Weekly Wellness News

August 14, 2006

Feature: Food Allergies, Intolerances, and Sensitivities

My son is allergic to pineapple. I have one friend who can't touch anything with uncooked milk, and another who can't eat refined sugar of any kind. I met someone two weeks ago who can't be within 30 feet of someone who has eaten peanuts for fear of suffocating. Everywhere I go, I see accommodations being made for the needs of people who cannot, for one reason or another, eat or tolerate everyday foods; who have allergies, intolerances, or sensitivities of one kind or another.

So what are allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities? Let's start with definitions:

• allergy: An immune system response to an otherwise harmless substance. The immune system attacks the allergen any time it is in your system. This is usually a problem for life.
• intolerance: A lack or deficiency of a digestive enzyme. The body is unable to digest a particular substance, such as milk, because of the missing enzyme or bacteria.
• sensitivity: The word 'sensitivity' is used inconsistently, but generally indicates all allergies and intolerances.

If you have food responses, what symptoms will you see? Anything and everything. The same intolerance in two people can have two entirely different sets of symptoms. Generally, however, a person with food sensitivities will experience some or all of the following: rash, flush skin, stuffy nose and other cold symptoms, headache, stomach ache, fatigue, ...

While allergy rates have not been recorded for very long (allergies and intolerances have not been understood very far back historically), one thing is clear: rates are currently increasing dramatically. Right now, allergy rates are roughly twice as high (as a percentage of the overall population) as they were 20 years ago. About half of all Americans are allergic to something. Roughly one in ten people has asthma.

What has led to these changes? Nobody knows for sure, but there are several theories. The strongest theories suggest changes in our diet over the last century and changes to our activity levels and forms. As a nation, we're eating far more sugar and sodium; far fewer unprocessed fruits, vegetables, and grains; and a wide variety of artificial food additives. We don't get as much exercise and are far less active and contained: 90% of our time is spent indoors, a relatively new phenomenon. We are also deficient in many vitamins and minerals. Another theory is that we are hurting our own ability to properly digest food by limiting our exposure to bacteria and viruses in developmental years. More research will need to be done to determine which (if any) of these are causing our woes.

What can we do? Many people get positive results with various detoxification methods, such as fasting. While this won't solve all food sensitivity problems, a well-designed and implemented detox can alleviate many intolerances and strengthen the immune and digestive system.

I don't have any adverse reactions to food that I am aware of... I feel a little left out sometimes. Even so, I'd like to see a return to the day when all foods can be enjoyed (or at least accepted) by all. A return to a more natural lifestyle might not fix our problems today, but it very well could reverse the current trends and free our future generations from allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities.

Resources:

• Allergy/Sensitivity/Intolerance Problems and Solutions [wellnesstherapies.net]
• Is It an Allergy, Intolerance or Sensitivity? [allergies.about.com]
• Allergy sensitivity doubles since 1970s [usatoday.com]
• Food allergy sensitivity: Eczema and skin conditions [foodsmatter.com]

Other news

• When will we see 'Curves for Babies'?: Even infants are increasingly overweight [msnbc.msn.com]
• "I don't see any sugar in this...": Diabetes linked to glaucoma in women [msnbc.msn.com]
• Is there a preventative collar for this? Some Dogs Carry 'Contagious' Cancer [healthday.com]
• When dreams meet reality: Dads may suffer postpartum depression too [cnn.com]

From the editor

One of the best exercises you can get easily is walking. Lately, my son has been clamoring to walk to school as much as possible. Since it's only a fifteen minute walk each way, it actually doesn't take that much more time than driving. At the same time, he gets more physical activity and we both get some time in the sun.

At home, I walk everywhere: to the grocery store, to my martial arts sessions, to the park... Setting out on foot is rewarding, energizing, and simple. There are no parking hassles and you can take lots of short-cuts.

Go for a walk today, whether it's for lunch or to run a nearby errand. Move your body. Feel the relaxation that come as a result.

Healthy thoughts,
Jeff

Copyright 2006, Jeffrey Eliasen.
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