Allergies

Food & Beverages

Although I’ve titled this page “allergies,” for the purpose of this portion of the article on food and beverages, I’m also including food “sensitivities.” A true food allergy is an immune system response by your body’s immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies or T-cells to particular proteins, such as those found in eggs, shellfish, or dairy products. An IgE reaction can be from mild to severe, and will occur within minutes to an hour of ingesting, touching, or smelling the reactive food. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, hives and itching, wheezing, and possibly anaphylactic shock, which requires immediate medical attention, since it is life-threatening. A food intolerance means that you lack the digestive enzyme to digest that particular food, for example, lactose-intolerant people can’t digest dairy products. [33% of all people are lactose-intolerant, including 90% of Asian-American adults, and 75% of African-American, Mexican-American, Native American, and Jewish adults.]

A food sensitivity reaction (also known as a non-allergic food hypersensitivity) is an abnormal physiological response, and typically occurs within 30 minutes to 48 hours of ingesting the offending substance. It is not life-threatening, but it can cause symptoms such as fatigue, acid reflux, skin reactions, nasal congestion, asthma, nausea, abdominal cramps, constipation, diarrhea, and IBS.

My Recommendations:

If you have a true food allergy, you should of course avoid the food, but you should carry an Epi-Pen in case of accidental exposure. You should get food allergies and intolerances properly diagnosed and managed with the help of your health care provider.

One of the best ways to test for a food allergen or sensitivity is an elimination diet, where you eliminate all foods, add them back in one at a time, and then rotate foods. You can find instructions for this in “Prescription for Nutritional Healing” by Balch and Balch under “Allergies.” The challenge with a rotation diet is that most people are not willing to do it, as it takes a very strict control of your diet and a careful food diary for a month. As an alternative, Balch and Balch offer a quick-test. After sitting and relaxing for a few minutes, take your pulse rate for one minute, and then eat the food you are testing. Keep still for 15-20 minutes and take your pulse again. If your pulse rate has increased more than ten beats per minute, eliminate this food from your diet for one month, then re-test. Naturopathic doctors offer a blood test (an ELISA/EIA analysis) for both IgG and IgE antibodies (some Veterinarians also offer this test for animals). This test can be very inaccurate according to a study conducted by Bastyr University (ELISA/EIA Analysis), so it is important to consider this as a tool for a starting point. My recommendation is to eliminate the foods that come back as “moderate” and “high”, and then add them back in, one at a time, and note whether your symptoms are triggered. Keep in mind that you may feel worse for a number of reasons, so you may need to “test” these foods several times. Food allergens and sensitivities must be eliminated, but this can become challenging when you eat at other people’s homes, when dining out, or while traveling. Try to keep something you can have with you, so you have an alternative.

As many as 6-7% of people may have a gluten sensitivity. The best way to test whether you are in this category is to eliminate wheat and gluten from your diet and then try reintroducing it a few weeks later. This generally means cutting back on processed foods and eating more “whole” foods like vegetables and fruit. Just be sure you are getting enough fiber. Even if you don’t have a wheat allergy or Celiac disease (a wheat sensitivity that damages the lining of the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients), many of my patients report feeling better and more energized with they eliminate wheat and gluten from their diet.

If you have pain as a symptom, there may be some ingested substances to which you are not allergic, intolerant, or sensitive to, but can aggravate your condition anyway and should be avoided. Chinese diagnosis differentiates pain by the quality of the pain (dull, achy, sharp, shooting, stabbing, burning, moving) and what makes it better or worse (i.e., rest/activity, heat/cold/damp, etc.), and some foods will aggravate certain conditions. You can see an Oriental Medicine practitioner for an evaluation of your pain and to get dietary advice, but you can try eliminating the following foods to see if it helps: coffee and black tea (yes, even decaf!), alcohol, bananas, peanuts, dairy, greasy foods, pop, sugar, wheat, and spicy foods.

Environmental Allergies

Environmental allergens include pollens, molds and other fungi, dust mites, pets, and other things you react to both inside and outside of your home and workplace. Symptoms made include itchy/swollen/watery eyes, sneezing, nasal congestion and discharge, headaches, achiness, fatigue, wheezing, asthma, sleeplessness, and frequent colds and flu.

Environmental allergies must be controlled as much as possible, and if you see a specialist for a skin test to identify allergens, they will make specific suggestions based on the allergen.

If you are allergic to dust mites (also sometimes called bed mites, but not to be confused with bed bugs), wash your bedding frequently using hot water and a hot dryer, and buy allergenic mattress and pillow covers. Dust mites are microscopic organisms that eat your skin that has flaked off; everyone has them in their homes, although they are more plentiful when the humidity is higher.

Change your furnace and air conditioner filters frequently, and use high-quality pleated filters. A good HEPA air filter will help substantially, and you will need one for each room. Make sure each unit is large enough to cover the needed square footage. Not all air filters are equal, so be sure to research your options.

Vacuum frequently with a HEPA vacuum cleaner, especially if you have pets. If you have the option, have someone else do the vacuuming and cleaning since both will stir up allergens into the air. If possible, tear out your rugs and install wood or laminate wood floors, and get rid of drapes and lamp shades that tend to trap dust and allergens.

If you are allergic to molds and mildew, reduce the humidity inside your home with a de-humidifier, and get rid of plants (the soil carries spores and increases humidity). Keep your windows closed in the Fall when spore counts are at their highest. An ozonator will kill molds, but I do not suggest leaving one running while you or pets are in the room, even though some are made for that purpose. Get an ozonator that puts out enough ozone that you can “bomb” the room while you and your pets are gone. Bomb one room at a time and close the door so that you will get a high concentration. After a few hours, hold your breath and open the windows and let the room air out for a couple of minutes before you occupy the room again. You will smell ozone (like lightening) lingering, but the air is fine to breathe after just a few minutes, so don’t be concerned.

Bath your pet(s) weekly. You may be allergic to their saliva, so wash your hands every time you touch your pet. There are a couple of breeds of dogs that are considered “hypoallergenic breeds” that shed less and have less dander, but if you are allergic to the saliva there is no difference in breeds.

Avoid cigarette smoke, perfumes, soaps, and other strong scents. Even though these are more of an irritant and probably not allergies, if you already have allergies, these inhalants with aggravate your symptoms.

Cockroaches can cause allergies from their saliva and fecal matter. Control them as best you can, which may be difficult in some climates.

If you have down pillows or a comforter, you may be allergic to it. Remove them completely from your living space and wash all of your bedding, and see if you sleep better. Even if you don’t sneeze, you may still be allergic.

Disclaimer: The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these statements. Information on this web site is provided for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. The products and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases or, medical problems. Nutritional benefits may vary from one person to another.