Why Are Allergies and Intolerances to Foods Becoming So Common?

Food allergies (and food intolerance) are fast becoming a growing public concern. 

It is estimated that as many as 15 million people suffer from food allergies.  According to a 2008 study released by the Center for Disease Control, the prevalence of reported food allergy increased 18% between 1997 and 2007 in children under the age of 18.  The prevalence of peanut allergy among children tripled between 1997 and 2007.  

Food allergy is a histamine reaction, and potentially serious immune response, to eating specific foods or food additives. Eight types of food account for over 90% of allergic reactions in affected individuals: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat.   Reactions to these foods can vary – from a tingling sensation around the mouth to anaphylactic shock.

The incidence of food intolerance is also on the rise.  Food intolerance is a reaction of a food that irritates the stomach or that your body can’t properly digest.  Symptoms of food intolerance are:  gradual onset, usually takes a lot of the food, may only happen if it is consumed on a regular basis, and is non-life threatening. Symptoms of  food intolerance are: gas, bloating, cramping, headaches, heartburn, nervousness or irritability. In many kids, a constant runny nose or congestion issues have roots that are closely tied to an intolerant food.

A food allergy is a food that gets a whole body response from the immune system. A food allergy initiates a sudden reaction, it only takes a small amount, it happens every time the food is consumed, and it can be life threatening. A food allergy has symptoms like: rash, hives, itching, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chest pain, and sudden decrease in blood pressure.  These reactions are sever and need immediate medical attention. 

 

So with food allergies and intolerance growing in number, that begs the question, “What is causing the increase?”  No one knows for sure.  However, there are some facts to consider.

Environmental toxins in our food, water, and air have become more prevalent in recent years. These toxins have been shown to decrease our immune system’s response and increase the imbalances that lead to higher rates of allergies. Some of the most common environmental toxins are gasoline exhaust, diesel exhaust, and plastics. 

Additionally, many crops today are being genetically altered to resist pests, weeds and other threats.  Our country’s main crops -- corn, soy, wheat, and rice -- have been altered and make up the bulk of our food supply.  When a new gene is introduced into a plant, there is a possibility of creating a new allergen or causing an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals.  In 1996, the New England Journal of Medicine wrote that a proposal to incorporate a gene from Brazil nuts into soybeans was abandoned for fear of causing unexpected allergic reactions.

If you suspect a food allergy or intolerance, remove the suspected food for 14 days and see how you feel. A food diary is a helpful tool to be able to track what foods initiated what responses. Removal of symptoms is a good indication that the problems were caused by the removed food. Slowly add the foods back into the diet, one at a time, and see what symptoms show back up. 

For food allergies, the best approach is obviously avoidance of that food.  If you have a food intolerance, digestive enzymes to help break down the food in the stomach can be helpful in preventing a reaction.  These supplements can also help with constipation and gas issues.  Digestive enzymes are easy to find, inexpensive, and a great way to get the most out of the foods that you eat and help you enjoy the foods that you love.

Sugar and the Flu Season

Flu season is now upon us.  From mid-October through early spring, people typically suffer with runny noses, sore throats, fevers, aches and chills, resulting in missed days from school or work.  There are many theories as to why doctors begin to see an uptick in patient numbers this time of year.  One thought is that the body’s response to the fall temperature change plays a role in the increased illness.  

Another theory, however, has to do with our diets this time of year.  Beginning just before Halloween, through Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Super Bowl parties, Valentine’s Day, and Easter, there is a rapid increase in candy and sugar consumption in most American households.  Sugar has been shown to lower the body’s ability to fight infections. A normal, average healthy white blood cell can destroy an average of 13 germs. If you eat a piece of pie (approximately 6 teaspoons of sugar), the white blood cell can only destroy 10 germs. If you have pie with ice cream (approximately 12.5 teaspoons of sugar) your average white blood cell can only destroy 5.5 germs. This is a great example of how germs, bacteria, viruses can easily overwhelm our bodies during this stretch sugary months.  Extended periods of high blood sugar lower the fighting capabilities of our white blood cells, which is why diabetics have a harder time fighting infections. Sugar doesn’t do the body good!

So what can you do to specifically boost your immunity this time of year? Here are five simple actions you can take today:

1.      Avoid sweets and processed foods.  Focus on eating real food – food packed with vitamins and minerals, which help to boost your immune system.

2.      Go for colorful, antioxidant rich foods.  Dark leafy greens are packed with nutrition.  Combine that with Vitamin C in citrus fruits and the beta-carotene found in fall squashes and tubers, and you’ve just boosted immunity!  Try green smoothies as a way to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet.

3.      Limit dairy consumption.  Dairy creates mucous. Excess mucous production compromises the body’s ability to fight off airborne bacteria and viruses, while also providing an ideal environment for bacteria to grow.  Skip the dairy and opt for water-rich fruits and vegetables instead.

4.      Increase Vitamin D intake.  The body makes Vitamin D from sunlight exposure, which is limited during the winter months, making us more susceptible to infection.  Supplementing Vitamin D3 from September through April can help boost immunity.  (You should consult your doctor for dosage guidelines, as Vitamin D dosage is based on weight and it is possible to take too much.) 

5.      Reach for natural supplements.  There are several natural supplements available that can boost the body’s initial response when signs of a sickness first appear, including Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Calcium, and varieties of homeopathic sprays and supplements meant to boost immune system response. Have these on hand and use them at the first signs of sickness. Increasing your dosage of these beneficial vitamins during this time of the year will aid in prevention of sickness. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

It’s no coincidence we struggle with illness this time of year.  Don’t wait until you are sick to worry about prevention.  By making small dietary and lifestyle changes now, you can help ensure continued health through this flu season and beyond.

Who or What Determines Your Health?...

Health comes from the inside out. If you are not putting in the proper things that your body needs in order to be healthy and maintain the ever changing dynamic of the living body, you will have deficiencies. Most people who consume the standard American diet do. Our Food Guide Pyramid is basically upside down with too much emphasis on grains and breads, but it is a large market for the farming in America…coincidence or business? Anyway, that’s not the band wagon I have intentions of hopping on during this blog...... I want to talk about what health is and how you can tell someone is healthy. Yes, it can be tricky because we are taught by society and Hollywood that if you are skinny you are healthy, but that’s just a lie. Skinny doesn’t mean healthy. Fat doesn’t mean healthy. Fit and active people who live a lifestyle of movement and eat real foods are healthy.  There are ways to get a general idea of someone‘s health. Traditional Chinese Medicine has long been looking to the eyes, gums, nails, and tongue for clues into disease and the health of a person.

Recently a new patient of mine pointed out these vertical ridges on her nails and noted that they had worsened in the past 6 months, but thought they were hereditary because she remembered her mother having them too. Heredity often gets blamed for things and we assume we can do nothing actively for it. My mom always talks about "genes and germs". I hear this lot in my day to day work. “My dad had a bad back, guess I got it too”. That’s not exactly how it works. Spinal curves are genetic. A person’s body type or build are genetic, but degeneration at certain places in the spine and wear and tear of joints and bones and ligament laxity has nothing to do with your DNA.  It does have a lot to do with your minerals and vitamins present for your body to use or the lack thereof. It does have a lot to do with your lifestyle and posture and habits. How we get minerals and vitamins in our body is through our diet. That’s the whole point of eating! Yes, I know eating is fun and it tastes good and it’s a social thing we do, but that’s the atmosphere we have created and not the purpose of the act. We forget that sometimes. My point is that yes, we do all have genes. Genes are simply instructions for how our DNA should act. It doesn’t mean that it will go that way. Whether or not the gene gets expressed is determined by a multitude of other things.  The genotype is the actual genetic makeup of a trait in a person. The phenotype is basically the genes that get expressed physically. As you can see in the examples below, environment has a direct correlation with the outcome. So whether you have good genes, or bad, you DO have control over how it all turns out. YOU ARE NOT A VICTIM OF YOUR DNA! I refused to take the defeatist or victim role of the things that have been biologically passed down to me that I cannot help. I DO have a say in my health and my future. So mom, I'm not afraid of genes or germs! :) (Germs are a whole different blog).

The interaction between genotype and phenotype has often been conceptualized by the following relationship:

genotype (G) + environment (E) → phenotype (P)

A more nuanced version of the relationship is:

genotype (G) + environment (E) + genotype & environment interactions (GE) →

phenotype (P)

If you have genes that you don’t want expressed, like we all do…then I encourage you to ask yourself: “What am I doing to prevent these things from happening? What is my lifestyle like? What do I eat? Do I take responsibility for my own health or do I look for a magic pill? Would I rather pay for something to make me appear to be healthy or skinny from the outside, or am I considering how the inside of my body is working with the choices I make?” With every food choice we make we should ask ourselves: “Is this helping me be healthy or helping me remain unhealthy?”  Just like that patient with the ridges on the nails, that’s not just a bad nail gene. That’s a sign of deficiencies, specifically for calcium and iron and could suggest a greater risk for Oseoarthritis…..which is also considered genetic. You can see from the outside sometimes what is going wrong on the inside and when you see these signs in the eyes, on the skin, on the tongue, on the nails or wherever, you can make some dietary and lifestyle changes to make yourself less susceptible to these diseases.  Don’t just take the bad luck card from the deck. Fight to try to pull a better one!!!



http://www.naturalnews.com/019396_nutrition_the_USDA.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/036948_food_cravings_sugar_addiction.html

Ageing, Autism, and Etc....

Glutathoine is an antioxidant naturally occurring in the body. All cells in the body are capable of Glutathoine production. It is the major antioxidant produced by the cells and is vital in energy production. It is used in the production of DNA and many proteins in the body. Thus, every system in the body can be affected by the state of the glutathione system, especially the immune system, the nervous system, the gastrointestinal system and the lungs. It has a vital function in iron metabolism.

You may be wondering why this is important or even interesting. You don't have to understand the science behind why it's important or why you need appropriate levels to NATURALLY occur in your body. Let me show you some examples of common diseases and disorders that are associated with low levels of Glutathoine and then I will explain why it's not such a simple fix.

 Glutathione deficiency states include, but are not limited to, HIV/AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, Fibromyalgia, prostate and other cancers, cataracts, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, radiation poisoning, malnutritive states, arduous physical stress, and aging, and has been associated with lowered immune responses. Many clinical pathologies are associated with oxidative stress and are elaborated upon in numerous medical references. Oxidative stress is the most researched topic on PubMed (a highly reguarded medical research site where articles are peer reviewed for quality. It's where doctors go to do research instead of Google). Low glutathione is also strongly linked to diseases like cancer, AIDS, sepsis, trauma, burns and even athletic overtraining. New research has noted that low levels of Glutathoine is not only linked to aging problems and various diseases, but also developmental disorders in children such as Autism. It is featured in the popular and well known book “Healing and Preventing Autism” by Jenny McCarthy and Jerry Kartzinel. Jenny McCarthy did a lot for awareness of Autism and its possible linkage to vaccinations. Thimerosal has been shown to reduce the levels of Glutathoine naturally occurring in the body. Thimerosal is a common ingredient in many vaccines. Thus the hypothesis....



Overview: Glutathione and Its Potential Uses
www.drlera.com/specialty_formulas/Glutathione.htm

Glutathione

Aging AIDS Alcoholism Atherosclerosis Cancer Chemotherapy recovery Dental fillings

Detoxifier Drug addiction Emphysema Glaucoma Hepatitis Hypoglycemia Kidney disease

Liver disease Liver cancer Lungs Mercury poisoning Parkinson’s disease Respiratory problems Smoking Tuberculosis

Low levels of Glutathione are problematic as stated above. The tricky part is what to do about it. It's not as easy as taking a supplement or an intravenous dosage as many patients do. Many Autistic children have been given IV's of Glutathoine but it is extremely expensive and the benefits are short lived because the antioxidant is broken down and utilized at a high rate of speed once in the body. The trick is to get the body to NATURALLY MAKE ITS OWN SUPPLIES! Easier said than done!!

There is a supplement that has been researched and shown to help the body make more Glutathoine NATURALLY! It's not well known yet and consists of natural, safe herbs. The research has shown that it increases Glutathoine production up to 300%!!! That's rather significant!!! I have personally seen some exciting results with patients, friends, and family members. It gives me hope for kids who are suffering from all sorts of diagnoses and are on some strong medications that maybe someday they will be able to function at levels that require no medication. It's also helpful for anyone who is aging! I'm personally taking this. I figure it can't hurt. My 20's are slowly coming to an end. The supplement has been shown to reduce oxidative stress by 40% in 30 days!! Stay tuned for progress as it happens!....... Contact me if you just can't wait! :)

What Is A True Detox?

You often hear about detox when someone talks about weight loss. Through hearing conversations of "experts", it is apparent that there is some confusion on this topic. First it is important to note what detoxing IS and ISN'T.....

Detoxification is the process of removing toxins from the body (basically put). Where are toxins stored you may ask?....in the fat is the most common answer and true, but there is another part to detoxing.......THE LIVER!! The liver is a our largest organ and has a hand in many digestive and endocrine functions. Liver spots are noticed with estrogen dominance. The liver breaks down hormones, decides which cholesterol becomes LDL or HDL, has a role in blood sugar stabilization, works with the gallbladder, breaks down any medications or drugs we put in our system, and is our built-in detoxifier. It is the only organ that can regrow part of itself like a lizard's tail, therefore more likely for mutation defects just because of its nature....all the more reason to take care of the liver! The liver is thought to be responsible for up to 500 separate functions, usually in combination with other systems and organs.Think of the liver as an assembly line worker. If the work load is too much....poor diet, synthetic vitamins, prescription drugs, artificial sweeteners and other chemicals, over weight, regular alcohol consumption, harboring anger or resentment issues, blood sugar issues, cholesterol imbalance, etc....the products build up and bulk up on the assembly line and the poor liver is overwhelmed!!! Another important thing to note is with as little as 10 lbs overweight, the liver can turn in to non-alcoholic fatty liver. The fat accumulates and causes inflammation and scarring to the liver.

A TRUE DETOX cleans the liver, cleans the whole body, and also cleans out FAT where TOXINS  are also stored. Good kidney function is also important to a detox. A detox IS NOT A BOWEL MOVEMENT!!!! Many weight loss systems claim that just because you are having normal bowel movements that you are detoxing. This is simply just not true. Regular bowel movements are part of healthy body function and should happen, I'm not saying that but sometimes the bowel movement is just a bowel movement.... If you aren't having regular bowel movements, that could be for a number of different reasons....lack of digestive enzymes, dehydration, the need of more good fats in your diet, etc. Increasing your consumption of fresh water is a crucial part to detoxing. Think of your body as a stream of water. The more water, the higher the rate of movement of the water. You want the toxins to move our quickly and not hang around inside you. Also the cleaner the stream gets, the more you will notice you are influenced by unhealthy foods or chemicals. A dirty stream doesn't notice an extra piece of trash, but the trash in a clean stream can't help but be noticed!

Also important to mention is while you are doing a detox, you can not be detoxing while eating a "normal" diet. If you are eating muffins and sandwiches and things that can easily be ordered in a restaurant, you are NOT DETOXING!!! To detox your whole system, you have to rid the toxins that you have and not continuously add more with every bite. There are lots of detoxification diets. Basically it's going to be lots of vegetables, half as many fruits as vegetables, no preservatives, no MSG, no pre-packaged foods, and usually no meat until day 10 or 11 or so. It's usually 21 days. Lots of diets are 21 days or so. Have you ever noticed that? The Daniel Fast and many others are 21 days. That's more than likely because research has shown that it takes 21 days to create a new habit and break an old so changing the way you eat is DEFINITELY A HABIT!

If you are interested in doing a detox or losing weight or making a positive change for you health, I encourage you to have someone on your team to help you make the most of the time you invest in your health. Find someone who is knowledgeable in the ways of clinical nutrition and has experience working with vitamins, supplements, herbs, etc. Chiropractors with nutritional emphasis make a wonderful support system and are very knowledgeable in the physiological processes of the human body. Chiropractors actually have more human science courses in their 8 years of study than medical doctors because our focus in the body is different. We don't take all of the pharmacology classes that they do so we have time to focus on the inner works of the amazing body that God made! And that's another thing to make mention of.....God made us this body. We owe it to him to take care of it and treat it as the vessel it is for us to do God's works while we are here on this Earth. When you think of it like that, it really puts things in to perspective! :)


http://www.yourmedicaldetective.com/drgrisanti/mddc.htm

Fluoride....beneficial or poisoning?

Water fluoridation began in 1945 to decrease the amount of tooth enamel decay. We have always been told that fluoride is good for us, but did you know that fluoride ingestion has been linked to neurological disorders and IQ deficiencies in children? Fluoride is added to our drinking water, but yet people pay extra for fluoride-free toothpast! Ever thought about why????


 Water fluoridation can cause dental fluorosis, which can alter the appearance of developing teeth, most of this is mild and usually not considered to be of aesthetic or public-health concern but does account for those white streaks in people's teeth. A common occurance if you look close. The critical period of exposure is between ages one and four years, with the risk ending around age eight. Fluorosis can be prevented by monitoring all sources of fluoride, with fluoridated water directly or indirectly responsible for an estimated 40% of risk and other sources, notably toothpaste, responsible for the remaining 60%.  Bottled water can even contain fluroide levels, but it's often in unknown amounts. Some domestic water filters remove some of the added fluoride.


Fluoride can occur naturally in water in concentrations well above recommended levels, which can have several long-term adverse effects, including severe dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis, and weakened bones. The World Health Organization recommends a guideline maximum fluoride value of 1.5 mg/L as a level at which fluorosis should be minimal but many other health organizations question this.

Have you ever read the toothpast tube? It says "Keep out of reach of children under the age of 6". Studies have shown that the benefits of fluoride are achieved only with topical application — not from ingestion. And yet most municipalities add fluoride to the tap water. Add this to the fluoride that’s in your toothpaste, and you could be setting your self up for fluoride side effects such as brain damage and reproductive issues. Some other brands that are fluoride-free that might be a healthier alternative are: Tom's of Maine, Burt's Bees Kids "Berry Bee" fluoride-free toothpast, and Jason's Natural Toothpaste. They can all easily be found in Publix, Wal- Mart, etc.  I personally use and like Tom's.

This is just something to think about and especially consider when you're purchasing toothpast for your kids.

The Stinky Truth

So I have given the advice many times before and it wasn't until recently that I decided it would be a good idea to do it myself.....a little sarcasm there. I knew what I should be doing, but I am a creature of habit so I actually have to put a lot of thought into changing my routine. Shocker for those of you who know me well!...

I finally did a little thing that I'm sure will add up to be a big improvement in my health! No, I didn't go gluten free. I'm still just thinking about that one. My "think about it" phase can last a while. I get it! I'm human! Even though I am a chiropractor doesn't mean I muscle test everything, only eat a perfect diet, exercise all the time, and live a natural, perfect life style. I admit that I am a work in progress. However, I do a lot of things very well! :)

I finally switched deodorants!!! That's my big improvement to my health for the week! I have been using a deodorant that I love for probably close to 10 years....creature of habit see? I had no complaints. No issues. But I do know what research and scientists are saying about deodorants with aluminum in them, and that happened to be mine. :( I had Justin muscle test me on it, and sadly it wasn't good for me. I switched to Tom's natural deodorant Apricot scent and am now used to it. And feeling pretty proud of myself I might mention!

Aluminum based compounds are the active ingredient in many deodorants. I suggest you read the label on the deodorant that you use to see. The aluminum based compounds create a plug that blocks the sweat ducts and stops the flow of sweat to the skin. Some research shows that these compounds are absorbed into the skin and have an estrogen like effect. Because of the location near the breast tissue and lymph nodes, the deodorant has an impact on the location of use. Estrogen and estrogen like compounds promote the growth of breast cancer cells. Some preservatives called parabans, also found in the deodorant, mimic the effects of estrogen in the body. Parabens are usually easy to identify by name, such as methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, or benzylparaben. Look on the label to know for sure.

Many people don't know, but estrogens can have a carcinogenic effect in the body. Xenoestrogen is the term used to describe estrogens that come from outside sources and are able to mimic estrogen in our bodies and act as ‘estrogen disruptors’. We are unable to break down xenoestrogens so they persist in our bodies for decades and have a cumulative and synergistic effect on our tissues. We are exposed to xenoestrogens through pesticides, plastics, petrochemicals, detergents, cosmetics, solvents, chlorinated water, fire retardants, lice shampoos and other sources. Not only that, but we ingest them when we eat dairy, meat, poultry and fish that may contain natural estrogen and (if not organic), may have been injected or fed estrogen to increase fat or milk production.

Estrogen dominant conditions are:

• Weight gain secondary to insulin resistance.
  
• Fibrocystic breast disease
  
• Certain types of PMS
  
• Migraines
  
• Menstrual disturbances--irregular and heavy bleeding.
  
• Endometriosis, the uterine tissue disorder, which is helped by the use of estrogen blockers.
  
• Fibroids, a sign of excess proliferative capacity of the uterus, which may not be balanced with sufficient progesterone.
  
• Ovarian cysts
• Breast Cancer

Anyway as you can see, those are no fun and I don't think I want any of those so I made a small change to improve my health and decrease my estrogen over load and decrease my risk for breast cancer hopefully. The deodorant that I have found that works well and is free of aluminum and parabens is Arm and Hammer All Natural deodorant. It's cheap and effective and works well. Try this one if you are looking for an easy to find switch from your current deodorant. I like little, easy things that are good for my health! Now maybe one day I will get to that gluten free point!....  :)