Food Allergies & Food intollerances-Anyone help?

[Michaelangelica]

All my life I have had problems with the food I eat.

I have consulted many doctors and specialists with little effective help.
the best was an orthomolecular psychiatrist who put me on masses of vitamins and a strict diet
The second best was a doc who gave me a drug Nizoral..? to get me through a long overseas trip. I dissolved it in water before I ate. The English chemist that I purchased it from one day was most interested as he said it was primarily an asthma drug.

Can't afford all the vitamins and have reduced the diet to avoiding wheat ((hard wheat and unleavened bread seem not too bad).
The reactions vary are are diffuse and occur sometimes immediately after eating the food; sometimes 48 hours later.

The Immediate reaction i get to foods such as MSG is a very rapid heart beat, (120-140 pm),manic, shakey-ness,irritability, inability to sleep followed by collapse confusion,dirrahoeoa and a day long fuzzy head, Almost the same symptoms as taking amphetamines (hey I was a nurse in the 70'S) or a "panic attack" I need a fairly big dose for this to happen. Japanese BBQ restaurants are deadly and can steal 2 days of my life.

My energy and intellectual abilities are also affected. I am not a great speller but I can hardly spell anything when I am having an attack/reaction.
I find it hard to get myself moving and exertion leaves me breathless, heart pounding and sweating as if I had run a mile (never have never could). My ears ring (tinnitus) although they seem to do that most of the time unless I fast.

Recently someone told me that one way to test you-self for immediate allergies is to take your resting pulse, then your pulse after eating a particular food. This afternoon I ate an orange then shortly after an apple. I have been a bit suss of apples for a while. I do eat a lot of them. My pulse is usually around 80 it went up to 120. A bit like a little "flight or fight" adrenalin rush. I am certainly more snappy, cranky and intolerant of those around me.

I looked up apples and preservatives and it seems nicin is used (?) to prolong shelf life

Nisin
antibiotic derived from bacteria; found in beer, processed cheese products, tomato paste

Food Additives - Colours, Preservatives & Enhancers

234
E234 Nisin Antibiotic produced during the growth of bacterium Streptococcus lactis and is a polypeptide antibiotic used in food as a preservative. Found in beer, processed cheese products, tomato paste.

Food Additives Guide (200-290)
I must be the only Australian who doesn't drink their bodyweight in beer ever day

But could there be other reasons why our gut bacteria are so valuable? Perhaps. Over the last decade, IFR scientists have been working on nisin, a protein made by Lactococcus lactis, a harmless bacterium. Nisin kills other microbes by punching holes in them, so is good at preventing growth of nearby bacteria (which may be harmful). In fact, nisin is so effective, it is an approved additive in the food industry, used to inhibit food poisoning and food spoilage bacteria.

IFR Information Sheet - nisin and gut bacteria

The Company invested approximately $304,000 in fixed
assets during 2003, principally related to its investment in the equipment
and facility modifications necessary to manufacture Nisin in-house.

ICCC - misc.invest.stocks | Google Groups

Nisin is a polycyclic peptide antibacterial with 34 amino acid residues used as a food preservative. It contains the uncommon amino acids lanthionine (Lan), methyllanthionine (MeLan), didehydroalanine (Dha) and didehydroaminobutyric acid (Dhb)

Nisin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (E220-E227), can leave you with a weird aftertaste and they destroy the thiamin (vitamin B1) in foods. Sensitivity to sulphites, especially among asthmatics, is not uncommon. Dried fruit is usually treated with sulphur dioxide. Nisin (E234) is a bit of a “special case” among preservatives. It is the only antibiotic allowed for food preservation and is made from certain strains of the Streptococcus lactis, bacteria. Nisin occurs naturally in milk and some cheeses, and because it is a protein, it’s non-toxic. To us, that is.

Planet Science News Issue: 154
My mother had a bad allergy to sulfur anti-biotics; so I avoid them too; not that they are prescribed much now.
I do find I can't drink some cheap cask wines and preserved oranges juices. Sulphur di-oxide is often used in both. Old wine is better than new wine, fortified wine or spirits better still ( less of an allergic reaction I mean)

The allergic reactions also vary depending on on how well I am. If I'm tired or rrun down or over-eating my 'problem' foods the reactions are more common or greater.

Has anyone heard of the pulse test?

Has anyone similar problems?

Anyone know anything about Nicin causing people problems?

Do I need a psychiatrist or a good allergist?

[Michaelangelica]

Beware: brightly coloured foods

by Peter Lavelle

Chemical colouring in food and drinks can make even normal kids hyperactive, say researchers.

Published 13/09/2007
Food additives 300x150
[Image source: iStockphoto]

Foods with chemical colouring are likely to make kids fidgety and hyperactive.

That's the conclusion of UK researchers, who tested some common food dyes and preservatives on a group of toddlers and older children.

Over a six week period, they gave two groups of kids – one group aged three years and the others aged eight and nine – three sets of drinks.

Two of the drinks were cocktails of additives and colourings commonly found in sweets and drinks – compounds like sunset yellow (also called E110), carmoisine (E122), tartrazine (E102), ponceau 4R (E124), quinoline yellow (E104), allura red (E129) , sunset yellow, carmoisine, and sodium benzoate. The third drink was a placebo – it contained no colourings or additives.

They then compared the kids' behaviour using standard tests used to diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These tests were administered by teachers, psychologists and parents

The researchers found the children who drank the cocktails of additives and colourings were noticeably more hyperactive and had shorter attention spans than those who drank the placebo.

Beware: brightly coloured foods - Health & Wellbeing

[Monomer]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

Has anyone heard of the pulse test?

Has anyone similar problems?

Anyone know anything about Nicin causing people problems?

Do I need a psychiatrist or a good allergist?

I don't think you need a psychiatrist, but an allergy specialist might be of use. I suffer from allergies and asthma, but my main problems are with grasses and moulds rather than food. I spent the last 3 years undergoing immunotherapy so that could be something to consider. It cost about $120 for 6 months worth of allergen but each visit was covered by Medicare.

Something that may be worth trying is the elimination diet. It's tough but will enable you to better assess which foods are a problem. The Elimination Diet & The Detection Diet | Foodintol.com
Elimination diet

[Michaelangelica]

Thanks Monomer i have tried to do the elimination diet but it is too hard.
I have been blood tested for lactose and I avoid wheat.
Strangely Medibank and Medicare would not cover 'the elimination diet' -this done with specialist and nutritionalist from Royal Prince Alfred ?(the hospital near Syd. Uni)
My gastroenterologist says I am not gluten sensitive. (By looking at cilia ? in stomach) how he can say this when I don't eat wheat I am not sure.

Food Allergy Hospitalizations Rise 400 Percent

An analysis of the rates of illness and death for allergic disorders other than asthma suggests that systemic allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis (serious allergic reaction in several areas of the body) and food allergies, have soared in recent years.

The analysis looked at data from national surveys, consultations with primary care health practitioners, prescriptions, hospital admissions, and deaths.

600 Percent

Hospital admissions for anaphylaxis have risen by 600 percent, and those for food allergies have risen by 400 percent. Prescriptions for all types of allergy have also increased over the past 15 years.

Unknown Cause

The cause of the increase is not known, although it could be attributable to changes in the sources of allergic disease.

Thorax September 1, 2006

Science Daily August 31, 2006

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

The good news in the study was that eczema and hay fever rates seem to have stabilized. But food allergies are clearly soaring far beyond anything known in the past.

Some of the most allergenic foods out there are:

* Pasteurized milk
* Soy
* Wheat (gluten)

So if you think you're suffering from a food allergy, avoiding these foods is nearly always helpful. You can also be sensitive to food additives like artificial colors, preservatives and flavor enhancers (MSG), so avoiding processed foods may also help.

http://www.mercola.com/2006/sep/14/f...00_percent.htm
Sometimes I wish I did have anaphylaxis instedad of all these vague nagging symptoms and delayed reactions.
Avoiding wheat, MSG and sulfur in all processed foods is almost impossible.

[Drosera]

Hmm...

I'm a member of an anxiety disorders group, and the subject of food intolerances comes up frequently. I don't know enough to comment on your situation, but it seems to me that along with consulting an allergist, a visit with a gastro-specialist would be in order. They too can help you investigate possible causes.

If your problems cause you tension or anxiety, seeing a psyhiatrist, psychologist or therapist isn't out of order either. It could be a useful adjunct while you are trying to learn to cope with this issue. There are treatments and therapies that can help you cope with any discomfort until you get to the root of the problem. Even just talk therapy could be comforting and enlightening. (I am not suggesting you have a mental or emotional disorder. But such stresses can often become more than we can bear alone.)

Good luck!

[Monomer]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

i have tried to do the elimination diet but it is too hard.

Yeah, I also tried it , but decided it was too difficult! But from what I've read it appears to be the most effective way of determining food allergies. The RPA offers a simplified elimination diet booklet, which you can buy for $7.70. Maybe that would be easier?

Here are some recipes for people with food allergies you could try:
Healthy recipes
Food Allergy Kitchen - Recipes

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

My gastroenterologist says I am not gluten sensitive. (By looking at cilia ? in stomach) how he can say this when I don't eat wheat I am not sure.

The cilia are the protrusions lining the gut which absorb nutrients, and gluten in a gluten sensitive person will destroy these cilia. If you don't eat wheat you could be consuming gluten if you eat rye, barley or oats.


Allergies certainly seem to be on the rise, and here's one suggestion why:

Today, people eat diverse and exotic foods, many containing artificial preservatives and additives; spend more time indoors, increasing contact with dust, synthetic materials, and household chemicals; are more likely to maintain pets indoors; and are exposed to more pollution. The exposure theory is supported by the increased prevalence of allergies primarily in developed countries, and mostly in urban environments, as opposed to rural communities

Pharmacy Times: Are Allergies on the Rise?

A popular suggestion for the rise in allergies is that we're too clean these days. I suffer from a number of allergies while my sister is virtually allergy-free. When I was little my Mum was obsessed with cleanliness but when my sister was little Mum had mellowed somewhat and didn't care so much about us getting dirty.

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by Monomer

Pharmacy Times: Are Allergies on the Rise?

A popular suggestion for the rise in allergies is that we're too clean these days. I suffer from a number of allergies while my sister is virtually allergy-free. When I was little my Mum was obsessed with cleanliness but when my sister was little Mum had mellowed somewhat and didn't care so much about us getting dirty.

Maybe I need more indoor plants (see thread

Kids often eat spoonfuls of dirt. As just about ever interior surface of our body has its own antibiotics I guess only the useful "wee beasties" get to stay.
I have heard that by sterilizing our kitchens, hospitals etc we end up creating, by Darwinian Natural Selection, super-bugs that are resistant to our chemicals and heat.

An allergic reaction is identical to a panic attack Drosera (Do you eat flies?)
Get people to check out what they have eaten before they get the rapid heart beat, sweating & "fight of flight" response (Try the pulse test?)

I often wonder how many crimes might be committed by people having an allergic reaction. Adrenalin is certainly flowing uncontrollably into the body and people may get confused about what is causing this.

[Drosera]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

Maybe I need more indoor plants (see thread
An allergic reaction is identical to a panic attack Drosera (Do you eat flies?)

I know it can be. Just like hyperthyroidism, drugs, air restriction, etc. can also promote anxiety and panic attacks. That's why I believe that therapy can be helpful in learning to manage or cope with the symptoms of anxiety, even though it may actually have a more physical cause in these cases. Obviously the first thing though, is to get checked out by the doctor, and pursue the medical issues as much as you can. Always best to deal with the root of the problem.

But then, I know you know this. Just mentioning it for the sake of others, in case it may help.

I only eat flies when I ride my bike too fast. That hasn't been for a couple of years now. My little plants on the other hand, prefer their meat on a regular basis!

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by Drosera

But then, I know you know this. Just mentioning it for the sake of others, in case it may help.

Yes and no, probably both
I am also looking for answers for myself. I think I have exhausted what the medical profession has on offer to treat allergies, especially delayed reaction ones. I have had every blood test known to man . Apart from discovering bowel cancer, high BP and cholesterol nothing of any real help turned up

I might try a google alert and post what I find here.

I often wonder if some of Australia's problems (health, education welfare) with Aboriginal Nations is not food related. Aborigines had a high protein diet with little sugar (Small Native Bees and Sweet Ants only). Some Aust. Berries contain 10,000 times the Vit. C of oranges. A friend who owned a country pub used to sell a semi-trailer full of sweet-sherry flagons to the local aborigines each f/n?/ week? Now Aborigines seem to eat the worst junk food of our culture. Lots of sugar, alcohol, carbohydrates, yeast, MSG, cows-milk etc
A nutritionalist from SA took a group of diabetic Aborigines back to the bush for a month to eat "bush tucker". Their need for insulin dropped by 50% by the end of the month. She was amazed to see them eat 6-8 fish at a time/meal.

[Celeste]

Hello Michaelangelica,

Interesting topic.
I too, am a old time pulse taker when it comes to food sensitivity....and the older I get, the list of foods I am sensitive too, keeps growing.

My food intolerances and symptoms are:
MSG: bpm increases as high as 170, accompanied by panic, shakiness, dizziness, brain fog, arrhythmia's, nerve pain, migraines, indigestion.
Like you, it takes me 2 days or so to recover.

Salicylates in some foods: bpm goes from 70 to 120. Panic, indigestion, trembling, feeling cold, arrhythmia's.

Pizza Sauce: bpm increases from 70 to 120. Sense of anxiety, indigestion, arrhythmia. (salicylates???)

Strawberries, cherrry tomatoes, kiwi fruits (if not washed well);
bpm increases to 110 or so. Hives in mouth, itching, headache. I figure this must be an true allergy to the fuzzy stuff on the leaves.

Heavy Glutens: bpm around 120. Bloating, indigestion, horrible heartburn, nausea, flu like symptoms. Brother has full blown Celiac disease as confirmed by genetic testing (Celiac Sprue).

Certain Sulfa's, both foods and drug: bpm around 120. Urticaria hives, anxiety, indigestion.

Chocolate: bpm 110 and above. Heartburn.

Touching the actual shells on shell fish: itchy, blistery hands and mouth.

I'm really surprised that more doctors don't use the pulse as in indicator of food sensitivities. Back in my days, it was often the first line of detection used and allergy testing is way to painful!

Hope your well!