Is it possible that the foods that you are eating are making you sick? Would you know it if it was true? Yes it is possible that the foods you are eating are making you sick, and you would not necessarily know it. In a book by Jeffrey Zavik titled Toxic Food Syndrome he indicates that over seventy-five medical symptoms are linked to food allergies and that 95% of the population suffers from food allergies. When you eat foods that you are allergic to, there are two types of allergies. The first allergy (Type 1) is one that most people are familiar with. Type 1 reactions take place with in a few minutes to two hours. Type 1 reactions can cause anaphylactic shock and require immediate medical intervention. The second type of reaction, Type 2 or a delayed onset reaction may take as long as three days to appear. The Type 2 reaction is a lot less severe. In its initial response, however, it can become very debilitating and is often represented as symptoms.
According to Pub Med (www.webmd.com) of the National Library of Medicine, at the time I wrote this article, there are 9,895 published studies relating to “Food Hypersensitivity”. What you eat affects how you feel. These feelings or symptoms can present themselves as; irritable bowl syndrome, ear infections, mood swings, depression, chronic fatigue, asthma, chronic cough, stiffness, dark circles under your eyes, and joint pain to name a few. What you believe to be perfectly healthy foods can be toxic to your body. Gluten found in wheat, corn and other grains could cause irritable bowel disease and cancer. Casein found in dairy products raises cholesterol. Peanuts and shrimp can cause anaphylactic shock, which can kill you. These symptoms can become very costly. According to the LA Times (04/11/07) diabetes can cost you $10,000 a year, Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS about $3,344 a year (Pub Med), Depression $13,500 a year (Pub Med) and Ear Infections about $1,093 for a procedure and up to 20 visits at approximately $91 or $1,820 a year. In 2006 over 15 million prescriptions were written for children with ear infections. (Science Daily 09/21/06). These hidden costs can often be avoided by eating the right foods. Experts agree that what you eat can cause disease or good health: “Your choice of diet can influence your long term health prospects more than any other action you might take ” former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop “The real tragedy is that more hasn’t been done to avoid this epidemic, as overweight and obesity, and their related diseases, are largely preventable. Approximately 80% of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, and 40% of cancer could be avoided through healthy diet, regular physical activity and avoidance of tobacco use. ” – Dr. Robert Beaglehole, Director, Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion Now that we are aware of the problem, what do we do about it? Stop the shock to your system. In a 28 year study, it was learned that 95% of the population has a Type 2 reaction to everyday foods. The foods that cause this toxic shock vary for each individual. These Type 2 reactions, as indicated above, are delayed and very difficult to detect on your own. One of the easiest ways to determine your food sensitivities is by completing a simple blood test. Once drawn, your blood is sent to a laboratory that specializes in food sensitivity testing. Lab techs then inject a sampling of your serum into micro liter wells coated with different food antigens. Over a few hours the antibodies in your blood serum interact with the food antigens. A high tech laser beam reads and records the toxic reactions your serum has with each of the foods tested. A state of the art computer then prepares a report for you and your doctor. Once your doctor receives the report, you should be called to schedule a follow up visit. During this follow up visit you should be placed on a rotation diet to help you eliminate the foods that you reacted to. Once you take these initial steps, you are well on your way to better health.
