Chronic Illness in US: Food Allergies Rank High

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases explains food allergy and offers tips on how to manage the condition. It is important to know about and research the makeup of the foods you eat. Substances within may be triggering allergic reactions. A relationship between allergies and asthma has also been observed.

Chronic Illness in US: Food Allergies Rank High

Dr. Mercola lets you see the big picture!

Chronic Illness in US: Food Allergies Rank High. Food allergies are the fifth leading chronic illness in the US – and their incidence is on the rise.  From 1997 to 2007, food allergies increased 18 percent among children under 18 years, and today an estimated one out of every 13 children has a food allergy.

One of the primary hidden contributing factors to allergies is the food you eat, and I am not talking about food allergies. If you eat poor-quality foods, especially ones that cause insulin/leptin resistance, you will increase your risk of allergies.

When you’re allergic to a substance, your immune system mistakenly believes it is dangerous and produces immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies in an attempt to neutralize it. Chemicals such as histamine released into your bloodstream during this process can lead to a battery of symptoms any time you eat the food (although symptoms may not appear until hours later).

What’s behind this immune system dysfunction is still being explored, although a leading theory is the hygiene hypothesis. A child raised in an environment devoid of dirt and germs, and who is given antibiotics that kill off all of the bacteria in his gut, is not able to build up natural resistance to disease, and becomes vulnerable to illnesses later in life.

This is likely one reason why many allergies and immune system diseases have doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled in the last few decades. Low levels of vitamin D have also been associated with an increased risk of food allergies,  while some theorize that food additives, genetic modification, hormones, and herbicides added to foods may be triggering some cases.

New research has revealed that allergies are virtually everywhere in the US, with no region being allergy-free. The study of more than 8,000 people revealed that 45 percent of people aged six and over tested positive for at least one allergen, as did 36 percent of children aged one to five.

There were some variations by region, such as in large metropolitan areas, where 50 percent of residents were sensitized to at least one allergen, compared to 40 percent in rural areas. In urban areas, outdoor allergens were more common than in rural areas, possibly because respiratory allergies are associated with air pollution.

Allergies and asthma often occur together, so it’s not surprising that modifying your diet, and thereby your gut health, appears to be an effective treatment for both of these conditions. In a recent animal study, mice fed a high-fiber diet had stronger resistance against asthma-like attacks than mice fed a low-fiber or regular diet.

Another example of what to avoid  –  most of the veggie burgers on the market are made from processed versions of soy, which can be genetically modified and highly allergenic.

 Separate research also showed that school-aged children who drank raw milk were 41 percent less likely to develop asthma and about 50 percent less likely to develop hay fever than children who drank store-bought (pasteurized) milk.

Remember, the quality of and the types of food you eat are related to your allergy risk. One of the ways they mediate that is through your gut bacteria. Your gut bacteria play a crucial role in the development and operation of the mucosal immune system in your digestive tract.

They also aid in the production of antibodies to pathogens. Friendly bacteria even train your immune system to distinguish between pathogens and non-harmful antigens, and to respond appropriately. This important function prevents your immune system from overreacting to non-harmful antigens, which is the genesis of allergies.

For some, the answer to resolving food (and other) allergies is to “heal and seal” your intestines, which the GAPS nutritional program is designed to do. If you have severe food allergies, the GAPS Introduction Diet, which uses fermented foods and other natural strategies, like probiotics, to restore balance to your gut flora, may help heal your food allergy completely.

A comprehensive allergy program needs to address optimizing your diet, intestinal health, and vitamin D levels while avoiding potential triggers. This includes a focus on fermented foods, high-fiber vegetables, and minimal processed foods and sugar. If fermented foods are not a regular part of your diet, a probiotic supplement may be beneficial.

Article Summary

  • Food allergies are the fifth leading chronic illness in the US – and their incidence is on the rise
  • Dietary factors, which influence the health of your gut, are a key factor in the rise of allergies and asthma
  • Researchers have concluded that eating a junk food diet increases kids’ risk of allergies, while mice fed a high-fiber diet had stronger resistance against asthma-like attacks than mice fed a low-fiber or regular diet
  • When your gut flora is abnormal, your gut lining is more prone to deterioration, allowing toxic substances to leak into your bloodstream, and causing significant increases in inflammation and allergies
  • Tending to your gut health by eating fermented foods, high-fiber vegetables, and minimal processed foods may help heal your gut health and your allergies

Read the whole article clicking here: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/03/19/food-allergies-gut-flora.aspx

photo credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Allergy_food.jpg/256px-Allergy_food.jpg

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