Learning About Food Allergies & Sensitivities

A little over two months ago, I did a food allergy/sensitivity test. Actually, back in Nov. of 2017 I did an Ige food allergy test. It tested for 26 foods. Only one thing came back positive and apparently was a false positive because when eating tomatoes I have never had any reaction and in my second testing it was negative though on the verge of a mild sensitivity. Ige allergy testing is a blood test that checks for immediate reactions to certain foods or other substances like seasonal allergies or pet dander, etc. That's what allergy generally refers to; an immediate reaction or reaction within a short time frame. Breaking out from exposure to poison ivy is an Ige reaction. Watery eyes from cats or dogs is another. Stomach pain, diarrhea, swelling or rash is also common if you are allergic to certain foods, such as seafood. These are all Ige reactions. Anaphylactic shock is the most severe Ige reaction.

Igg blood testing is a test that checks reactions over a period of 3-5 days. These would not be allergic reactions but sensitivity or intolerance reactions. Symptoms of intolerance or sensitivity to a food might include sinus drainage, excess gas and bloating, brain fog, low energy, stomach pain, constipation &/or diarrhea, arthritis, insomnia, hyperactivity, aggressiveness & disobedience in children or a host of other symptoms. Igg testing usually covers many more foods, spices & additives than Ige tests check. 

I tested positive for several things out of 96. These tests results range from a 1 to 3 in severity. 1 being mild to 3 being strong. For me eggs were my worst sensitivity. Egg whites being a 3 and egg yolks being a 2! Cow's milk was a 2 along with cheddar cheese & mozzarella cheese. However, cottage cheese & yogurt were only a 1! It's all about the processing! The only other 2 was for oats.  My doctor explained that over exposure to any food or any substance really, has the potential to cause an allergy or sensitivity to develop. This is what I believe happened to me for the most part. In trying to steer clear of gluten (which I don't have even a sensitivity to by the way) I was using oats and oat flour to substitute. I also ate eggs often. My normal breakfast routine for quite some time had been a soft boiled egg and a 1/2 cup of vanilla yogurt or a cup of oatmeal. All three of these showed up in sensitivity! I also enjoy having breakfast type foods for supper which means eggs more often. Also, many, many, many foods have eggs as an ingredient...from baked goods to mayonnaise! The foods that showed up as a sensitivity-1 for me are...asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, green olives, almonds, chia seed, banana, watermelon, malt, black pepper, oregano, & tarragon. Dr. said he had only had two other people ever test positive for black pepper. I currently use white pepper! However, hard to completely prevent using due to restaurants or eating at friends and family. This just goes to show that it matters not at all how healthy a food is supposed to statistically be if you are intolerant to it! 

In my heavy research of food sensitivity, I discovered that most often sensitivities begin because of leaky gut or poor gut health. Nearly every autoimmune disorder can be cleared up completely or made better by fixing the digestive system! One thing that leads to leaky gut is Vitamin D deficiency, along with poor thyroid function and low liver function (low liver function may lead to the vitamin D problem!). All of these go hand in hand. In fact, the gut is the second brain of the body. If it isn't working correctly, the other systems will not work correctly either. BTW, I do not believe the Vitamin D deficiency problem in this country is from lack of milk but lack of sunshine! People spend way more time indoors than out than they did 30 years ago. Technology means more sitting around playing on a computer, gaming system, phone or just watching tv than a generation ago participated in. 

I am working on a theory and will let you know the outcome as I gain more knowledge about this. I tested sensitive-1 for several vegetables. Most of these vegetables are the "gassy" veggies. When you have a thyroid problem, you are not to eat those veggies raw at all or often even cooked. As regular readers of this blog know, I was diagnosed with Hashimotos thyroid disorder last November. I just wonder if I tested positive for those vegetables because I have a thyroid issue. In another month I will retest for the thyroid antibodies to see if we've made any headway on correcting the Hashimotos. I will report any findings. I had already made headway in this area just by starting vitamin D. Now that I am on a natural thyroid supplement, I hope to completely rid myself of the disorder. 

Now, to report on quitting harmful foods to my body. Cravings were not hardly an issue at all which totally surprised me. I really do enjoy eggs! Dr. was hoping it would eliminate my joint pain completely but has not so far...but it IS better! The best part of it is that I most definitely have more energy on a regular basis and just feel better overall. I was really struggling for some time with energy crashing between 1-2:30 almost every day. That isn't an issue anymore unless I've really been active working on a something or didn't get a good nights sleep. I seem to be sleeping better, too! Now if only I could get the pain and tingling to stop in my neck, shoulder and arm from the bulging c5&6 I might feel like a new woman! I also would love to stop gaining weight even when I watch what I eat. 

I know this was a very long post but I wanted to give an up date on my health and hope to help others in theirs! Do not be so quick to poo poo the idea of food allergies and sensitivities. I believe with all my heart it is MUCH more common than people realize!