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For people with food allergies, the only way to get relief from symptoms is by avoiding the offending foods altogether. However, many people simply have sensitivities or intolerances to certain foods. These people can benefit from avoiding certain foods for a period of time, and by then following a “rotation” diet, where they eat the problem foods every few days instead of every day. The diet has a few phases: Take a break—Once dieters know what foods they may be sensitive to, they avoid eating them for a prescribed period of time.Try a rotation plan—Offending foods are reintroduced on a rotation plan where they are eaten anywhere from once every few days to once a week. This gives the body a chance to clear the problem food before it is eaten again.Quit cold turkey—Sufferers of fixed food allergies, where the problem food causes a reaction every time it is eaten, must avoid the food altogether.Avoiding allergies? Talk to a physician or health care professional trained in recognizing food allergies. Learn how often to rotate in your problem foods. Research alternatives or substitutes for these foods so you don’t feel deprived and can stick to the diet. See best bets list below for suggestions. Why do people follow this diet?Many people experience unpleasant reactions to foods they have eaten and suspect a food allergy is the underlying cause. However, only 2–5% of adults and 2–8% of children are truly allergic to certain foods. The remainder of people may be experiencing food intolerance, or food sensitivity, rather than true food allergy. “Masked” or “hidden” allergies are a controversial topic; many conventional doctors believe they are rare, whereas practitioners of alternative medicine believe they are extremely common. According to James Breneman, M.D., former chairman of the Food Allergy Division of the American Academy of Allergy, unrecognised food allergies are responsible for 60% of all of the symptoms seen by a family physician that are not adequately diagnosed or treated. Food allergies and intolerance are best treated by avoidance of the offending food for a prescribed period of time, followed by a “rotation” diet, in which problem foods are only eaten every three to four days, instead of daily. Young children can often re-introduce foods after three months of avoidance, whereas adults may require six to twelve months of avoidance. Most hidden allergies are cyclic (i.e., they settle down after long-term avoidance). Fixed allergies (those that cause a reaction, no matter how long a time the food has been avoided) are less common. Symptoms of food allergy or intolerance may not be triggered immediately after reintroduction of the foods; therefore, a person can get an erroneous impression their allergy or intolerance is cured. With repeated ingestion of the food, however, symptoms may gradually return. When a problem food is rotated, symptoms are less likely to return. Some healthcare practitioners recommend rotating food groups (such as pulses every other day) in addition to rotating specific foods. The importance of rotating foods varies from person to person and may be related to the severity of the allergies. Best betsThe following foods are the least likely to provoke allergic reactions: Drinks:
Cereals:
Grains and flour:
Pulses:
Dried beans should be soaked overnight. Pour off the water and rinse before cooking. Tinned beans often contain added sugar or other potential allergens. Some cooked beans packaged in glass jars, and sold at health food stores, contain no sugar. Nuts and seeds:
Oils:
Protein:
Vegetables:
Are there any groups or books associated with this diet?The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology The Food and Drug Administration. FDA Consumer Magazine The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook: Over 350 Natural Food Recipes, Free of All Common Food Allergens by Marjorie Jurt Jones. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 2001. Dr. Braly’s Food Allergy and Nutrition Revolution for Permanent Weight Loss and a Longer, Healthier Life by James Braly, MD, Canaan, CT: Keats Pub., 1992. The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians BibliographyBahna SL. Management of food allergies. Ann Allergy 1984;53:678–82. Baker HB; David TJ. The dietetic and nutritional management of food allergy. J R Soc Med 1997;90(Suppl 30):45–50. Crook WG. Tracking Down Hidden Food Allergy. Professional Books, 1980. David TJ. Adverse reactions and intolerance to foods. Br Med Bull 2000;56:34–50. The Food and Drug Administration. FDA Consumer Magazine Publication No. 94–2279: Food Allergies, Rare but Risky. Last revised June 1997. www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/wh-alrg1.html The Food and Drug Administration. An FDA Consumer Special Report: Focus on Food Labeling. http://www.fda.gov/fdac/special/foodlabel/foodtoc.html Gaby AR. Food Allergy/Intolerance. Unpublished. Hill DJ, et al. Clinical spectrum of food allergy in children in Australia and South-East Asia: identification and targets for treatment. Ann Med 1999:31:272–81. Sampson HA. Food allergy. Part 1: Immunopathogenesis and clinical disorders. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;103:717–28. Sampson HA. Food allergy. Part 2: diagnosis and management. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;103:981–9.  Copyright © 2007 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved. www.healthnotes.com Learn more about Healthnotes, the company. Learn more about the authors of Healthnotes. The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or chemist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires September 2008. 2007-09-01 |
