Food Allergies/Sensitivities- The Destructive Bite

Did you know people say you get a sty on your eye from being mean to pregnant women? Once while at work, someone asked me if I had been mean to a pregnant lady because I had a sty. I don’t remember my response, but of course, I had not been mean to a pregnant lady or anyone else for that matter. The question stung, but I could do nothing because not only did I have lumps in my eyelids, I had angry acne, scars, and large inflamed areas all over my face. No matter how hard I tried or what I did, I simply could not get a grip. So, I would just smile.

 One day I heard a teacher and naturopath talk about delayed food allergies. I was curious. Little did I know, this information would change my life forever.

 Food Allergies

 Most people are familiar with food allergies, those rapid and ugly reactions that can be triggered by things like peanuts, shellfish, or any other thing they are allergic to. We don’t have to wonder what these items are; we all know if we reacted that way to anything we have consumed, and we know to avoid that food. 

 Common allergic reactions are hives, swelling, difficulty, breathing, etc. Immediate and often severe reactions to foods are called anaphylactic reactions. An anaphylactic reaction is an IgE mediated immune response.

 Immunoglobulin E, IgE for short, is an antibody produced by cells from the immune system. Symptoms can last from minutes to several days. The half-life of an IgE antibody in the bloodstream is about two days. So, while the reaction is severe, alarming, and may even be life-threatening, the antibody has a relatively short life and symptom duration. 

 Food Sensitivities

 Delayed food sensitivities, on the other hand, is an IgG-mediated immune response. This antibody has a much longer half-life and can be more problematic over the long term than an anaphylactic reaction. The IgG half-life is approximately twenty-one to twenty-eight days. So the reaction tends to last a lot longer on a lower level than an anaphylactic reaction. The IgG reaction is often referred to as a food sensitivity, though you will see that I use allergy and sensitivity interchangeably. 

 It can take anywhere from two hours to two days after consuming the offending food for the body to initiate this response. Therefore, it can be quite difficult to connect a food to a reaction.

 The Struggle

 Many people believe they do not have any negative reactions to the foods they consume. They feel that since they have been eating a particular way their entire lives and are surviving that they are fine with the foods they are consuming.

 The problem is that when you talk to most of these people, you find that they have nagging, ongoing aches, pains, headaches, migraines, skin issues, sinus congestion, or other complaints that never seem to truly go away.

 Some have received a diagnosis or two (or more) and maybe taking medication. Others have been told to avoid certain foods without knowing if that food is indeed problematic for them. Others still may be grinding through life, believing that the way they feel or look is as good as it’s going to get.

 Often, people make changes to their diet. They may try fad diets, rotation diets, or elimination diets to see if they can find relief. In some cases, the offending food(s) is not eliminated long enough to notice anything different. They can also be reacting to multiple foods and never eliminate all of the offending foods at the same time. Though some have found success with this method, it can be tedious and frustrating. 

 Delayed Food Allergy/Sensitivity Testing

 An easier way to identify the foods that your body is reacting to is through testing. A blood test is the best way to check for delayed food allergies. This is done through a blood draw or a finger stick. You can typically get this test through a naturopath or holistic health practitioner. 

 To be clear, this test is not 100% accurate but is still well worth taking. Why is it not 100% accurate? Because your body may not be initiating an IgG response to that food, or you may not have been consuming that food prior to the test. 

 Immunoglobulin E (IgE) and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) are just two antibodies produced by the immune system. They tend to be the key players in food allergies. There is one more immunoglobulin worth noting here, and that is IgA or Secretory IgA (sIgA). IgA is associated with mucus membranes and can play a part in delayed food sensitivities as well. 

 Food Intolerance

 A food intolerance is not to be confused with a food allergy or sensitivity. In both food allergies and sensitivities, the immune system is involved and is reacting. When there is an intolerance, an immune reaction is not initiated. An intolerance can be associated with a needed enzyme not being present to break down that food properly. It can also be mental or psychological.

 Common Food Allergies

 I will share the most common food allergies with you below. Please note that our body reacts to proteins in food, so it is possible to be allergic to any food. Some foods can be considered ‘hypoallergenic,’ but I have seen people react to even the ‘safest’ foods. 

 Here is a list of foods that show positive most often on delayed food allergy/sensitivity tests:

Gluten

Dairy

Eggs

Corn

Soy

Yeast

 One, a few, or all the foods on the above list can be a problem for most people with a reason/need to test for food allergies. Many dietary staples have to be removed and replaced with things that will not trigger an immune response. 

 Breakfast seems impossible without eggs, dairy, and gluten. For many, the world just doesn’t seem as bright anymore.

 Hope

 I remember sitting hunched over on the couch with my head hanging. It was as if someone had slapped me in the face, and there was nothing at all that I could do about it. My skin was terrible, my eyelids still riddled with sty like lumps, headaches, and migraines were common, and I had to give up what seemed to be every food I ever loved. I was trying to figure out what on earth to do. What could I eat? How could I tackle something so great?

 I got up and walked into the kitchen, eyeing my huge container of almonds. Almonds that I could no longer eat. I grabbed the container and a few other no-no items and took them to someone who could use them. My mind was made up. I was changing my diet.

 In the upcoming months, I spent countless hours in the kitchen cooking, baking, experimenting, and creating. The end result was new flavors, textures, and recipes that transformed the way I view food and food allergies. 

 Every item I had to eliminate from my diet was a creativity block. Once I removed them, opportunity and options exploded. With some thought, trial and error, tweaking, and testing, I came up with foods, beverages, and desserts that were just as good as the real deal. I was able to avoid all the foods that were making me feel and look yucky.

 It took a while, but in time the lumps melted from my eyelids. My skin, though not perfect, improved immensely. The constant headaches subsided. Other issues that I did not associate with diet resolved. 

Eventually, I decided to try some of the foods I had removed from my diet. I only had a little bit. It tasted so good! All too soon, though, I found that the tiny little bit that I ate was the destructive bite that made my world crash. 

 You cannot fool your immune system. It’s constantly on the lookout for threats- microscopic threats. It is always watching and evaluating so that the tiny little bit that you consume is easily detectable. The innocent little taste can turn into the destructive bite that brings your symptoms piling back. 

 Remember, dietary change seldom reap overnight results. Consistency and time are essential. 

 Truth

 I will share a small piece of information that is not talked about much. Are you ready? Despite what you have been told or what you have been lead to believe, you can recover from delayed food allergies and sensitivities. 

 A delayed food allergy is the symptom of an underlying problem. While it is important to remove foods that are initiating an immune response, it is a good idea to uncover and address the reason why you have these allergies/sensitivities in the first place. 

 Mission

 I am dedicating my time, and this website to everything food allergy/sensitivity related. I will be sharing recipes, replacements, ideas, and thoughts on gluten, dairy, and egg-free living. I will let you in on what I have learned, created, and discovered during my from-scratch food allergy avoidance experience. 

 Are you ready to still enjoy food and avoid the destructive bite? I’m here with you. Let’s go!

Additional Reading/Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513460/

https://peninsulaintegrative.com/2017/03/11/food-sensitivity-testing/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3314037/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5004213/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3436979/

https://peninsulaintegrative.com/2017/03/11/food-sensitivity-testing/