Dr. Gina's Blog

Food allergies are on the rise in the US, and are highly prevalent in children.  The most common allergies that I see in my practice are delayed food hypersensitivity reactions which means that you could eat a suspect food one day and not experience symptoms from that food for 48 hours.  Eggs, pasteurized cow’s milk products (e.g. pasteurized cheese, yogurt, milk derived from cows)  wheat, and shellfish are among the most common foods that cause reactions in the body. These food allergies can cause or aggravate asthma symptoms, susceptibility to colds and the flu, mood disorders including depression, anxiety, and Attention Deficit Disorder, and chronic conditions including Autism Spectrum Disorder, arthritis, joint pain, chronic fatigue syndrome and eczema.

There are several ways to determine if you have a food allergy.  The first way is a little complicated but involves an elimination diet where you remove all traces of the most common food allergens from your diet. Then, over time, you reintroduce one of those foods at a time and note if you experience symptoms. I highly recommend working with a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor if you are interested in treating yourself or your child for food allergies.

I test the blood for food allergies and find that this is an accurate, more specific, and simpler way to know what foods to avoid.

So why are food allergies on the rise?  One reason is that we are living in a more sterile environment then ever before. The overuse of disinfectants, the overuse of antibiotics when they are not really necessary, and the tendency to work and study indoors in rather sterile environments where there is limited exposure to sunlight (a natural disinfectant) are some of the reasons why children’s immune systems are not up to par.  Food allergies tend to be caused by an imbalance in immune function.

Some natural ways to balance out immune function are to get tested for food allergies and avoid them for 3-6 months, get your blood tested for vitamin A and vitamin D3 and supplement these nutrients if necessary, and take a high quality probiotic on a regular basis to keep the healthy bacteria present in your gut.  Other options to consider that I often use in practice to boost immune function include Oregacillin, Allimed, and Berry Well Immune Support. I also like the Candida Cleanse Pack which treats candida but also serves as a powerful immune supportive protocol, and for optimal foundational support for our children I recommend the Children’s Foundation Pack.

In health,

–Dr. G