LifeSource Vitamins
Food allergies and food sensitivities (also referred to as intolerances)
are terms often used interchangeably. Technically, a food allergy is a
measurable immune response to a normally harmless food. Symptoms include
itchy hives, lip swelling, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, wheezing, and
difficulty breathing. Common food allergies are to peanuts, wheat, milk,
eggs, MSG, and shellfish. Scientists are not sure what exactly causes food
allergies. Since many allergies tend to run in families, there apparently
is a genetic component. There is also evidence that some allergies are the
result of exposure to a certain food or foods too early in life before the
immune system is fully developed. Many infants who are given cow's milk
instead of breast milk in the first months develop an allergic reaction;
the same goes for children who are fid wheat, eggs, peanut butter, or other
products before they are ready. At any age, the over-consumption of food is
thought to lead to allergies. Wheat, for example, is a common allergen in
the United States, because most people eat it at every meal and snack.
Food sensitivities are reactions to food where there is not necessarily an
immune response, as measured by standard lab tests. These symptoms are not
life-threatening but are bothersome. These include, but are not limited to,
abdominal cramps, bloating, headache, mood swings, reoccurring infections,
joint pain, runny nose, skin rashes, dark circles under the eyes, and
fatigue. Symptoms may occur up to thirty-six hours after ingesting the
offending food. Common food sensitivities that we see with patients are to
cow's milk, wheat, corn, soy, chocolate, citrus fruit, and artificial
sweeteners and preservatives. Most food sensitivities are acquired
throughout life. A lack of variety in the diet, poor digestion and
detoxification, and genetics are often the underlying causes. Most people
who have multiple food sensitivities have an underlying condition known as
a leaky gut syndrome. This means that foods are not being broken down
effectively (especially proteins), and once absorbed, they cause a
heightened immune reaction. The key to these cases is to heal the gut
lining and improve food breakdown, something that natural medicine is very
effective for. Many cases of food sensitivities can be eliminated or
improved with natural therapies.
Food allergies and sensitivities can sometimes be difficult to identify.
Immune responses to food may take hours or days to develop, and they may be
mistaken for seasonal allergies or for other disease associated with their
symptoms: colds, flu, skin problems, chronic fatigue, and many others. And
allergies aren't just triggered by the consumption of large quantities of a
problem food: you can have a reaction from a minute quantity or even from
simply touching or inhaling an allergen. Use the elimination diet to
determine which food or foods, if any, you are allergic to.
Also, specific testing with blood, electrodermal, skin scratch, or applied
kinesiology by a holistic practitioner or a doctor can help you quickly
identify your problem foods. They can then be avoided or you can
desensitize yourself to them.
** All of these prescriptions below have been proven effective; the level
of effectiveness depends on the individual. Please consult your doctor when
taking any and all supplements.
|
The top 7 vitamins and supplements have shown to help Food Allergies: Prescription for Natural Cures by James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.M.D. |
|
Super Prescription #1 Enzymes – Super Enzymes - LifeSource Product Take a full-spectrum digestive complex with each meal. |
|
Super Prescription # 2 Cleansing – LifeSource Products - See all Cleansing Products Take as described on the package. Cleansing has been shown to help the body with allergies of all kinds. |
|
Super Prescription #3 Probiotics / Dophilus - LifeSource Product Take a product that contains at least 4 billion active organisms daily, thirty minutes after a meal. These good bacteria favorably alter the way the immune system perceives foods and also helps with their metabolism and digestion. |
|
Super Prescription #4 Gentian root (Gentiana lutea)
|
|
Super Prescription #5 Thymus (Thymus vulgaris) extract
|
|
Super Prescription #6 MSM – Methylsulfonylmethane – LifeSource Product Take 1,000 mg twice daily. MSM has a natural anti-allergy benefit that includes food sensitivities.
Click here to see all products, articles and studies for Food Allergies |
Symptoms
Food allergies can produce a number of symptoms. The most common are listed as follows:
- Nasal congestion
- Sneezing
- Coughing
· Red, itchy, or watery eyes
· Dark circles or puffiness under the eyes
- Wheezing
- Sore throat
- Difficulty swallowing
· Hives, rashes, eczema, or other skin eruptions
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Fluid retention
· Swelling of the throat and the tongue
Common symptoms of food sensitivities:
· Abdominal cramps and bloating
- Headache
- Mood
- Swings
- Reoccurring infection
- Joint pain
- Runny nose
- Skin rashes
· Dark circles under the eyes
- Fatigue
Root Causes
· Over-consumption of a certain food
· Introduction of food too early in infancy or childhood
· Stress, which depresses the immune system
· Poor digestion and detoxification
- Heredity
TREATMENT
If you experience difficulty breathing developing, hives that spread rapidly, get emergency help at once. Allergic reactions like these can be quickly fatal. If you know you have severe reactions to certain substances, talk to your doctor about emergency adrenaline kits you can keep on hand.
Diet
Obviously, the most important step in treating allergies is identifying them. Once you've identified the offending substances, adhere to the following suggestions to keep them out of your diet and to reduce your chances of having a bad reaction, should you be accidentally exposed. Food sensitivities can generally be improved or cured by rotating foods in the diet, improving digestion and detoxification, and using the desensitization techniques described in this chapter.
Recommended Food
Fortify your immune system with a healthful, wholesome diet. Eat foods that are high in immune-building nutrients: seafood, beans, and nuts for magnesium; green leafy vegetables and brewer's yeast for B vitamins; and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables for vitamin C.
A varied diet will discourage the development of allergies, so try to eat different foods every day.
Breast milk is best for infants. If, for some reason, you are unable to provide your baby with mother's milk, use a cow's milk alternative or a predigested, hypoallergenic formula.
Drink a glass of clean water every two waking hours to flush allergens out of your body and to encourage overall health.
Foods to Avoid
Of course, you must avoid the foods that trigger a severe allergy response. In general, it is best to buy whole foods and prepare them yourself, so that you are aware of their content, but if you must buy packaged food, learn how to read labels and scrutinize them carefully. Food preservatives and artificial colorings or flavorings can be at the root of food reactions.
Food sensitivities can generally be rotated in the diet until you become desensitized to the offending food.
Detoxification
If you have recently suffered an allergy attack, go on a short, twenty-four-hour juice fast to cleanse the body of allergens. For chronic allergies, undertake a one- to three-day cleanse every three months.
Proudly Made in the USA!
Every LifeSource Vitamins product exceeds all regulatory standards and requirements set forth in the FDA's Code of Federal Regulation. ( 21 CFR, part 111 ) as well as all Good Manufacturing Practices enforced by the FDA. CGMP's provide for systems that assure proper design, monitoring, and control of manufacturing processes and facilities. ( CGMP ).
LifeSource Vitamins: Driven by Faith ~ Powered by God
Have Questions on this or any other product or health issue for you or a loved one? It can be overwhelming we know. Call us, we will walk you through what supplements will help you and which ones you really don’t need. It’s what we do! Toll-Free: 800-567-8122
LifeSource Vitamins – Founded in 1992
100% of our profits are donated to Christian Organizations like these and many others worldwide:
Campus Crusade for Christ - CRU
The Herman and Sharron Show on CTN (Christian Television Network) and many more…
E-mail Us: info@LifesourceVitamins.com
or Call Us: 800.567.8122
We Are Built on Compassion - Driven by Faith & Powered by God!
*Disclaimer: None of the above statements have been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. As always, consult your physician before taking any and all supplements. LifeSource Vitamins. Individual results may vary.
Disclaimer: All the information contained throughout this website is based upon the opinions of the founder of LifeSource Vitamins, Bruce Brightman, and the entire team at LifeSource Vitamins whose relentless research and studies have been ongoing since 1992. Other articles and information are based on the opinions of the authors, who retain the copyright as marked in the article. The information on this site is not intended to replace your health care professional, but to enhance your relationship with them. Doing your own studying and research and taking your health care into your own hands is always best, especially in partnership with your health care professional.
If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have any medical conditions, always consult your health care professional before taking supplements based on the information on this site.
LifeSource Vitamins: from the nutrients we choose, to the way we run our business, we answer to God in all we do!