What is a food allergy?
A food allergy is an unhealthy response to food in the body. Each person has a unique constitution. Identifying and eliminating any problems in your diet include addressing any food allergies.
What are the top food allergens?
These foods are the top allergens and staples of the American diet. The most common allergens overall are gluten and dairy causing the most serious undiagnosed immune or toxic reactions.
- Gluten (barley, rye, oats, spelt, kamut, wheat, tritcale, and hidden sources of gluten such as salad dressing, soup, beer, and other products) and visit Celiac for a complete list.
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Yeasted products
- Corn
- Peanuts
- Nightshades
- Citrus fruits
- Soy
Other less common and yet frequent food allergens are chocolate, tree nuts, vinegar, and shellfish.
What are the potential consequences of food allergens?
- Immune dysfunction
- Leaky gut syndrome
- Toxicity
- Brain or mood problems such as brain fog, depression, ADHD, autism, and dementia
- Inflammation
What are the two main types of food allergies?
IgE mediated response is an acute and immediate response that turns into a histamine reaction.
IgG meditated response is a delayed reaction to foods controlled by a different part of the immune system. These delayed reactions can cause symptoms that start a few minutes to 72 hours after eating. Symptoms can be vague.
How can I discover my food allergies?
Medical tests such as IgE and IgG allergy testing can identify food allergens, but the testing is not always 100 percent accurate.
Another strategy is to eliminate certain foods from your diet through food allergy elimination/reintroduction.
What is food allergy elimination/reintroduction and how does it work?
Food allergy elimination means you get rid of the top food allergens for six weeks and then introduce them one at a time paying attention to how you feel. However, be aware that hidden allergens may not cause symptoms for up to three days after eating them.
The process requires eliminating the top food allergens for 12 weeks and then adding them back slowly to support healing in the gut and immune system.
For More Information
- The UltraMind Solution: Fix Your Broken Brain by Healing Your Body First by Mark Hyman, MD
- The UltraSimple Diet by Mark Hyman, MD
- Digestive Wellness by Elizabeth Lipski, PhD, CCN
