Reprinted from Sunshine Sharing Vol. 1 No. 1
Food Allergies
The old saying of Hippocrates, “One man’s meat is another man’s poison” is still true. Many people suffer allergic reactions to common foods such as wheat, milk, eggs, potatoes and so forth. In response to these foods, the body develops problems like hayfever, asthma, colitis, rashes, hives, headaches and even depression. Removing the offending allergens or trying to build an immunity to them are the most common ways people try to deal with allergies, but there is third alternative—the system’s approach (lifestyle anlysis). By finding out which body systems are weak and seeking to rebuild those systems with proper nutrition and other healthy practices it is entirely possible to have old allergies disappear out of your life!
Foods can create toxic chemicals in the digestive tract when they are not digested properly. Often, it is these toxic bi-products of poor digestion, and not the foods themselves, that are the cause of the symptoms of allergies. Symptoms like runny nose, watery eyes, rashes, hives and so forth are simply the efforts of the body to eliminate toxic compounds. Hence, suppression of the symptoms does nothing to help the body overcome the allergy.
It turns out that proteins are a common offender. Proteins are the largest of food molecules and hence one of the most difficult to digest, especially when we eat too much. Partially digested protein can trigger the immune system because the body views it as a foreign invader. Of course, proteins are not the only food allergens, but without going into detail we can readily see that one important strategy we can use in overcoming food allergies is to improve the health of the digestive system. We may need more hydrochloric acid (HCl) to break the food proteins down into manageable units. Food enzymes may be needed to further process proteins as well as other food compounds that may be the offenders.
Cleansing the bowel to eliminate the toxic bi-products of poor digestion is also important, but will not produce a long-term benefit if the digestive powers are not restored. For symptomatic relief, bowel cleansing herbs (cascara sagrada, LB-X, LBS II) and carminatives (catnip, peppermint, fennel) will help to clear the bowel of putrified material and dispel gas and bloating.
Since the liver is responsible for seeing that only pure elements enter the bloodstream from the digestive system, a poisoned or weakened liver is usually involved in allergic reactions. When the liver is disabled to one degree or another toxins are allowed past its guardian gates and into the blood stream where they wreak havoc on the whole system. Hence, using herbal formulas which strengthen the liver and purify the blood (BP-X or Blood Build) may also help to relieve allergies.
Improving the general quality of the diet is often helpful. Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and less meat and dairy products reduces the toxic load on the system. Many people have also found specific vitamins and minerals helpful. Pantothenic acid, a B-vitamin, will often give quick relief for some symptoms, even in minutes. Unsaturated fatty acids will help you absorb the calming minerals calcium and potassium. Vitamin C and bioflavonoids help neutralize the histamines that clog sinuses and lungs.
By carefully managing the body’s external and internal balance, and by varying your diet every few days to keep from building up new food allergies, you may find after a few weeks that you can now eat what used to wreck havoc with your system. Be assured—there is hope!
Copyright © 1990 by Robinson & Horne, L.C., P.O. Box 1028, Roosevelt, UT 84066. This material may be duplicated for educational purposes only (not for resale) provided it is not altered in any way.
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