggplant)
gluten and casein – found in wheat and milk
food additives including dyes, thickeners, and preservatives
Testing for food sensitivities can be very complex. This is because you will only respond if you have recently eaten or ingested the suspected food. Consequently, the patient has to become a detective. Creating a food log of what you have eaten and when symptoms occur can dramatically aid in finding the offending substance.
Luckily, a landmark study was done and published on the efficacy of using muscle testing to help uncover suspected food sensitivities. This paper reported an extremely high correlation between expensive blood testing for food sensitivities and using muscle testing to find negative responses to the injection of suspected foods.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10069623/
https://najfnr.com/home/article/view/623
Using these procedures, foods that you suspect you are reactive to can be challenged in the office. Following this elimination diets can be used to confirm the findings. Following elimination, a provocative challenge of eating the suspected food for two to three days can be used to bring back the symptom pattern if any doubt is left in the patient’s mind.
Depending on what foods are found, the treatment may run from total avoidance, to rotational diets to supporting the digestive tract or desensitization to potentially enable the person to eat the food.
Working with the patient, we try to find the best program to prevent the symptoms from returning.