The Natural Connection

Not too long ago, a nice man came to see me complaining that he had become afraid to eat. “It’s like all my favorite foods are turning against me”, he said. 

Foods he had enjoyed for years, were now suspiciously unfriendly, and could cause the most unusual reactions. A tomato-mayo sandwich would cause his eyes to swell. A cheeseburger with all the trimmings was sure to result in large red welts on his cheeks. French fries brought on fits of sneezing, and adding ketchup made his mouth itch. 

Jalapeno poppers stuffed with cheese, mashed potatoes, Eggplant Parmesan—the list went on and on. Some foods upset his stomach, some caused a rash, and others made him feel like he had cotton in his head. He was unable to predict which foods would likely cause him trouble, and didn’t seem to see a connection between those that did. 

The gentleman was only partially reassured when I told him that he was lucky that his favorite foods didn’t also include the Fijian headhunter Cannibal Tomato or the Tasmanian Kangaroo Apple, not to mention the tasty tropical Zombi Apple. 

These exotic fruits, along with his familiar favorites of tomato, potato, peppers, and eggplant are all members of a class of plants called the Nightshades (named after the Deadly Nightshade plant), to which he had apparently developed a sensitivity. The botanical family known as Solanaceae, also contains a number of poisonous and hallucinogenic plants, as well as medicinal herbs, some of which are used to manufacture commonly prescribed medications, such as atropine and belladonna.  

Approximately one-third of all adults report that they suffer from some sort of adverse reaction to certain foods. Some reactions, generally characterized by severe symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, facial swelling or hives, are true allergies mediated by the body’s immune system. True food allergies can even result in death. 

Other reactions, like headache, indigestion, abdominal cramping, or minor rashes are usually termed “food intolerances” to distinguish them from the more severe and potentially life-threatening allergies.

Some patients claim that certain foods cause them a host of more ill-defined symptoms, like fatigue, irritability, muscle pains, hyperactivity, or depression. These peculiar reactions are labeled “food idiosyncrasy”. Patients with food idiosyncrasies are often felt by their doctors to have “Prozac Deficiency Disease”, and may even be referred to a mental health professional for evaluation, as their symptoms can be rather bizarre and difficult to relate to food ingestion.

It helps for these patients to keep a food diary to see if there is any correlation between their symptoms and their diet. Reactions to foods may occur as long as 72 hours after ingestion.

Food sensitivities appear to be quite common in patients with certain medical conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, migraine, fibromyalgia, asthma, and chronic sinus infections. These patients are usually aware that certain foods will trigger their migraine headaches, for instance, or cause nasal stuffiness.

The majority of true food allergies are caused by foods in one of eight major food groups: milk, soy, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts (walnuts, cashews, etc). It is important for patients to recognize that if they have an allergy or sensitivity to one food, they may cross- react to other foods that are botanically similar, even if the foods do not look similar.

 People who are sensitive to cashews, for instance, may also have trouble with mangos, a close relative. Children with peanut allergy may find that they have problems with licorice, lentils, or soy, as they are all related legumes.

In the past, it was often difficult for patients with food sensitivities to accurately identify ingredients and additives present in packaged foods that could potentially cause them problems. A person with a milk allergy, for instance, might not realize that the casein present in their salad dressing mix was derived from milk. Or a mother with a child diagnosed with wheat allergy may miss the fact that gluten in her child’s frozen dinner could cause a serious reaction.

Recent guidelines adopted in May 2001 by the major food manufactures of America will make life easier and safer for patients with food sensitivities. In response to consumer demand and industry concern, you can expect to see packaging clearly labeled with regards to the presence of major food allergens. The language on the packages will be in clear terms, and use common language instead of scientific double-speak. What a novelty!

Unfortunately, knowing what you are allergic or sensitive to is only half the battle. There is no real known treatment for food allergy except complete avoidance of the offending food. When I suggested to my patient that he satisfy his craving for jalapeno poppers by substituting rice cakes, he gagged. 

To receive more information on Food Allergy, write to The Natural Connection, c/o Pauline M Bellecci, MD, PO Box 777, Waycross, GA 31501 or contact us on our web site www.swampdocs.com  

©2000-2003 Pauline M. Bellecci, MD