Allergies signal an immune system in trouble. If you have a respiratory, food, or skin allergy, your immune system launches a sudden all-out attack on a harmless substance like pollen, animal dander, peanuts, or latex. Because your immune system misreads this substance as a dangerous invader, it immediately releases inflammatory chemicals to flush it out, triggering symptoms ranging from sneezing to the potentially deadly anaphylaxic shock. (Food allergies differ from food intolerances and sensitivities, which may produce allergy-like symptoms but involve other mechanisms in your body.) You can develop allergies at any point in your life, researchers say.
The standard modern diet may be a factor triggering allergies in both kids and adults. Holistically-minded practitioners say we eat far too many processed foods like white bread, pasta, candy, and cookies, all refined carbohydrates that are quickly converted to sugar in our bodies. Excessive sugar, like too many antibiotics, fuels the over-growth of intestinal yeast, disturbing your gastrointestinal mucosa and setting the stage for allergic reactions.
Not only are we favoring harmful foods, we’re also not getting enough of the beneficial food and nutrients that would nourish the intestinal lining and prevent allergies, like omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and protein, says Lawrence B. Palevsky, MD. These nutrients reduce inflammation (which is responsible for most allergy symptoms) and keep your immune system functioning at an optimal level.
Another theory holds that we’re introducing potential allergens to infants too soon, before their immune and digestive systems are mature enough to tolerate them. If a baby can’t digest a food, he has a greater chance of becoming allergic to it, researchers say. Some theorize that this may be one reason why peanut allergies have increased; our children eat peanuts at too young an age, says Anne Muñoz-Furlong, founder of the nonprofit Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network in Fairfax, Va. These days, peanut or peanut residue pop up in everything from breakfast cereals to trail mix and other snacks, she says.
• Strengthen your immunity. "If your immune ystem is working properly, you don’t get allergies or asthma," says Ivker, the holistic physician. To keep yours functioning optimally, get at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night, exercise at least two to three times a week, choose whole foods over processed varieties, eat as little sugar as possible, and do 30 minutes of a stress-reducing activity (like deep breathing or a hobby) daily.
• Get the right nutrients. Make sure your diet contains plenty of the following nutrients, which reduce your chances of developing allergies: Omega-3 fatty acids (found in cold-water fish like salmon and sardines), antioxidants (found in fruits and vegetables), and protein (including chicken, fish, and legumes).
• Stay hydrated. When you’re dehydrated, the cells in your respiratory system and gastrointestinal lining shrink, creating gaps between cells that may allow foreign substances like pollen to get through and trigger an allergic response, says Dr. Kligler, the associate medical director at Beth Israel Hospital’s Continuum Center. Keep this barrier strong by drinking eight to 10 eight-ounce glasses of water a day.
• Use antibiotics carefully. These drugs can make children and adults more prone to allergies. To limit their use, take antibiotics only for bacterial infections; they cannot treat viral infections like colds. Ask your doctor to take a culture to confirm that you have a bacterial infection before he prescribes antibiotics.
• Reduce exposure to allergens. You may ward off respiratory allergies by minimizing your contact with airborne allergens, which can make your nose and sinuses more sensitive, some experts say. If you have central air-conditioning, have the coil professionally cleaned at the start of each summer. Some experts also recommend that you run a HEPA filter (designed to remove particulates from the air) during the night in your bedroom, use dust mite covers on your mattress and pillows, and keep pets out of the bedroom.
• Allergy-proof your baby. Certain habits before and after a baby is born may reduce the chances that she’ll develop an allergy. If you’re pregnant and have a family history of allergies, some experts suggest avoiding peanuts and tree nuts like walnuts, pecans, and pistachios; your baby’s immature immune system may overreact to the nuts because they’re common allergens.
After your baby is born, breast-feed as long as you can; breast milk provides antibodies that shore up the immune system. Pediatricians recommend nursing for at least six to 20 months. Wait until your baby is at least six months old before introducing solid foods; by then, your baby’s immune system should be mature enough to handle potential allergens. The longer parents wait to introduce solid foods, the better.
Sulfites are common food additives used as sanitary agents and preservatives to prevent discoloration of foods. They are usually used in restaurant salad bars and are also present in many supermarket foods, including frozen foods, dried fruits, and certain fresh fruits and vegetables.
Sulfites pose a greater danger to some people than to others. People with asthma, a history of allergies, or a deficiency of the liver enzyme sulfite oxidate can suffer great harm. Sulfiting agents appear in food ingredient lists in a variety of ways, including sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, potassium bisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, and sulfur dioxide.
Any ingredient ending in -sulfite should be assumed to be a sulfiting agent. If you have ever suffered a reaction after ingesting a food you believe contained sulfites, you should beware of the foods and beverages listed in the table below, which often contain these substances. You can find sulfite-free forms of some of these foods in health food stores.
• Avocado dip (guacamole)
• Cole slaw
• Grapes
• Mushrooms
• Potatoes
• Prepared cut fruit or vegetable salads
• Clams
• Crabs
• Dried fish
• Fresh shellfish, especially shrimp
• Frozen, canned, or dried shellfish
• Lobster
• Oysters
• Scallops
• Shrimps
• Bottled, canned, or frozen fruit juices, vegetable juices
• Canned fruit pie fillings, canned mushrooms, caramels, corn, maple and pancake syrups, cornstarch
• Colas
• Dietetic processed foods, dried or canned soups, dry salad dressing mixes
• Frozen, canned, or dried fruits and vegetables, frozen french fries
• Glazed fruits
• Hard candies, horseradish
• Jams and jellies
• Maraschino cherries
• Noodle and rice mixes
• Olives, onion relish
• Pickles, potato chips
• Sauces and gravies, sauerkraut, shredded coconut
• Trail mixes
• Wines
• Wine vinegar
– Reprinted from HEALTHY OPTIONS NEWS DIGEST