Common Allergies

The causes of allergies are not fully understood. You or your child can get allergies from coming into contact with allergens. Allergens can be inhaled, eaten, injected (from stings or medicine), or they can come into contact with the skin. Some of the more common allergens are:

• Pollens
• Molds
• House dust mites
• Animal dander and saliva (cat, dog, horse, rabbit)
• Chemicals used in industry
• Some foods and medicines
• Venom from insect stings

The tendency to have allergies is often passed on in families. For example, if you as a parent have an allergy problem, there is a higher than normal chance that your child also will have allergies. This risk increases if both parents are allergic.

Have any of these symptoms?

Food sensitivities can cause a variety of chronic symptoms which you would never think could be linked to foods. The following health problems and others may be alleviated when you identify and eliminate reactive foods.

• Weight gain
• Joint pains
• Sinus problems
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Skin rashes
• Indigestion
• Achy muscles
• Fluid retention

Food allergies are immediate, strong reactions to food and other substances. Food sensitivities are delayed reactions which can occur anywhere from a few hours to a few days after exposure to reactive food. As such they are very difficult to detect without sophisticated scientific testing.

What causes food sensitivities?

Medical evidence suggests that food sensitivities result when foods and their protein components are not completely digested. When these components are absorbed by your body, your immune system does not recognize them as nutritional and beneficial. It responds protectively by producing antibodies, starting a series of reactions which can affect many tissues and organs. The result can be any of the symptoms already mentioned, headaches, skin rashes, fatigue, fluid retention and more.

How do you know you have food sensitivities?

Of the hundreds of thousands of people testes so far, almost all had food sensitivities, so there is a good chance that you also are sensitive to one or more foods. If you experience any of the symptoms previously described, you may wish to consider looking into food sensitivity testing.