Food Allergy Treatments

Treatments for Food Allergies and Intollerances

Conventional treatment      There are no prescription drugs that can treat food allergies. Occasionally, if multiple symptoms are present, doctors may prescribe a drug for asthma attacks or antihistamines to try to control some of the symptoms.

The primary method of treating food allergies is to first identify what foods or food group is causing the allergy and then avoid those foods. Learning the different forms various foods can take is important so you can read labels to determine if that food has something that needs to be avoided. We often find gluten (wheat) and milk (dairy products) in foods we don’t always suspect.

Elimination diet      Besides taking a blood test, other ways of identifying troublesome foods, are the elimination diet and the rotation diet. To start the elimination diet, remove the foods that are the most common cause of allergies: all dairy products, wheat, rye, barley, corn, citrus fruits, nuts, peanuts, soy products, cane sugar, and eggs. Substitute non-starchy vegetables and low fat meats for about three weeks. Keep track of how you or your child is feeling while eating this diet.

After about three or four weeks (preferably six weeks), start reintroducing the eliminated foods one at a time. If symptoms occur after eating a particular food, stop eating it and continue with the rest to determine if there is more than one culprit.

Rotation diet      Another method for finding allergies and intolerances, as well as possibly eliminating the problem, is the rotation diet. On this diet, no one food is repeated until the fifth day in a four-day rotation plan. For example if wheat is eaten on day one, do not eat it again until day five. Foods from the same botanical food family may be used on an every other day basis. If you eat something from the cereal grain or grass family, such as oats, rye, rice, wheat, etc. you can eat one on day one and another of that family on day three. But do not eat the same food again until day five.

Also, do not eat the same food twice in one day. If you have a wheat cereal for breakfast, do not eat bread, rolls or other wheat products during the same day. It is best to eliminate the worst offending foods for at least 30 days, then, depending on the severity of the problem, you may be able to cautiously re-introduce these foods in small amounts on a strictly rotated basis. Sometimes the foods will be regained (if kept on rotation), but many times they will not. Monitor reactions closely.

Food cravings and addictions      Another form of food allergies that we don’t usually consider are cravings and food addictions. This is actually a condition where people feel a physical or emotional need for the foods they are allergic to.

In this case, the body’s allergic reaction actually causes a narcotic-like substance, endorphins, to create a temporary “high” or amelioration of the symptoms. When we get this “feel-good” reaction, we then want to make it happen again, and we end up eating more of the foods we shouldn’t. Like other addictions, we begin to need more and more of this food to gain the same feelings, and we start feeling bad when we go too long without the food.

If we continue to habitually eat allergy producing foods that we have become addicted to, the body’s ability to adapt falters and eventually breaks down. We lose the “good” feeling and can no longer withstand withdrawal symptoms. This can then lead to a chronic state of illness involving multiple organs and tissues. It also becomes more difficult to treat sensitivities when they have been around for awhile. If we treat them in their earlier, less severe states, they are easier to get under control.

Nutritional supplements and herbs      Supplements and herbs should be taken only after consulting with a professional health practitioner who has knowledge of the herbs and supplements to be used.

• Acidophilus is important to consider if food sensitivities are suspect. This is an immune enhancer with digestive enzymes that help improve the digestion.
• Calcium and magnesium are needed to help reduce stress and sensitivity associated with allergies.
• Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) has antiallergic properties equal to or better than those of antihistamines.
• Quercetin increases immunity and decreases reactions to certain foods, pollens, and other allergens. Take it with bromelain which enhances the absorption of quercetin and reduces inflammation.
• Vitamin B complex aids proper digestion and nerve function. Extra vitamin B12 helps the assimilation of nutrients and vitamin B6 helps relieve wheezing and allergy attacks. Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) is an anti-stress vitamin.
• Vitamin C with bioflavonoids, protects the body from allergens and moderates the inflammatory response.
• Agrimony, an herb that is taken as a tea, can help heal damaged mucous membranes and soothe bowel irritation.

Other herbs that may be helpful include:

• Calendula which promotes digestion and prevents overgrowth of yeast in the bowel.
• Chamomile soothes stomach irritation. This is best when combined with agrimony.
• Ginger can help settle the stomach and deactivate some inflammatory hormones.

Enzyme therapy      Enzymes are necessary for breaking down proteins and other substances in the digestive system. A proteolytic enzyme such as pancreatin, can help stimulate immune activity and bolster immune system function by promoting growth of healthy intestinal flora. In the case of food intolerance, adverse reactions can be reduced or eliminated when the proper enzyme is taken with the offending food.

Those who have problems digesting proteins should take a protease (proteolytic) enzyme. For carbohydrates, take an amylase (amyiolytic) enzyme. And for fats, one can take a lipase (lipolytic) enzyme. Lactase tablets are what is suggested for dairy products and a lactose intolerance. Alpha-galactosidase will help someone who has trouble eating beans and other vegetables. It is important to work with a health practitioner who is familiar with food sensitivities. More conditions than we are aware of may just have a food problem at its root.