Food allergies

[Guest guest]

Dear Beverly,

Is it possible that you do not have any new food allergies? Do you get sick

after eating some of the foods that you know that you are allergic to? I am sure

that I am allergic to all kinds of milk products because once I eat them, my

sinuses give me a lot of trouble. Do you have that kind of extreme way of

telling what you are allergic to? Do you feel worse after you eat certain foods?

As to the anger that you feel at the health industry. You are not the only one.

I have lost so much respect for doctors in the course of the last 20 years that

I look at most of them like a bunch of fools. Many only know what they learned

in medical school 20 to 30 years ago or even longer if the doctor is older. They

do not want to learn anything new and many of them do not want to listen to

patients who do not fit their schematic way of thinking. I have been told over

and over again that I am healthy. One fool here in my town said to me that what

I have is not a immune system problem, but an psychiatric problem in spite of

the fact that I had with me about 9 years of bloods tests that would prove

otherwise. He told his staff that I am nuts and so I promptly switched family

doctors.

Thank you for helping me in the past.

Mira

[Guest guest]

Food allergies can change over time. Children often outgrow them although I dont

understand how that works. If you eat one food too much, you can develop new

allergies to it. Between my known allergies and the lack of energy to shop and

cook, I probably rely too much on a small group of foods. The only food that I

know that I am allergic to and I eat occasionally is cow's milk and I seem to

be able to have a little bit of that without noticeable reactions and the same

with goat's milk, although the dietician said I should try to avoid both of

them. Milk products also have the effect of increasing mucus even in people who

are not allergic to them so that is another reason to avoid them. Oddly, today I

read that cheese does not contain lactose and can be eaten by the lactose

intolerant. That was the first time I had heard that and I wouldnt trust it

without further confirmation.

I have 2 food allergies where I get classic symptoms. Peaches make me itchy all

over and mint makes my lips swell. The others all took elimination diet and

challenges to see. It sounds farfetched until you try it and see it for

yourself. It is cheap and pretty easy to do.

I read the wikipedia articles on food allergies and allergy testing last night,

pretty interesting stuff. Food sensitivities are complicated because there are

different kinds. Genetic lack of certain enzymes to digest things is one kind

(celiac disease), allergies that cause anaphalactic shock is another kind,

milder allergies use a different process, and there are other sensitivities like

to sulfides and oxalates. Some people have immediate reactions to things but

some things cause slower reactions and those are harder to figure out. I read

some interesting stuff on www.celiac.com about whether oats are gluten free or

not. Apparently they are but they can be contaminated with wheat in storage,

processing, etc. However some people seem to have a bad reaction to the protein

in oats also and this reaction is not always immediately evident. Serious damage

can be done before the symptoms show up.

I had a talk with my insurance co and I think I'll go in to see an allergist

since most of it will be covered by the insurance. It sounds like they do have

some new tests since I last tried it. I do have GI symptoms that whose cause is

not clear to me.

Beverly

Dear Beverly,

Is it possible that you do not have any new food allergies? Do you get sick

after eating some of the foods that you know that you are allergic to? I am sure

that I am allergic to all kinds of milk products because once I eat them, my

sinuses give me a lot of trouble. Do you have that kind of extreme way of

telling what you are allergic to? Do you feel worse after you eat certain foods?

As to the anger that you feel at the health industry. You are not the only

one. I have lost so much respect for doctors in the course of the last 20 years

that I look at most of them like a bunch of fools. Many only know what they

learned in medical school 20 to 30 years ago or even longer if the doctor is

older. They do not want to learn anything new and many of them do not want to

listen to patients who do not fit their schematic way of thinking. I have been

told over and over again that I am healthy. One fool here in my town said to me

that what I have is not a immune system problem, but an psychiatric problem in

spite of the fact that I had with me about 9 years of bloods tests that would

prove otherwise. He told his staff that I am nuts and so I promptly switched

family doctors.

Thank you for helping me in the past.

Mira