Food Allergy; Immune System; Digestive Diseases, Skin Diseases;
Asthma; Arthritis; Chronic Illness
Different types of food allergy.
The immediate or IgE mediated food allergy pattern is easily
recognized because it involves quick and dramatic symptoms. It is also easily
recognized by standard medical blood testing for allergies, and/or the skin
scratch test.
Delayed patterns of food allergy or
IgG mediated food allergies are not so obvious and often go unrecognized. The ‘standard
medical allergy skin tests do not show this problem nor do IgE antibody
tests. Also, because the reactions are
very subtle and delayed for hours, or a day or more, they are very difficult to
recognize.
The common specific problems that are obviously related to food
allergy include asthma, rhinitis, otitis media, atopic dermatitis, urticaria,
anaphylaxis, angioedema, celiac disease, dermatitis Herpetiformis, allergic
gastroenteropathy, osteoarthritis and diabetes type 1 and type 2.
Many of the major unsolved disease of our civilization are
either degenerative and/or inflammatory and many are recognized to be
immune-mediated or hypersensitivity diseases. The delayed patterns of food
allergy can be the cause of chronic and disabling hypersensitivity disease. The
stakes are high both for individual patients and for the society as a whole.
None of the common hypersensitivity diseases have been solved and most appear
to rage on, afflicting increasing numbers of patients with chronic and
disabling diseases.
Asthma, allergy, rheumatic diseases, autoimmune diseases,
multiple sclerosis, diabetes, thyroiditis, psoriasis and diabetes are examples
of hypersensitivity diseases that involve humoral and cell-mediated immunity.
We use celiac disease - wheat allergy- as a prototype that demonstrates the
prolific ability of food allergy to produce a wide range of diseases.
We think food allergy is a disease mechanism triggered common
proteins in the diet. The main offending foods are staples such as cows’ milk,
eggs, wheat, soy, corn and meat. Food allergy is commonly recognized in infants
and young children. In older children and adults, food allergy is seldom
recognized, although up to 25% of adults report some adverse reactions from
eating specific foods.
Commonly quoted “expert” opinions tend to minimize the incidence
and importance of food allergy. While the dogma is misleading, it represents
vested interests and is remarkably persistent. The type 1 model of allergy is
attractive to physicians and researchers, because of its relative simplicity
and the ease of testing for sensitization; but it selects only a special
population of people with IgE-mediated allergy.
While this is an important reaction pattern, some physicians
have claimed it is the only valid form of allergic reactions to food. Their
opinion is not acceptable. A distinction between immediate, obvious allergic
reactions and delayed, less obvious, chronic immune injury is useful.
The problem is not that 25% of people recognize symptoms from
food ingestion, but that many more people do not recognize that food is making
them ill. We hope the reader will take the time to find out why we think food
allergy is such an important mechanism of disease and how to resolve common
food-related health problems by diet revision.
ANTIBODY
TEST HELPS PATIENTS OVERCOME SYMPTOMS OF DELAYED ALLERGY
PRACTITIONER
ACHIEVES SUCCESSFUL CLINICAL OUTCOMES WITH IgG TEST
Grasp a red-hot pot handle,
and you feel a searing pain in your hand. Nick your finger on a sharp kitchen
knife, and blood seeps out almost instantly. In injuries like these, the cause
is simple to ascertain, because the effect immediately follows in its tracks.
But imagine if the pain or
wound didn’t show up until days after the event that caused it? Without
seeing a clear, visible sequence, you might be hard-pressed to figure why your
symptoms suddenly surfaced from “nowhere.”
A similar challenge faces
people who suffer from delayed allergic reactions to food. These patients may
experience fatigue, headaches, digestive problems, mood shifts, skin rashes,
and other symptoms hours, or even days, after consuming an offending substance.
By measuring levels of
immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the blood of these patients, however, and
implementing dietary changes to avoid foods triggering a high IgG response,
more than 70% of these symptoms may be successfully reduced or eliminated,
according to a recently published clinical study by Hamilton S. Dixon, M.D. The
study was originally presented at the Annual Meeting of the
Dr. Dixon began the study by
first identifying 114 patients who showed chronic symptoms of delayed food
allergy based on their personal histories. This group included patients with
inhalant allergy symptoms who did not improve after two months of immunotherapy
based on previous allergy tests. “Delayed food allergy is highly suspect in
allergic patients with negative IgE RAST or skin test results,” Dr. Dixon
pointed out.
All the patients were tested
for IgG levels and advised to follow a diet that partially or completely
eliminated foods triggering strong responses. Of the eighty patients who
complied with the dietary changes for six to twenty-two months after the test,
more than 70% reported a dramatic clinical improvement of at least 75% for
their symptoms.
“Of special interest were 20
patients with disabling symptoms,” observed Dr. Dixon. These patients “achieved
an 80% or greater improvement level, with 20% of those achieving 100%
improvement and 50% obtaining 90% or more relief.” Further follow-up on the
compliant patients has been “borne out with excellent outcomes,” Dr. Dixon
added.
Dr. Dixon advises IgG food
testing “when chronic food allergy symptoms are present and conservative
treatment has failed.” The test, he notes, offers several clinical advantages
over food challenge tests for delayed symptoms, which are cumbersome and
impractical, and over scratch or prick tests for foods, which are often
unreliable (approximately 20% accuracy rate).
Besides treating chronic
symptoms in adults, IgG testing also has great clinical potential for treating
children with secretory otitis, who often require repeated tube insertions,
suggests Dr. Dixon. Changing a child’s diet based on IgG response is likely to be
much more economical than many other treatments for secretory otitis, which
currently incurs total healthcare costs of over $2 billion a year.
NOTE: The Comprehensive
Antibody Assessment measures both IgE and IgG responses to 88
general or 92 vegetarian foods, to pinpoint immune reactions that could be
triggering immediate and delayed reactions to specific foods. An IgE Inhalant
panel that is customized to reflect five different regions in the country is
included as well.
As Dr. Dixon emphasizes,
effective diet manipulation following IgG test results is the key to achieving
successful clinical outcomes. For this reason, every Antibody Assessment report
comes with a patient-friendly True Relief™ Rotation Diet Schedule, designed to
reflect each patient’s unique antibody responses.
Source:
GSDL Comprehensive Antibody Profile
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is An Allergy?
The word “allergy” is derived from the Greek words meaning,
“altered reaction.” An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system
“overreacts” to a substance by identifying it as an invading organism,
provoking a chain of defensive physical reactions in the body.
What Are Some Symptoms?
You may be familiar with some of the more common allergy
symptoms, such as asthma, sneezing, and skin rashes. But you may not know that
allergies can affect every major system and organ in the body, causing
recurrent infections, body pains, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and a host of
other symptoms.
Are Symptoms Always Immediate?
Although many allergic reactions occur soon or immediately after
exposure to the offending substance, researchers are finding that, more and
more, reactions are often delayed and may not occur for hours or even days
after exposure. One study reported that nearly 60% of patients with food
intolerance experienced delayed, rather than immediate, reactions to provoking
foods.
What Causes Allergies?
The substance that provokes an allergic reaction is called an
allergen or antigen. This can be a substance that is ingested, such as milk,
corn, fish, or other foods. Allergens can also be substances in the surrounding
environment, such as house dust, animal dander, chemicals, bacteria and
pollens, which induce allergic reactions after being touched or inhaled. How Common Are Allergies?
Allergies have been around for a long time. A case of food
allergy was recorded over 2000 years ago by the ancient Greek physician
Hippocrates, who observed that milk could cause gastric upset and hives. In
modern times, food and environmental allergies have increased dramatically. It
has been estimated that at least 60% of the American population
suffers from symptoms associated with food reactions. Some physicians even
claim that food allergies are now the leading cause of most undiagnosed
symptoms.
Why are Allergies Increasing?
No one knows for sure why allergies are on the rise. But some
scientists believe that increased chemical pollution in our air, water, and
food is causing an escalation in the frequency and severity of allergic
reactions. Most commercial foods now
contain hundreds of hidden ingredients—both natural and synthetic—that have
been identified as agents in many allergic reactions. Genetic manipulation of
plants, less diversity in the average diet, and poor digestive function have
also been suggested as contributing factors.
Why is it Important to Identify Allergens?
People who choose to treat their allergy symptoms using
antihistamines and other drugs may not realize that chronic use of those drugs
can dampen the immune system, placing them at increased risk of developing
infections and malignant tumors. What’s more, these drugs often have unpleasant
side effects, including drowsiness, hypertension, weight gain, and even
diabetes. That’s why it’s important to be tested, so your physician can
directly treat the causes of your allergic reactions, instead of the symptoms.
Even if you only suffer from low-grade symptoms (of which you
may not be aware), it is important to identify all of your body’s known
allergens. Allergic responses, following
periods of infection or stress, can create more severe and more varied
symptoms. Over time, allergies place cumulative stress on the body’s immune
system, which can result in more serious conditions such as migraines,
arthritis, gastrointestinal disorders, and autoimmune diseases.
How Does the Comprehensive Antibody Assessment Work?
Antibodies in the immune system detect and then “attack”
invading substances such as allergens. After being confronted with the same
allergen over a period of time, the immune system builds up its supply of
antibodies to fight off the offending substance.
The Comprehensive Antibody Assessment identifies high levels of
antibodies to specific food and environmental allergens causing immediate
allergic reactions. These are called IgE antibodies. The profile also measures
IgG antibodies, which are associated with delayed allergic reactions—the
“hidden allergies” that do not show up on conventional allergy tests. With just
a single blood sample, the allergy panel measures hypersensitivities to over
120 different food and environmental substances. It’s a safe, convenient, and
economical method that allows you to get at the root cause of your symptoms.
Ask yourself:
Do you occasionally suffer from digestive problems, such as gas,
bloating, diarrhea, or constipation?
Do your eyes sometimes feel itchy or watery? Do you often experience fatigue,
hyperactivity, or difficulty in concentrating?
Are you prone to mood swings, food cravings, or anxiety?
Do you often feel depressed?
Do your muscles and joints sometimes ache?
Have you suffered recurrent ear infections or other chronic
infections?
Have you ever noticed the appearance of hives or rashes?
Do you get headaches or migraines?
Do you suffer from recurrent asthma, bronchitis, or sinus
problems?
Do you sometimes experience a set of “mysterious” symptoms that
seem to “come and go” on their own?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be
experiencing symptoms caused by food or environmental allergies.
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