Delayed Food Allergies:
The REAL problem causing Chronic Disease
What are delayed food allergies and how many people have symptoms for them?
It is thought that over 60% of Americans have some sort of a delayed food allergy response, yet, rarely paid attention to. This type of a food allergy response involves activation of the immune system but in a time delayed fashion. Symptoms might not be evident immediately, but can occur anywhere from hours to days after the food is eaten. Individuals who cannot break down these foods properly create a scenario where the gastrointestinal system becomes porous and pass through partially undigested. This undigested food activates the immune system. The immune system is tricked into thinking that these foods being eaten are trying to attack the body and subsequently tries to prevent them from doing so. No matter what disease process or medical condition great benefits can be obtained when knowing which foods are unnecessarily pre-occupying the immune system. By eliminating these offending foods we can dedicate 100% of our immune system to fight disease and not cravings.
What is the difference between life threatening allergic responses and delayed food allergy responses?
Typically, food allergies are talked about as being life-threatening. These types of reactions activate a pathway of our immune system known as IgE in the body and can cause anaphylaxis, a reaction that can constrict airway in the lungs, severely lower blood pressure and can cause suffocation by the swelling of the tongue or throat. Obviously it is critical to identify these foods and avoid them, however, they are usually not implicated in chronic diseases. In contrast, a delayed food allergy response can involve multiple pathways, for example, IgG, IgM, IgA, C3 and C4. These markers do not exhibit typical ‘allergic’ reactions like IgE, which is why there is no immediate physical reaction to the offending food, but does cause an activation of the immune system when one eats. The types of foods that are implicated vary from person to person and can include anything from apples to salmon to tomatoes. Healthy foods can cause problems in the vulnerable person.
What are some symptoms of delayed food allergies and which diseases can benefit from delayed food allergy testing?
There are wide ranges of symptoms associated with delayed food allergies. Symptoms can include constipation, chronic diarrhea, chronic runny nose, chronic stuffy nose, heart\burn, frequent cramps, gas, bloating, frequent headaches, chronic fatigue, short attention span, chronic cough, skin rashes, chronic post nasal drip, chronic sneezing, canker sores, vaginal itching, and unexplained weight gain. Any disease process will be affected by how strong the body’s immune system is. By eliminating any unnecessary burden on our immune system the following list is an example of chronic diseases helped by delayed food allergy testing: IBS, Crohn’s Disease, elevated cholesterol, GERD, migraines, ADD/ADHD, Autism, Asthma, seasonal allergies, Eczema, Rosacea, and autoimmune diseases like Rheumatoid arthritis, Fibromyalgia, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
What types of testing is available to determine if a person has delayed food allergies?
Unlike immediate food allergies, skin testing is not relevant when testing for delayed reactions. The gold standard for determining delayed food allergies involves taking samples of blood. The blood is then typically analyzed using various methodologies depending on the laboratory used. It is important to ask your physician if they are testing multiple pathways or single pathways, as the prior will be the most comprehensive. Testing multiple pathways insures greater accuracy by testing various responses of the immune system to the foods.
Is there a cure for delayed food allergies?
The cure typically involves total elimination of the food for a minimum of 6 weeks in order to give the gastrointestinal tract time to heal. For example, if a person is allergic to corn then corn in every form needs to eliminated, such as, corn, cornstarch, and corn syrup. Surprisingly, many Vitamin C supplements are also derived from corn so an alternative form should be sought. After the 6-week period an introduction of the food takes place. The food is eaten multiple times in its purest form for a 2-3 day period. If the patient exhibits none of their prior symptoms then the food may be tolerated. If the patient still reacts to the food then they will continue to avoid the food for another extended period. Occasionally, some people find that avoiding the food indefinitely suites them.