Food Allergies Series "3": Natural Treatments For Food Allergies

There’s a clear difference between food allergy and intolerance. A food allergy is the immune system's response to a disagreeable food. A food intolerance is the digestive system’s response to a disagreeable food.

Food allergies can be severe, and may even contribute to other health problems. If you have been diagnosed by your healthcare provider to have food allergies, it is strongly advisable to pursue the natural food allergy treatments detailed below.

1. Avoid Allergen Triggers

Although any food can provoke a reaction, relatively few foods are responsible for a vast majority of significant food-induced allergic reactions. If you truly want to take advantage of food allergies treatments, please know that most food allergies are caused by the following foods:

Cow’s milk

Allergic reactions to cow’s milk are common in infancy and childhood. Persistence of a cow’s milk food allergy in adulthood is rare; however, it is common for adults to experience non-immunologic reactions (which would be a food intolerance) to cow’s milk and dairy.

Wheat

More common in children, wheat allergy represents a type of adverse immunologic reaction to proteins contained in wheat and related grains (associated with anaphylaxis).

Soy

Soy allergy affects children most of whom outgrow their allergy by 7 years of age.

Peanuts

Peanut allergy affects children and adults. In highly sensitized people, just trace quantities of peanuts can induce an allergic reaction.

Tree nuts

Tree Nuts that are most commonly responsible for allergic reactions include hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews and almonds.

Those nuts that are less frequently associated with allergies include pecans, chestnuts, Brazil nuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, pistachio, coconut and acorns.

Shellfish

Shellfish allergies include the groups of crustaceans (such as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill, woodlice and barnacles) and molluscs (such as squid, octopus and cuttlefish). Shellfish allergy is common in adults.

Fish

Fish allergies often develop later in life and because of cross-reactivity among various species of fish.

2. Avoid Inflammatory Foods

Below listed foods cause inflammation within the body, weaken the immune system and lead to digestive issues.

Packaged foods

Industrially ultra-processed and packaged foods most likely contain GMOs such as corn, soy, canola and vegetable oils. Additionally, such foods may also contain hidden ingredients (food coloring, preservatives, flavoring, etc) that may cause allergic reactions.

Sugar

Sugar causes inflammation, out of control growth of harmful bacteria in the gut and weaken the immune system. Excessive sugar consumption can exacerbate food allergy symptoms and restrict your body’s ability to tolerate foods normally.

Artificial flavorings and food colorings

These type of food additives can exacerbate food allergies and may cause asthma. Unfortunately, food labels are not required to include all such ingredients by their full chemical name, or a complete list of all chemicals that are present, which is why you see simply “color added” or “artificial color” on the label.

Gluten

Many folks self-report gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal hypersensitivity symptoms caused by gluten ingestion, even though they do not have celiac disease or wheat allergy. Symptoms associated with a gluten intolerance may lead you to believe that you are allergic to other foods when you really aren’t. Most patients improve when they are on a gluten-free diet.

3. Consume Non-Allergenic Foods

The below listed are the least likely to cause an allergic reaction and will help to boost your immune system, helping you to get rid of food allergies.

Green leafy vegetables

Leafy greens (including kale, collard greens, romaine, arugula and watercress; avoid spinach) are exceptionally rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes. They will help to boost your immune system, aid detoxification, increase antibody response, which can all help to relieve allergy symptoms.

Nutritious gourmet meals on COMFORT KETO menus regularly include green leafy vegetables as healthy addition to our meals.

Probiotic-rich foods

Probiotic foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, whole yogurt, raw cheese (not pasturized), miso and kombucha, and all truly fermented foods support immune health and repair any damage on the intestinal lining, They reduce your body’s oversensitivity to food triggers that lead to allergy symptoms.