Are the Foods You
Eat Making You Sick?
By Dr.
James Pendleton, ND
Did you
know that many people are living with chronic food allergies that zap their
strength and lessen their quality of life?
These sensitivities
often go unrecognized for years,
masquerading as:
- attention deficit
- hay fever & chronic ear infections
- persistent skin problems
Food allergies may
even cause more serious challenges like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's
disease. Food allergies also contribute
to malnutrition, blocking the absorption of crucial vitamins like B12.
Food Intolerances are Different from Food Allergies
Sometimes people confuse food allergies with food intolerances. Intolerances usually occur when we don’t make an
enzyme that breaks down a complex food substance to smaller molecules the body can absorb and
use. For instance, when we are lactose intolerant we no longer make an
enzyme (lactase) that converts a sugar (lactose) found in dairy to simpler ones
the small intestine can absorb. Since these sugars are not broken down
they move through the digestive tract until they reach the large intestine,
where lots of hungry bacteria (what we call our normal flora) are waiting to
pounce! These bacteria are messy eaters and are responsible for those problems associated with lactose
intolerance.
The Source of Food Allergies
In
contrast, food allergies occur when the body mounts an immune response to small
parts of eaten foods. We aren’t sure why this happens but we have some
theories… Some children are born with them, and they run in families. Food
allergies have been known to occur when foods are introduced too early -or too
late - to infants. They also seem to develop in folks that eat the same
foods -day in and day out- without much variety in diet. Sometimes people
are surprised to find out the food they often crave is something they are
intensely allergic to!
The Confusion Regarding Immediate and Delayed Allergic
Reactions
While
most have heard of acute allergies that cause immediate reactions, there are
also delayed ones with a more gradual onset. Recently, quite a bit of
evidence has emerged indicating their presence. Since the symptoms of these
reactions don’t arrive immediately, and last for a while, traditional diagnosis
just by signs and symptoms can be tricky. Immediate allergies are often very
dramatic, causing intense conditions that can be life threatening.
Delayed onset allergies cause symptoms like a stuffy nose, chronic cough,
fatigue, migraines, rashes, and abdominal bloating.
Easier Ways Have Evolved to Diagnose Delayed Food
Allergies
In the old days, our main option as physicians diagnosing
food allergies was to put folks on an elimination
diet -or do highly inaccurate skin scratch
tests. Elimination diets are restrictive meal plans consisting mostly of
rice and water ,that last for many weeks. After all possible offending
foods were eliminated for a while, the patient was slowly challenged with
possible offenders like chocolate or wheat and any reactions were noted.
These diets were stressful, difficult to manage, and usually impossible
to impose on unmotivated children and adolescents.
Some of
the most common allergenic foods are:
- Bananas
- Peanuts
- Dairy
- Wheat/spelt/barley (gluten)
- Citrus
- Corn
- Pineapple
Fortunately,
we now have new empowering alternatives! In my practice, I use a reliable
and affordable test that measures allergy markers in the blood. With just
a simple blood draw or finger stick, patients can find out within days what
they are sensitive to. They may then avoid just those foods they are
reactive to and often avoid the stress of diet disruption… I trust this
type of analysis because it is science-based, objective, and reproducible.
Managing Food Allergies can Improve Your Quality of
Life
Being diagnosed with a food allergy does not necessarily
mean that one will always have it. In fact, with identification and then
elimination of an allergenic food, there is the possibility of it losing its
reactivity over time. -Like a fire that smolders and then finally goes
out. Even if the allergy remains, it is possible to manage it by only
having the food periodically instead of with every meal. We can often
lessen its severity by incorporating natural immune
modulators into the diet like omega 3 fatty
acids, flavonoids like quercetin, herbs like tumeric (Curcuma longa) , and vitamins C
and E.
While
food allergies can be a pesky nuisance, and are occurring more often than ever
before, there are now easy and reliable ways to identify and treat them!
Food allergy testing is inexpensive and a simple testing kit –requiring
just a finger prick - may be conveniently mailed to your home and then back to
the lab.
For more
information or a complimentary phone consultation please schedule an
appointment with Dr. James Pendleton at the University Health Clinic (206)
525-8015 -Seattle Washington.
Email:
drpendleton@msn.com
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