Nutritional Imbalance: Allergies 

background info  | recommendations  | allergy tests

According to the nutritional symptoms you noted in your answers to the nutritional quiz, you may have allergies. 

To refresh your memory, here is the background information on allergies, and following that are my recommendations to help you minimize your allergies. 

Background Information

ALLERGIES 

Constipation or diarrhea, depression, tiredness, weight gain, headaches, joint pain, PMS -- these and other low-grade, chronic reactions may be the result of one or more common food allergies or sensitivities. Allergies can affect almost any part of the body and you can develop an allergy to virtually any food. The most common food allergies are triggered by wheat, the nightshade family (cayenne, eggplant, tobacco, peppers, paprika, tomatoes and potatoes), peanuts, coffee, oranges, sugar, chocolate, eggs, soy, corn and milk (and milk products such as cheese). 

While effective for other types of allergies, skin tests have not proven to be reliable for detecting food allergies. Additional methods of pinpointing allergies include elimination diets, kinesiology and other non-invasive allergy tests that can be administered by reputable holistic practitioners. 

Food sensitivities do not involve the immune system and may be caused by a number of factors including low levels of digestive enzymes, underactive stomach or other digestive disorders -- or there may be a biological factor involved.
 
 


Allergy Recommendations: 

Your score here is an indication that you have food sensitivities or allergies, but the nutritional assessment test cannot identify the actual foods that might be causing problems. Some of the most common allergic reactions are to the foods listed above. You can, however, be allergic to any food. 

To begin to identify potential food allergies or sensitivities, ask yourself: "What foods do I crave and eat in large quantities? Is there one particular food that I crave?" If there is, that could be the culprit (or one of them). Try leaving that particular food out of your diet completely for two or three weeks, to see if you improve. 

A 24 hour liquid cleansing fast, is also a good idea. It will help cleanse your body of some of the allergens and will leave you feeling a little better. The evening before you begin the fast, eat a light, easily digested supper. The next morning drink a large glass of water with a freshly squeezed lemon and one or two teaspoons of maple syrup in it. For the rest of the day drink as much water, fresh juice (try a mix of organic carrot and apple juice) and/or herbal tea as you like. It's also beneficial to add a green food powdered supplement (available from your health food store) to one or two glasses of juice or water during the fast day. In the evening of the fast day have a warm drink before bed -- a herbal tea, or perhaps a cup of miso soup (one or two teaspoons of miso in a cup of hot water). In the months after the fast, you should try to follow a wholesome diet, high in fresh foods. You might try some whole grains other than wheat (quinoa, oats, rye, barley, spelt, etc.) You can buy wheat-free breads and other baked goods at many bakeries.

The best way (besides avoiding potential allergens) to prevent or overcome allergic reactions is to build a strong immune system by adopting a very healthy lifestyle: correct any nutritional deficiencies through better diet and supplements, and get daily exercise and proper rest. Since stress suppresses the immune system, stress reduction techniques (such as acupuncture, yoga, massage therapy) may also be important. If necessary, supplement with immune-enhancing nutrients such as vitamin C with bioflavonoids and/or other anti-oxidant nutrients such as beta-carotene or grape seed extract. Zinc deficiency lowers immunity. It's always best to get zinc from food sources but if you have been dealing with a severe allergic reaction you might supplement with 25mg zinc daily with a meal, for one to two months only. Prolonged zinc supplementation can actually suppress immunity.

It's also possible to be allergic to mould that grows in certain foods, rather than to the foods themselves. Some of the foods most likely to have mould are nuts and nut butters, mushrooms, beer, cheese, dried fruit, wine, sourdough breads, canned tomatoes and other tomato products such as canned tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste. Always refrigerate left-over foods immediately, especially canned goods.

An alkalizing diet -- high in fresh green foods and low in dairy, caffeine, red meat, alcohol, sugar and heavy starches should improve respiratory allergies and sinus problems. If you want to do a more thorough mucous-cleansing short-term diet, look for a book called "The Mucous-Free Diet" -- at most health food stores.

Allergies are not easy to diagnose -- it is you who can best observe and detect your body's responses to allergens, and it is you who must take responsibility for learning how to avoid the allergic triggers you discover when you try the tests, below.  However, for additional assistance, I recommend that you look for a health care practitioner who specializes in detecting food allergies. 

 

Two Home Allergy Tests

Here are two methods of determining foods or other substances you may be allergic to:

Coca's Pulse Test (for foods): 

1) Take your pulse when you wake up in the morning. It will likely be somewhere between 50 and 70 beats/minute. This gives you a baseline reading of your pulse.

2) Take your pulse again immediately after eating a suspected food.

3) Wait 15-20 minutes and take it again. If your pulse rate has increased by more than 10 beats/minute in the 15-20 minute period, you should leave that particular food out of your diet -- for several weeks to see if you feel better.

Muscle Test (for food or other substances):

1) Form a circle (like an O-ring) with the index finger and thumb of one hand. Insert the index finger of the other hand into the ring and try to pull the O-ring apart where the thumb and index finger meet. This is a baseline test to tell you the degree of strength you have before you actually test a food.

2) Put a small amount of a suspected substance (like a drop of milk) in the palm of your hand. Now try to pull the O-ring apart again. If the O-ring is weaker, you have tested positive for that food, and should leave that particular food out of your diet -- for several weeks to see if you feel better. If you are testing a solid substance like bread, hold a little piece in the palm of your hand with your little finger.


These tests may seem overly simple, but they are a very good preliminary way to detect allergies.