ALLERGIES ARE ON THE RISE​

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In the '50s, 15 percent of Americans were estimated to have allergies. In the mid '80s, statistics said that this number was about 33 percent. These days, estimates say that this number may have risen to a whopping 60-75 percent. 

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Many people associate the term "allergy" with hay fever, hives, asthma, eczema. These are common and widely recognized forms of allergy. Unfortunately, there are other symptoms that are not always recognized or suspected. Many traditional allergists believe that only certain substances (dust, pollen, pets, etc) cause an allergy and it can only affect limited and specific parts of the human body: the nose, eyes, lungs, skin.

Recent studies, however, show that brain function, behavior and learning abilities, sleep quality, digestion and even bladder function can be impaired by allergies, especially to food. Specialists in environmental medicine and open-minded physicians believe it is possible that ANY area of the body can be affected by an allergy or food or chemical sensitivity. At the U-OK Optimal Health Center, we have treated many children with attention deficit, behavior and learning problems who greatly benefit from following elimination or rotation diets.

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In some patients, adults as well, special blood testing should be performed. Traditional allergy skin tests are simply not sensitive enough to fully assess the allergy profile of an individual. Our body reactions produce different types of antibodies against allergens. Only one type -IgE - is tested traditionally. This allergy, however, could be suspected even without skin testing: a patient gets all the classical symptoms of allergy - itchy eyes, coughing, runny nose, and skin rash. All other types of allergy may present themselves differently in different people. Often, we don't even suspect the allergic trigger of our sickness. Next time you get a headache or muscle pain, or your child wets his pants or cannot get sleep, make a note what you or he had for a meal that day. Don't eat the same food for a week and then try it again. If symptoms return, you have found the enemy.

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The only problem is that in our toxic world we might have more than one trigger and a very accurate search for your food and environmental enemies is required. It takes effort and time, but you will be surprised the benefits you and your family members get.

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FOOD ALLERGIES THE SCIENCE:
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Food allergy occurs when there is an adverse reaction to the ingestion of a food. Any food can produce this reaction. Usually, foods consumed every two to three days are to blame. Most food allergies are caused by an immune reaction to food-specific antibodies (immunoglobulins -Igs). This abnormal response can lead to tissue and organ injury and different diseases, which are some times not directly connected to digestion, suc as arthritis, asthma, diabetes, hyperactivity, insomnia and so on. These numerous illnesses have a basis in allergy to specific foods, elimination of which can bring marked relief. In addition, many adverse reactions to food are triggered by inflammatory mediators (histamine, serotonin, etc.) that also have neurotransmitter functions causing multiple adverse reactions in different sites of the body, including the brain.