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The Allergy Elimination Diet
Why people develop allergies remains a mystery in the medical community. Until we know more about allergies, the best line of defense is to eliminate the offending agents. Sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, sinus congestion, hives, swelling are all symptoms of allergies.
Allergies can affect almost any area of the body. Substances that irritate the skin, allergic reactions to drugs, detergents, and other chemicals are all culprits. Also, grass, cow products, house dust, pets, wheat, colorants, additives and preservatives are all possibilities.
Dust Mites. The dust mite is an almost-microscopic relative of ticks and spiders. But the living mite is not the problem. It's the fecal material they expel in their wanderings about our carpets and furniture, their primary residences and the bodies of dead mites that cause reactions.
Mold. Mold grows wherever it's dark and humid�under your carpet, in the basement. It just doesn't matter which one you encounter. Inhale any one of them, and if you are allergic, you'll start sneezing.
Hay fever is an allergic condition triggered by inhalant substances (frequently pollens), which leads to sneezing and inflammation of the nose and conjunctiva of the eyes.
Any skin inflammation may be considered Dermatitis. Redness, scaling, and thickening of the skin may occur with dermatitis. Pinpointing the cause of the problem is the first step toward alleviating the symptoms.
Eczema is a type of dermatitis that is allergy related. It appears as dry, cracking, crusting and red patches on the skin. Often there are swelling, weeping blisters. The skin can become inflamed and itchy. Many factors can contribute to eczema. Stress is a major factor. Exposure to cleaning compounds, perfumes, detergents, household chemicals, soaps, food allergies, as well as, nutrient deficiencies.
Hives are lumps or weals that are very itchy. They can appear all of a sudden. They can be related to a particular food or as another complication from allergies; stress.
Anaphylactic shock. This is the most serious of allergic reactions. It can kill by suffocation, the result of swelling of the larynx and obstruction of the airway. Anaphylactic shock can occur in response to insect stings, ingestion of allergenic foods in sensitive individuals, and injected or swallowed doses of medication. It is a medical emergency, but it can be treated effectively. An injection of adrenalin (administered under medical supervision) will usually end the reaction promptly.
It is known that white blood cells (also known as lymphocytes) are a fundamental component of the immune system that protects our bodies from invaders. When they make a mistake, an allergic response can occur. When a lymphocyte encounters a particle or cell and identifies it as a foreign invader, it produces antibodies specifically engineered to fight that particular threat. There are five basic types of antibodies, called immunoglobulins, or Igs. Each is classified by type with a letter suffix: IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG and IgM. The Ig known to be responsible for most allergic reactions to food is IgE, although IgG is also commonly mentioned.
IgE allergies occur when the immune system, in an effort to reject a certain food or other substance, creates an antibody to that food, immunoglobulin E. In other words, the blood cells of an allergic person are "misinformed' at the genetic level and cause the production of large quantities of IgE antibodies. The antibody becomes attached on one side to the food/substance molecule and on the other side to a mast cell (mast cells are a type of cell containing histamine and other allergy mediators instrumental in the allergic response). When this happens, histamines and other chemicals are released from the mast cells, causing such immediate responses as runny nose, itchy eyes, skin rashes and indigestion. IgE can cause anaphylaxis, an extreme, sometimes even life-threatening response in which the airways swell, sometimes to the point where the person cannot breathe.
The most common tests for food allergies are IgE skin tests, where the skin is scratched or pricked and allergens such as wheat, eggs and milk are applied. Within 15 to 30 minutes, local reaction may occur. Other types of tests include blood tests and patch skin tests. However, there are reports that blood testing for food allergies provides more reliable results than skin testing. The latter are problematic because of their tendency to yield false positives. This means that people may show a positive result but are still able to eat a certain food. To summarize this difficult and confusing field, it appears that the efficacy of all allergy testing is under suspicion.
The Allergy Elimination Diet
By removing specific foods from our diet, we have a better sense of what the culprit is and what it is that is triggering the reaction.
Excessive protein may irritate the immune system and keep it in a state of overreactivity. The protein in cow's milk, specifically, is a frequent offender, and for people with a genetic predisposition to allergy it may be a hidden cause. One general treatment strategy, therefore, is to follow a low-protein diet and try to eliminate milk and milk products.
Food allergies can play a major role during childhood. They are related before age 6. You can manipulate an infant's diet and do well in helping their skin. Eggs, orange juice, peanuts, corn and milk have been implicated as aggravators in children. Parents should consult with their physicians about trying elimination diets. In general, these are foods that should not be eliminated. It is only after testing them by, first eliminating them and then re-introducing them back into the diet. Such diets seem to work best in infants less than 2 years old. After age 6, it is believed by experts that food plays a minimal role in most people.
For adults, diet manipulation should be undergone by each individual. If you think there's any food you eat that has an adverse effect on your body, avoid it and see what happens, If your problem clears up,you may have a food allergy.
First, eliminate the food you feel is causing trouble for a two week period.
Second, re-introduce the food (one at a time only) back into your diet for a week. If symptoms start to recur (itchy throat, phlegm, digestive upset, nasal congestion...) you are most likely allergic or have some type of sensitivity to that particular food.
Natural, accurate ways to test for food allergies and food sensitivities that are non-invasive.
1. Take your resting pulse rate for a full 60 seconds.
2. Hold a bit of food that you are testing in your mouth. Do not chew or swallow it, just hold it there.
3. While you have the food in your mouth, take your pulse rate again. If it remains the same, you are most likely not allergic or sensitive to it. If it goes up 3 beats or more, you most likely are either sensitive and/or allergic.and you should follow up with your healthcare provider.
Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac
http://peacefulmind.com/allergies.htm
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