Food Allergies

Allergic reactions are primarily associated with IgE antibodies. The purpose of IgE antibodies is to help defend against parasitic infections. Allergic reactions can, however, be associated with IgG antibodies. Some physicians agree on the possibilities of IgA hypersensitivities.

Allergic reactions to food can take several seconds in the immediate hypersensitivity reaction or even 24 hours in the delayed hypersensitivity reaction. The delayed hypersensitivity reaction is the most difficult to interpret, espeially since it is not diagnosable on standard skin prick testing. Reactions can occur to many substances from spices to antibiotics in meat.

•  Diarrhea
•  Weakness
•  Lack of energy
•  Tension-fatigue syndrome
•  Bone/Joint pain (due to inflammation)
•  Hives-These can be in the form of one or two in a localized area or whole patches anywhere on your body.
•  Urticaria (skin rash) or other various skin eruptions
•  Itchy, irritated skin
•  Trouble breathing-When you breath, it may feel like you are not able to bring in the amount    of air you are supposed to.
•  Anxiety-Also includes hyperactivity/ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children
• Lectins are proteins which are capable of amplifying allergic responses.
•  Facial swelling
•  Headache

• Skin Prick Testing

Skin prick testing involves taking concentrated extracts of various foods, placing them on the skin, then pricking the skin to allow the extract to make its way under the epidermal layer.

Skin prick testing is the most accepted form of allergy testing. It is inexpensive, quick, and safe. This is especially important to the doctor since their main objective is to reduce their cost as well as their time spent with each patient.

Most top allergists agree that skin prick testing is inaccurate and not effective. Food allergy extracts must be up to 30,000 times as concentrated to produce the same reaction that an intradermal test would result in. They must be stored below 40 degrees, handeled very carefully, and be replaced if stored for long periods. In reality, these practices are not followed.

• Nasal Resistance

This is just what it sounds like. A small amount of the pure substance in question is placed in the nose where it can come in contact with the mucosal surfaces. It is important, however, to distinguish whether your reaction is the result of putting something in your nose or true allergy. If you have seasonal allergies, you will probably be able to easily determine this. If you do not, you should note that an allergy does not just consist of sneezing like a cold virus. Allergies are associated with severe itching especially, along with uncontrolled sneezing.
• Patch Testing

A fairly reliable method for testing yourself without prick testing is the patch test. Take a small amount of the substance in question. Again, if it is not in liquid form, mix it well with water. Place the substance on a folded papare towel. Tape it or hold it tightly to an area on your body for 20 minutes. The best ares for doing this are the most sensitive parts on peoples bodies. These include the neck, the back of your upper arm, or your upper chest and back. If the area becomes red, irritated and itchy, then there is a good chance you are allergic to the substance.
• Elimination and Challenge

THe most accepted from of testing is the elimination and challenge diet. This is just as it sounds and requires dedication. You must start by first limiting your diet to only a few foods that you are sure do not give you problems. Next, you must begin a food diary, record everything you eat and drink without missing a thing. Try to eliminate those foods with huge ingredient lists. Every two days, add a specific food in a large quantity. On the food diary, record how you feel and any symptoms up to 24 hours after eating each food.

You need to read labels very carefully as many ingredients are often disguised.

• Rast and East Blood Tests

Rast testing is the ultimate in IgE food allergy testing. It can tell you exactly what substances you have IgE antibodies to. The drawbacks are the expense of testing and that these tests will only recognize IgE antibodies. Rast testing is done as follows:
A small amount of serum (blood) is placed on a piece of paper paper which has the possible antigen bound to its surface. It is allowed to soak for several hours. The IgE antibodies in your serum which are "keyed" to the substance will be bound to the disk containing the antigen. It is then washed with a special solution and only those IgE antibodies which have bound themselves to the antigen will remain. The amount of IgE antibodies that remain on the disk is then measured using a radiograph.

East testing is similar however a spectrophotometer and different chemicals are used to measure the concentration og IgE antibodies used on the disk.

It is important to remember that just because you come back positive to any of these tests, does not mean you will have a problem with the food. In fact, much research has shown that this is the case. The theory behind this is that much of what you eat is broken down into its' constituent amino acids, carbohydrates, and fatty acids, before it can do much harm.

• Intradermal Testing

Intradermal testing invloves using hypodermic needles to inject an amount of the substance in concern under your skin. Intradermal testing is the most accurate form of diagnosis.

It is important to note that many of the substances will probably produce wheals (bumps) from irritation alone. This is where the importance of the positive control comes in for comparative reasons. An allergic reaction to a skin test consists of three parts, the wheal, the flare (surrounding the reaction), and the itch.

The following hints may be helpful:

a)The size of a bump formed on your skin with intradermal testing is meaningless.

 b)If the testing is done on your back, or in an area you have difficulty seeing, have somone take a picture of the area. In addition, you might want to bring a mirror.

 c)You will be able to feel anything that you are allergic to itch severely.

 d)Finally, and most important, lightly scratch each of the bumps that have formed and record whether they itch and how much. If you are unable to do this because the testing was done in an area you can't see, make sure you have someone else do it for you.

 e)If you know you are allergic to something, have them do a positive control with it for comparison.

 

• Farm Products, Other

Milk, Wheat, Oat, Rye, Egg Yolk, Corn, Barley, Rice, Egg White, Honey, Yeast
• Meats

Chicken, Beef, Turkey, Lamb, Pork
• Fish

Tuna, Salmon, Haddock, Trout, Cod
• Fruits/Vegetables

Apple Orange Tomato Carrot Pear Grapes Lettuce Black Olive Lime Apricot Pea Green Olive Lemon Pineapple Pumpkin Onion Strawberry Coconut Celery White Potato Banana Peach Cucumber Sweet Potato Cherry Rasberry Spinach Cabbage Watermelon Grapefruit Peach Plum Cantaloupe Blackberry
• Nuts/Seeds

Sunflower Seed Peanut Walnut Pecan Mustard Cashew Nut Pistachio Almond Poppyseed Cottonseed English Walnut Brazil Nut
• Beans

Soybean Kidney Bean Vanilla Bean String Bean Coffee Bean Chocolate
• Spices

Oregano Black Pepper Cinnamon Nutmeg Paprika Basil Garlic Cloves Thyme Currey Anise

Sources for common allergens are as follows:

• Large specialized health food stores:

Most Common: Wheat Gluten (The wheat protein); Health shakes: Soy Protein, Milk Protein (Casein), Egg Protein-try and make sure that they contain very little other than the specific protein. Not Common- BHT
• Winemaking stores

Sulfites-Sodium meta-bisulfite or potassium meta-bisulfite
• Grocery Stores

Tomato Paste; Milk; Monosodium Glutamate-MSG (not an allergy, but a sensitivity-has been considered to cause ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Chest Pain); Flour; Aveeno for itchy skin (Finely ground oats);