| Overview:
An allergy is a hypersensitive
reaction to a normally harmless substance. Allergic reactions to food can occur
immediately, or they can be delayed and take days to surface. A delayed allergic
reaction can make it more difficult to pinpoint the allergen. Signs
and Symptoms: Common symptoms include: - Respiratory congestion
- Eye inflammation
- Dark circles/puffiness under the eyes
- Swelling
- Itching
- Hives
- Unexplained fluid retention
- Stomach upset
- Vomiting
- Swelling
or itching lips, tongue, and mouth
- Itching or tightness in the throat
Food
allergies can also contribute to chronic health problems. These can include: acne,
asthma, anxiety, bladder infections, swollen glands, sinusitis, diarrhea, ear
infections, eczema, fatigue, hay fever, headache, irritability, joint pain, chronic
runny nose, mood swings, sleep disturbances, feelings of disorientation, difficulty
maintaining concentration, intestinal irritation, and swelling that interferes
with the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Diagnosis:
Your doctor will conduct a physical exam and take a complete medical history.
Then he or she may try any of the following diagnostic procedures: RAST
test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) - these are generally more
useful in ruling out a food allergy than diagnosing one. In rare cases of
gastric inflammation, an upper GI series may be needed. An elimination diet
that's supervised by your doctor. This procedure involves removing all possible
food allergens from your diet and then slowly adding them back, one by one, until
a reaction is noted. Skin tests (also known as scratch tests) that measure
a person's reactions to superficial contact with suspected allergens can determine
or rule out a food allergy. Challenge or provocative testing involves placing
food extracts under the tongue or injecting them under the skin. However, this
test tends to be expensive and unreliable. Provoking symptoms is not advised for
patients who have experienced anaphylactic reactions to foods, insect stings,
or medications. Treatment Options:
There is no cure for
food allergies. Managing them usually means avoiding offending foods and treating
symptoms when they occur. If the problem involves food intolerance, a registered
dietitian may be helpful in guiding the patient so that reactions are minimized,
thus avoiding unnecessary food restrictions. Usually, once the food is eliminated
from the diet, symptoms will abate. However, avoidance may not always be possible.
For example, the substance may be present as an unspecified additive within another
food or "hidden" in another form. Other factors such as the amount of
the food, which parts of the food are used, or the way in which it is prepared
can influence the systemic response. Therefore, treatment may be necessary to
address occasional allergic symptoms. Traditional Treatments:
- The most important part of treating food allergies is to identify and
then avoid the foods that are causing the reaction. There are two techniques,
the elimination diet and the rotation diet, that enable you to do this.
- In
cases of severe multiple food allergies, oral cromolyn sodium (Gastrocrom) may
be prescribed as a preventative measure. It is a patented form of a bioflavonoid,
and side effects and toxicity are low.
- If you suffer from recurrent allergic
reaction, a antihistamine may be recommended.
- Some doctors recommend desensitization
therapy for people with allergies. This involves repeated injections of a dilution
of the offending food. Desensitization has varying degrees of success.
- Antispasmodics,
such as hyoscyamine (Levsin, Anaspaz), may be prescribed for diarrhea, nausea,
abdominal bloating, and cramping.
- In severe allergic reactions, adrenaline
(epinephrine injection) may be needed to treat anaphylactic shock.
Complementary
and Alternative Therapies:
Reducing inflammation, minimizing hypersensitivity
reactions, and restoring the integrity of the digestive tract are ways in which
alternative therapies may help resolve food allergies. Nutritional
Supplementation: - Take a good hypoallergenic multivitamin and
mineral complex daily to ensure a supply of all the major nutrients. It is not
uncommon for people with food allergies to absorb and utilize nutrients from food
poorly.
- Acidophilus and bifidobacteria improve immune function within the
intestines. Take either or both twice a day as recommended on the product label.
If you are allergic to milk, be sure to choose dairy-free formulas.
- The antioxidants
support the immune system and help to moderate the inflammatory response. Take
5,000 IU of vitamin A, 25,000 IU of beta-carotene, 200 IU of vitamin E, and 100
mg of selenium twice daily. Warning: If you are pregnant,
intend to get pregnant, or if you have liver disease, consult your doctor before
taking supplemental vitamin A. If you are taking blood thinners, consult your
physician before taking supplemental vitamin E.
- Calcium and magnesium help
to reduce sensitivity and nervousness associated with allergies. Take a combination
formula containing 500 mg of calcium and 250 to 300 mg of magnesium twice a day
for two to three months.
- Fish oil and flaxseed oil contain essential fatty
acids that moderate the inflammatory response, and that are lacking in most foods.
- Take 1 tablespoonful of flaxseed oil daily or 900 mg of fish oil twice a day.
- Glutamine is an amino acid that improves the integrity of cells in the gastrointestinal
tract and also acts to diminish the inflammatory response. Take 500 to 1,000 mg
of L-glutamine three times a day.
- Take a vitamin B-complex supplement supplying
25 to 50 mg of each of the major B vitamins.
- Talk with your doctor about vitamin
B12 injections.
- Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a good source of sulfur, a
trace mineral that may help to reduce the severity of the allergic response. Take
500 mg three or four times daily, with meals.
- Thymus glandular extract helps
to improve immune function. It can be particularly helpful if you have a history
of diminished immunity and are prone to developing infections. Take 200 to 300
mg twice daily.
- Vitamin C helps to stimulate immune function. Bioflavonoids
have potent anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory properties. Take 1,000 mg of vitamin
C, in mineral ascorbate form with bioflavonoids, twice a day for two to three
months. Taking additional bioflavonoids, up to 1,000 mg two or three times daily,
can provide additional benefits.
- Zinc (10 to 30 mg/day) and beta-carotene
(25,000 to 50,000 IU/day) support immune function and encourage healing of mucosal
tissues.
- Bromelain (100 to 250 mg between meals) is a proteolytic enzyme that
decreases inflammation.
- Pancreatin one to two tablets with meals to enhance
digestion.
Alternative Therapies: - If the food
allergy is complicated by chronic upper respiratory problems, take 500 mg of astragalus
once or twice a day, with meals, for two or three months.
- Cat's claw slowly
helps regulate immune function and has anti-inflammatory benefits. Take 250 to
500 mg of standardized extract two or three times daily. Warning: Do
not take cat's claw if you are pregnant, nursing, or if you are an organ transplant
recipient.
- Consult your doctor before taking cat's claw while on blood thinners.
- Milk thistle contains silymarin, which helps to detoxify the liver and is
especially beneficial for food allergies.
- Pine-bark and grape-seed extracts
are natural anti-inflammatories that are high in bioflavonoids.
- Siberian ginseng
is a tonic herb that helps strengthen the whole body.
- Quercetin minimizes
reactions to food.
- Rose hips (Rosa canina) tea is anti-inflammatory, high
in hypoallergenic vitamin C, and healing to the digestive tract.
- Marshmallow
root tea (Althea officinalis) may soothe and promote healing of gastrointestinal
inflammation.
- Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), celandine (Chelidonium majus),
and chicory (Cichorium intybus) stimulate liver function.
- Soothing carminative
herbs will enhance digestion and reduce spasm. Choose three or more of the following
to make a tea to sip before meals. Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), peppermint
(Mentha piperita), passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), meadowsweet (Filipendula
ulmaria), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), and catnip (Nepeta cataria).
- See your
local homeopathic practitioner for a constitutional remedy.
General
Recommendations:
A low-functioning adrenal or thyroid gland can be
a contributing factor to food allergies. Ask your doctor to check your adrenal
and thyroid function. Warnings: - Occasionally,
an allergic reaction is so severe it can be life threatening. If you develop rapidly
spreading hives or difficulty in breathing, have someone drive you to the hospital
immediately. If this is not possible, call for emergency help and stress the urgency
of the situation. If an emergency adrenaline kit is available, administer it immediately,
followed by 25 to 50 mg of an antihistamine such as diphenjydramine (Benadryl).
Even after administration of the adrenaline kit, you should seek professional
help and evaluation.
- If you are pregnant, intend to get pregnant, or if you
have liver disease, consult your doctor before taking supplemental vitamin A.
- If you are taking blood thinners, consult your physician before taking supplemental
vitamin E.
- Do not take cat's claw if you are pregnant, nursing, or if you
are an organ transplant recipient.
- Consult your doctor before taking cat's
claw while on blood thinners.
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