Are certain foods creating a histamine response and/or inflammation in your body? Food allergies are on the rise. In fact, approximately 32 million Americans claim to have them, and there is a repeated pattern. It seems that it is the same foods that come up again and again as being the culprits of 90% of the food allergy complaints!
Foods that trigger an allergic response are signs that your body has identified them as enemies and is launching an arsenal of internal weapons in an attempt to fight back. Symptoms might include hives, acne, vomiting, digestive upset, gas/bloating, shortness of breath, severe itching, throat and mouth inflammation and even anaphylaxis.
The highest allergen foods are:
lactose, eggs, wheat and gluten, corn, nuts, shellfish and soy.
Lactose:
Lactose is the main carbohydrate in milk. Some people may simply have a lactose intolerance, which may cause stomach upset and other issues. For others, lactose is a foreign invader in the body, resulting in a severe attack.
It is speculated that one reason that people experience digestive issues when consuming dairy has much to do with what the dairy cows are fed! Increased use of hormones, medications and animal-fed diets consisting of grain and corn may result in higher levels of omega-6 fatty acids in the milk, which is extremely inflammatory. Grass-fed, organic, pasture-raised cows may produce dairy products that do not cause these digestive issues.
Eggs:
Eggs have crept onto the list of common allergens lately, with gas and bloating being the most common symptoms. Egg allergies usually begin in childhood but many may outgrow these symptoms by the age of 5. Adults, however, can sometimes develop an egg allergy later in life. It’s important to keep in mind that egg ingredients frequently hide under other names, so read labels carefully. Albumin, globulin, livetin, lysozyme and vittiin are just some of the “other” names for “egg.”
Wheat and gluten:
I’m sure you saw this one coming! Most restaurants these days have catered to the recent flurry of gluten allergies because many people are now intolerant to gluten, which is a protein in some popular grains, such as wheat, barley and spelt. Symptoms of gluten allergy/intolerance may include headaches, acne, digestive upset and even mood-related disorders, such as depression and anxiety and chronic fatigue.
Adult onset of gluten intolerance is usually a long-term occurrence, but the good news is that many gluten free options exist these days. It is believed that some gluten intolerance is not due to the proteins in wheat, but rather, the glyphosate utilized in conventional farming as well as GMO grains that are causing sensitivities and escalated inflammatory reactions. In these circumstances, avoiding all grains might be necessary.
Corn:
Corn is highly inflammatory for many people. For those with a corn allergy, the culprit is a protein in corn called zein. Although many think of corn as a vegetable, it is actually classified as a grain and can result in inflammatory issues for some people, leading to the development of type 2 diabetes, leaky gut, blood sugar fluctuations, insulin resistance and autoimmune disease.
Corn can creep into nearly everything on the market, as it exists in many forms, from flour to oil, cornstarch, syrup and more. It’s usually found in processed foods as well as supplements, so read labels carefully!
Nuts:
Nut allergies, including peanuts (which are actually a legume) can affect up to 8% of children and 2% of adults. Peanuts are the most common allergy with the most serious reactions, some of which can even be fatal due to anaphylaxis. For those with peanut allergies, even the smallest amount can result in serious consequences.
Shellfish:
An allergy to shellfish may develop any time during a person’s life, but tends to present in adulthood, even if you tolerated seafood with no issues in the past. According to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), approximately 6.5 million American adults have a seafood/shellfish allergy.
The immune system is triggered by tropomyosin, which is a protein found in the muscles of shellfish. The body’s immune response is to release histamines, and it is the histamine release that is responsible for the symptoms, which in the case of shellfish allergies, tend to be severe.
Soy:
Soy allergies can occur earlier or later in life and symptoms are generally mild, inclusive of skin issues and digestive upset. It is rare for someone to experience anaphylaxis due to a soy allergy.
Other concerns regarding soy, however, have created much controversy in the nutrition world. While many believe that soy provides great nutrition benefit, most soybeans are grown with GMO mechanisms and heavily sprayed with pesticides, which may cause issues.
In addition, soy contains trypsin inhibitors, which block enzymes responsible for digesting various proteins, which may result in a variety of systemic issues. Plant estrogens, isofavones, may impact natural estrogen levels and lower testosterone, which can cause hormone issues in both men and women. These hormone imbalances have been linked with increased fat (visceral), fatigue, fertility issues, lowered libido and gynecomastia in men.
Many processed food products as well as supplements on the market today contain soy, so be mindful of checking labels.
Food allergies are on the rise. With more artificially created substances, chemicals and additives in food, supplements, medications and cosmetics, the body has a difficult time recognizing and processing them. Naturally, our bodies were designed to protect and defend, which may result in an immune system inflammatory response. This is why it is important to stay in tune with your body, listen to the signs and be certain to research and read product labels carefully.
Seemingly benign ingredients such as rice flour, lactose, soy and cornstarch that are added to supplements simply serve as bulking agents to add “fluff'' to capsules in order to make the capsule appear full. Raw material variances can affect the product's density, meaning that the raw materials sink into the capsules, leaving visible space in spite of containing the correct amount of raw materials per capsule. Adding these fillers minimizes capsule gaps to make the capsule contents look completely full. These added ingredients not only provide no nutrient benefit, they may affect the bioavailability and absorption of the raw materials. As you can see, they may provoke an allergic reaction in those who are sensitive to these ingredients.
Additives can block the natural synergy that occurs with minerals and phytonutrients, and this type of unnatural intrusion simply for appearances is not in line with our mission of creating the purest supplements possible. At Pure TheraPro Rx, we will always put purity and potency first in order to provide our customers with the highest quality products at affordable prices.
As a small family-owned company, our mission at Pure TheraPro Rx has always been to help those with chronic illness to find natural solutions through our products. This is why we refuse to add fillers (rice flour, corn starch, cellulose etc) to our products in order to fill the space in the capsules and bulk them up. Third party testing of all of our products ensures that what is on our label is in our products. Nothing hidden.
All of our products are third party laboratory tested post-production for potency, heavy metals and other contaminants. Our lab has the highest level of certification “NSF” and is also cGMP Certified (Current Good Manufacturing Process) with strict FDA compliance. These are a few of the measures Pure TheraPro Rx uses to ensure the consistent quality and potency of our formulas. In addition, our production facility and formulas have physician and scientist oversight. We are also meticulous to ensure our supplements are free of all common allergens. In other words, what is on the label must be in the bottle - no fillers, no excipients, no junk.
All products are made in the USA; no raw materials are from China. Unlike most other supplement companies, the ingredients that go into our supplements are not selected based on cost. Instead, they are selected based on purity (to ensure contaminants such as microbes and heavy metals comply with regulatory GMP requirements), potency, and chosen based on successful scientific research. Additionally, patented ingredients are utilized when appropriate.
Sources
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-ways-to-reduce-bloating#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4
https://schoolnutrition.org/learning-center/food-allergy/the-big-8/
https://www.sclhealth.org/blog/2019/06/the-five-most-common-food-allergies/
https://www.nyallergy.com/corn-allergy/
https://jjvirgin.com/quick-question-whats-wrong-corn/
https://paleoleap.com/dangers-soy/
https://www.purplecarrot.com/blog/dairy-inflammation-connection/
https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Allergies-and-Intolerances/Facts-on-Egg-Allergies.aspx
https://www.healthline.com/health/allergies/shellfish#symptoms