I’ve recently had a few people tell me that they are allergic to everything, so I thought I would write a post to address what that means and the best way to approach these super-allergies. People who are allergic to everything often have outward signs of their allergy: eczema, asthma, hives, itching, headaches, sinus infections, they feel stuffed up, can’t breath, feel tired and overwhelmed.
Allergic to everything is no fun and there is a not-so-easy way out of this mess and it comes in the form of a diet called an allergy elimination diet.
What Does Diet Have to do with Allergies?
The first question that pops into most people’s head when I tell them to try a diet for their allergies is: what does a diet have to do with allergies? After all, they may be allergic to something in your environment. Environmental allergies happens to a lot of people in spring when there are dramatic increases in pollen, but it can also occur in winter when we are spending more time inside and there is less fresh air in the house. But there are good reasons why, even if you have environmental allergies that you would want to try the allergy elimination diet:
The key to understanding using diet to control your allergies are these points:
- The first is that there is very little you can do to change the outside world. Yes, you can stay inside when the pollen counts are high, but what if your problem is the mold in the house? Food allergies are something you can change easily: simply avoid the food and you solve the problem. By reducing your food allergies, you are reducing the overall “allergic load” on your body, so that when you do encounter environmental allergies, they are less likely to impact you.
- The second reason why using diet works to reduce allergies has to do with your immune system. Most people are unaware that over 80 percent of the immune system is located surrounding the digestive system. This makes sense because, when you eat foods, you are bringing the outside world into your body and your body has to determine whether this “outside world” or food is safe or not. When you are constantly eating foods that you are allergic to, you cause your immune system to become hyper-aware – leading to a more allergic you.
Food Allergies and Food Intolerance
Before we move on to the diet, I should spend a moment explaining food allergies and food intolerances:
- Food Allergies: A food allergy generally means that your immune system is attacking the food you are eating as if it were a foreign invader. The body produces immunoglobulins (Ig for short) that attach to the protein in the food and then you immune system creates inflammation to try and rid itself of the foreign “invasion”. It is fairly easy to discover food allergies as there are a wide variety of skin and blood tests that can measure your body’s immune response (or the amount of Igs in your body).
- Food Intolerance: Food intolerance is different. The classic food intolerance is lactose intolerance, where your body lacks the ability to digest the sugar in lactose. There are many other intolerances that are the result of different parts of the immune system being activated (other than the Igs), sensitivities to certain foods, inability to digest other foods, or a toxic reaction.
The most common food allergies and intolerances are: eggs, grains (especially gluten grains), soy, nuts, shell fish and seafood.
Allergy Elimination Diet
The best way to uncover your allergies is to do an allergy elimination diet. You will find different types of these diets all over, but this is the one I recommend:
For two weeks, remove the following foods:
- Food Additives: Including monosodium glutamate (MSG), artificial preservatives,sweeteners, flavors and all food colorings.
- Grains: Avoid all gluten-based grains, including: wheat, spelt, barley, kamut, rye, oats or triticale. Avoid pasta, flour, breads, cereals, cookies and other foods made with gluten grains. You should also exclude corn, along with high fructose corn syrup, corn oil, vegetable oils, corn chips and popcorn.
- Alcohol: Avoid beer, wine and other alcohols. If you are really strict, you want to avoid mouth wash with alcohol and cough medicine containing alcohol.
- Citrus Fruits: Including, tangerines, oranges, grapefruits, limes, lemon and any other citrus fruits.
- Shellfish: These include, crab, lobster, clams, mussels and other shellfish.
- Nuts: All nuts, including peanuts, pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios and other nuts.
- Diary: All sources of dairy, including butter, cheese, milk, cottage cheese, whey protein, yogurt, sour cream and other dairy foods.
- Soy: Soy is in a lot of processed foods, so you have to watch our for this, including tempeh, edamame, soy nuts, textured soy protein, tofu.
- Eggs: Yolks and the whites.
- Sweeteners: honey, fructose, dextrose, maple syrup, white sugar, maltose.
Foods that may be allowed include:
- Grains: You can choose any of these grains: rice, quinoa, millet, amaranth, foods such as rice cakes or crackers made from these grains are okay.
- Fruits and Vegetables: All vegetables and fruits are okay except the citrus fruits and strawberries. Salad greens are generally great, as are broccoli, cabbage, carrots and other vegetables.
- Beans: All beans are okay except soy beans.
- Protein: Meat is generally okay.
If you find you react to a food that is generally considered safe (I’ve seen this with potatoes), then add that to your avoid list. The foods you crave, unfortunately are often the foods you are allergic to, so be prepared to have some serious cravings. The foods you crave are also the ones you should reintroduce first. I generally recommend that you stay away from all allergic-like foods for two weeks and then start testing. You test by trying just one food at a time (per day), you should also consider eating a lot of it to make sure of the reaction. Wait a day or two and then try the next food.
There is hope if you are allergic to everything. Following an allergy elimination diet is hard, but it is the best way to find foods that don’t agree with you.
READ PART TWO OF THIS ARTICLE: Allergic to Everything, Part Two
Hello my merry group of overactive immune system owners,
I am 36 and allergic to all plant foods and almost all environmental allergens. The elimination technique did not prove successful to discover this problem initially due to the vast quantity of allergens being encountered. My bodily reaction to ingesting said allergens is mainly digestive upset plus ear, nose and eye inflammation. Thankfully no breathing issues. Since learning of my allergies 18 months ago, I am now the proud owner of GERD and Ulcerative Colitis. I am treated with Remicade infusions, Mesalamine (Apriso and Canasa) Azathioprine to collectively surpress my immune system and Omeprazole for the reflux. I am on Prednisolone plus all of my usual allergy meds (cetirizine (Zirtec), Rantidine (Zantac), Ciclesonide (Omnaris), Montelukast(Singular), Loratidine (Claritine)) and I just got out of the hospital from C-Diff. I am now on the world’s most expensive anti-biotic (Vancomycin) plus Xifaxan to kill the C-Diff and am looking at a long road of pro-biotics to restore some normalcy to my digestive tract. Besides designing a really cool bubble-suit and eating an elemental diet (pre-digested food as suggested by the Mayo clinic), does anyone have a better plan than taking all of these pills? Seriously I am worried about the sum of these adding up to in terms of side-effects?
Respectfully-
John
P.S. I am making Walgreens very profitable, so buy their stock if you get a chance!
people people people–How many times do I have to stress the importance of three things. 1- get the MRT or equivalent allergy test. This will save you a lot of stress trying to figure out what not to eat. 2- get a reliable celiac test. This does not mean you actually have celiac but maybe very gluten sensitive. Even if the tests come out that you are not sensitive to wheat etc. I strongly suggest you go on a gluten free diet. 3- see a good naturalpathic chrirpractor. Get on a program with them. I was given a lot of meds (off and on) over the years and finally just last year after doing the gluten free diet and removing the offending foods from the allergy test, I feel a lot better. I do however have a lot of arthritis in my spine mostly probably due to years of stress and eating red meat. I do not now eat red meat nor was I ever a large drinker of pop but the stress does take it’s toll. I am now seeing a good chiropractor.
Hi Dr. Scott-
I am a 52 year old woman has found out in the past year that I am allergic to everything, (it seems).The usual, wheat, corn, all dairy, tomatoes, and more. Corn, wheat and dairy are the most disturbing. Having a cup of coffee brings me such joy, how damaging is it to put a tiny bit of cream in it, or perhaps a nondairy creamer, ( I know it is junk)? Is coffee a terrible thing that should be removed from my life? It gives me the mood and energy lift I need to get my day going. My stomach is in such upset right now, I can’t even beleive I am asking this– that’s how much I love the coffee in the morning. Also, where can I find the full explanation of the Elimination Diet and other programs you suggest?
Thank you for your time,
Karla
Karla,
As strange as is sounds, eating a small amount of something you are allergic to is often worse than eating a large amount. I would avoid the dairy in your coffee. There are a few non-dairy creamers that are okay, but many of them contain common allergens (nuts, soy, coconuts…). As far as the coffee goes it has been studied extensively and it is good and bad for you; depending upon how much you are drinking. For people with digestive problems caffeine can definitely be a trigger. I would suggest testing it like everything else. Take it out of your diet and then see what happens.
Best of luck,
Scott
I want to try a diet for a flat belly, but I am lactose intolerant and it seems to keep getting worse and I also have a severe case of IBS. I dont know what to do, I even have a hard time leaving my house, and work is bad because of my stomach. Any suggestions?
The first two things to try are digestive enzymes and probiotics. If that doesn’t work, you should try staying away from sugar and the foods that act like sugar (see my 30 day plan). What is most likely happening is that you are not digesting all the sugars that you are eating and those sugars become food for bacteria in your gut. When the bacteria in your gut munch on the sugars, they produce gas (which causes bloating). The last thing to try is an allergy elimination diet (see this page).
Best of luck!
Scott
I have a severe peanut allergy with some sensitivity to tropical fruits, latex, and many other things. I have extreme, super bad eczema and now have become covered in the worst rash because of i believe cucumber and sunflower product(ragweed family). I can not find a bath product or relief. I would love to get allergy testing but can not afford health insurance.
Lani,
The best allergy testing is the allergy elimination diet. It takes the most effort on your part, but it is the most accurate (and you don’t need to spend money on it). Don’t forget that with eczema you should be taking a good fish oil.
Scott
Dr. Scott-
there is no way you will find out all the things you are allergic or sensitive to by doing an elimination diet for a number of reasons. one is that we will give up because we don’t see results soon enough. also there are too many multiple ingredients eaten at one time even if you opt for a salad. most people don’t have time or motivation to try to eat one or two foods at a time. I was glad to spend the money and then discover what to buy instead of buying foods hoping it will be ok to eat and throw it out bacause it made you sick.
Patty,
Good thoughts. I agree that it is difficult to do an allergy elimination diet, but clinical allergy testing is never 100% effective and I like the thought that the best proving ground for allergy testing is our own bodies.
Scott
I have had food allergies for years. My main symptoms were sinus congestion and headache. I figured out through elimination what was bothering me but over time I had to eliminate almost all foods. I basically lived on ground turkey and broccoli for years. I still had headaches daily but I could take 2-4 aspirin and that was enough to let me get some sleep.
About 2 months ago my headaches went to another level and on top of that my vision became blurred. No amount of aspirin could touch my headaches. They are insane and I can’t take it much longer. I also seem to be super sensitive to all foods. My sinuses stay irritated and swollen. I went to my ENT/allergist. He ordered an MRI and had me see an eye doctor for pappeladema. The MRI was normal and my eyes were normal even though I can barely see straight. I asked my Dr. if it could be food allergies, basically me being allergic or sensitive to everything. He said no. He had never heard of that. He put me on prednisone. It helped a little bit with the headaches but my vision is still blurred. I have to take about 6 aspirin over a 6 hour period (with food of so it doesn’t upset my stomach) just to get 6 hours of sleep. I have night sweats now. Never had those before. He told me to eat lamb and rice and broccoli. I can eat lamb and broccoli but the rice I can’t tolerate. The lamb costs an arm and a leg but I have no choice it seems. I can’t anything else without having those horrendous headaches.
I went to another doctor who told me it was hypertension. My bp was about 136/88 but he was able to get it up to 160/95 fairly easily. He gave me cozaar but I am waiting for it to be delivered. I have an appointment with a neurologist next month. Don’t know what to do after that. I’m really afraid I’m allergic to all foods, or maybe salicylates since that’s what’s in broccoli and aspirin. I haven’t found a pain reliever that works like aspirin so I don’t know what to do. I’m worried sick.
Mike,
You are one of those people I would suggest try fasting. I would suggest, reading about your condition, that you fast under some form of supervision. The reason why I would suggest a fast is because if you stop all food (and aspirin) then you can find out if what you are eating is what is causing you the problems. There is a book on fasting by Joel Fuhram called Fasting and Eating for Health, take a look at it (there are resources for supervision).
Best of luck,
Scott
Mike-I just recently found out, after over 2 years of being extremely sick, that I am allergic to 7 of the most common foods. I can completely relate to the feeling of eliminating almost every food there is. I was also on a ground turkey diet and rice for the longest time. I can no longer eat any meat at all. I am hyper sensitive to the hormones, pesticides and herbicides that are used in meats and other foods. I have completely eliminated meats now, which is very hard and frustrating, but my headahces, dizziness and remaining stomach/digestive issues have almost entirely disappeared. If you haven’t gone to an allergist yet, it would be worth the time and money. I started feeling a difference within a week of eliminating all the foods I am allergic to. Although I am not “allergic” to meat or gluten, I do have an extreme intolerence that was leading to severe stomach pains and headaches. It could just be that you have an intolerence or sensitivity to meat. Try eating beans, fish, shrimp or even try Organic hormone-free meat if you can find it. It is more expensive, but it might be worth a try to see if that helps. I am also eating a lot of apples and peanut butter to get nutrients and protien missing from not eating normal foods. It does take some time, but if you are dedicated and willing to live by fully avoiding anything and everything that you are allergic to or super intolerant to, you will feel like a new person. I don’t even remember the last time I complained of a headache or blurry vision. Good luck!!! Don’t give up, you will figure it out or find the right doctor. It took me 7 doctors to even have food allergies mentioned..that is including 3 Gastro/Internal Med doctors.
Hi Misty: I saw your post in my personal email but couldn’t find it on this site for some reason. Thanks for your reply. Although, I feel bad that your in a similar situation its good to know that someone relates to this. I feel so maddened by this whole situation and I have gone for long periods with just eating two food items and nothing changes. So, you do have to live as normally as you can and enjoy the time you have here in the meantime while your trying to make things better. What are you allergic too? Are you allergic to chemicals too?
Author: misty
Comment:
I just want to say that I totally agree with you on the matter of “the longer you avoid offending foods, the more sensitive you get.” I have found this to be true for me as well. For this reason, I eat things I’m allergic to frequently and suffer the side affects. Just want you to know that you are not the only person having that problem.
Hi, i wrote on here awhile ago but i just wanted to ask a couple questions. for years i have been latharic and fatigued and had anxiety and then i got this small rash on the side of my face, i also have itching all over which sometimes will manifest into hives, but now all over body just in some spots, i also have very sensitive skin.
but for years i also have dyshidrotic eczema on my inner hands it comes out when i am stressed.
i also have an abnormal sweet taste in my mouth at times, side of my tongue gets sores, my blood sugar drops easily. i am either constipated or i get loose bowels but mostly constipated. i also get an itch under my skin that i cant seem to itch especially the side of my nose.
sometimes i get a tightness on the side of my throat as well mostly on the left side but sometimes it will go to the right side.
so i went to an allergist for years people have been calling me a hypochondriac so i said let me just go and get this over with to resolve my fears. and it came back i was allergic to like everything! the main ones were corn, and most fruit. the only items i ever really reacted to in my childhood was lobster and kiwi. so i was like corn?? corn is in so much and i couldnt seem to avoid it. i was crying everyday and i still am so i was living on milk for about 2 weeks and gave in and was told it was most likely a false positive so i went to another allergist who said my tightness in throat could be acid reflux the silent kind, even my throat doc said that. and he said he didnt think i was gonna react to corn so he tested me again and said i have super sensitive skin and the results came back i am allergic to corn and bananas im so confused! he said everythign looked good but i can clearly see most of all the spots he tested me on had small bumps but he said the only one he would be concerned about was the corn. ughhhh! i have something here i was given its called
“align” probiotics and i was wondering if this is ok to take? can people have allergic reactions to it? im kinda scared to take medication at all. also how does someone test someones adrenal gland? thanks so much
Sorry for all your troubles Emily. Sounds like you have been through a lot. From my standpoint, we are eating foods that we shouldn’t be eating and that accounts for a lot of these allergic reactions. A probiotic is a great idea- as many of your problems are probably coming from your gut. Try the allergy elimination diet and see if that doesn’t clean up a lot of your problems. I wouldn’t worry about testing your adrenal glands – most people who are stressed have poorly functioning adrenal glands.
Best of luck!
Scott
all of this info is great but while I did see an allergist and did the MRT allergy test, I did not do this due to itching. I did this due to severe pain all over but mostly in my fingers. The doctors keep saying it is arthritis and I told them it is more than that. They
never suggest diet or allergy testing but only throw pills at you and tell you they can’t fix it otherwise.
I did a celiac test and it came out mostly negative but did indicate that I have the gene. The MRT test said I am “sensative” to black pepper, beef, yeast—to name a few. I wonder how we can eat out. I tried it twice now and they either pre-season stuff or if you don’t give them the exact list of what you can’t eat, they will serve it to you. The choices are very limiting in most restaurants. I see that the longer I am off the offending foods, the more sensative I am getting to the food if I eat it. I was hoping my brain would forget and reprogram itself to allow me to eat it once in awhile. I guess not. We are more complex than a computer at remembering stuff.
Are you sure this is an allergy? Pain in fingers may be trigger point/referred pain. I am dealing with frozen & painful thumbs. Got a triggerpoint book “The Trigger Point therapy Workbook” & was too scared to do triggerpoint stuff on my neck. But I DID find exactly the muscles that are causing this pain. I am gettin therapeutic massage (2x now) & my right thumb is working (still hurts, but not as bad). The therapeutic massage is painful as muscles are being released, but if the book is correct (which I think it is) my problem stems from severe whiplash from a car accident 6 yrs ago. Six yrs of knotting takes some time to undo. Look the book up & see if any of your symptoms sound like that — maybe you don’t have allergies that are causing your pain?
eating certain foods that cause me problems (like stomach aches or headaches or muscle aches) is not trigger point problems.
I just want to say that I totally agree with you on the matter of “the longer you avoid offending foods, the more sensitive you get.” I have found this to be true for me as well. For this reason, I eat things I’m allergic to frequently and suffer the side affects. Just want you to know that you are not the only person having that problem.
Do you have any sources or research about this or just your own findings? I usually eat things I’m allergic to because I tested highly allergic to everything they tested me for minus chicken and egg yolk. I do suffer from body rashes and hate that my face looks scary and I’m always uncomfortable. If I could live off a powder supplement I would and I avoid things that make me go into meltdown like oats, milk, tomatoes and apples but I cannot live off of chicken when it makes me want to gag just thinking about it (I’m just over the chicken) and don’t think a pure chicken diet is healthy. I wish there was a food replacement for every meal and I would just eat that for the rest of my life.
Back to the point, I don’t see any bonus to continuously eating things I’m allergic to over avoiding them for a while but if it’s been proven I would try it.
Esther,
To answer your question: it is a little of both, there is research and I have observed this. Sounds like you were tested with skin testing? What you need to understand about that is the immune system that deals with your skin is different than the one in your digestive track. I would suggest that you try the allergy elimination diet and seek out foods that you normally don’t eat (for example, try quinoa as a grain, look for safe vegetables you don’t eat and different proteins like bison or lamb). What you need to do is calm down the inflammation be eating foods you are not allergic to. Be warned that your skin may get worse for a while when you first start this (this is called a healing reaction) but stick with it and you will feel much better. Once you have been on the diet for a while, then test foods one at a time (this is the only test that will really let you know what to avoid).
Best of luck,
Scott
Hello: I am allergic to everything pretty much on this earth. I would call them sensitivities due to low adrenal function. I have no true allergies amazingly. I react to even vegetables although not as extreme as maybe grains or dairy but yet not much different. The only thing I have no reaction to are green beans and chicken. I react to chicken if there is too much fat on it. I have been eating like this for over a year and cannot take this much longer. I cheat one meal per day just to have some excitement and withstand the reactions of flu like symptoms, headache, and the worse thing is fatigue. Its almost like the fatigue is worse than stomach issues. It seems like a person should have more stomach issues but the fatigue is the symptom that I feel the most with achiness and dizziness. I am allergic to salt and all types of supplement including whole food supplements and cannot be around new chemicals. I cannot take herbs, lemon etc. teas since I have a reaction to anything that is not chicken and green beans. I cannot buy new shoes or clothing. This has halted my life and I cannot seem to find anything to make this better but to wait for the rest of my body to start deteriorating with other problems. I am still not too old at 37. So, this is what a period of stress getting a new degree and being on antibiotics did to my body. Any help is appreciated. I also have tried energy healing and NAET but nothing has worked. I could try them again in the future.
Heidi,
If you are cheating once a day, you will continue your allergic reactions. I would go back to just green beans and chicken and add in probiotics and glutamine (I think the best form is not a supplement, but cabbage juice or even better: FRESH sauerkraut ). After doing that for a week or two, start adding in other foods (one at a time, wait a day and try another). I’m confident that you can find other foods that you don’t react to (stay away from the common allergens).
Good luck!
Dr. Scott:
Thank you for your reply. If you can imagine I have tried all veggies I can find at the grocery store or organic produce marts and the least of the reactions is peas next to beans which I have no reaction to as well as other types of food. I’ll even react to chicken if there is too much fat on it. I have gone for months at a time eating just beans and chicken and my weight goes down to 100 or below and then I start eating carbs to bring it up. I have also eaten brocoli and cabbage but get sick from these more so than other veggies. I do have a hard case..maybe something will eventually work. I think my problem is adrenals since they are below normal and that is how I got these. If the source is not corrected treating food allergies is just like a band aid. Hopefully, I’ll be able to take something to repair my adrenals and detox. Heidi
Heidi,
I’d agree, you do have a hard case. I would encourage you to look into Leaky Gut Syndrome and focus on your gut. Your adrenals are probably shot, but not the source of the problem. Improve your digestion (with probiotics, digestive enzymes, nutrients like glutamine) will give you the most bang for your buck. The problem is that if you try to improve your gut and you are eating something you are allergic to it may not help. But if you can get your gut in order, then you should find that many of the allergens go away.
Best of luck!
Scott
Heidi, I am in your situation. I’ve been sick for a number of years with weird symptoms. Then about six years ago, I became allergic to everything. I was diagnosed with chemical sensitivity at Mayo Clinic. They gave me pages of items to avoid, including most clothing. Then, food became a poison and I ended up eating baby food. Last fall I saw an environmental allergy specialist, and thank God I did. I went through food allergy testing, but more importantly the Dr. ran a number of other tests. I was diagnosed with Lyme disease. There are differing opinions about Lyme in the medical community, so you would need to find a Dr. who believes it exists, but my test results were in-line with the requirements by CDC (Center for Disease Control). I tested positive with the basic lab work, although some people need a more sensitive test (can’t remember what it is called). You might want to find out if there is an underlying disease that is comprising your immune system. I have been on treatment (antibiotics, probiotics, supplemental enzymes, vitamins…)for a few months now. Because mine went so long undiagnosed, it will take a while to feel better, but I have noticed improvement. Best wishes.
Hi!
Thanks for your reply. I am not sure if my regular MD tested for Lymes. I am going to an MD now who focuses on Environmental medicine and has lots of patients with MCS, chemical Sensitivities, chronic fatigue etc. I am happy to have found him. The next time I go I’ll ask him about a lymes disease test. I am not able to take medicines or vitamins but if I did have that I wouldn’t have a choice if it meant making it better. Keep me posted if you notice anymore positive results. Are you still allergic to different foods and do you eat them anyway? I have just gotten to the point when your allergic to everything you might as well enjoy at least one or two meals a day.
Heidi
Hi Cindy, I’m also dealing with a similar situation. Would you mind mentioning the name of the environmental allergy specialist? I’m having the hardest time finding a doctor that is familiar with allergies, sensitivities and in my case toxic mold illness.
Thanks!
I just saw your question about allergies. I am allergic to—Well it is a shorter list to say what I am NOT allergic to. Chicken, most veg., beef & wheat. I have gained alot of weight due to inactivity. I went thru a period of being over sensitive to chemicals, like you. I have found only orange scented shampoo/dishsoap that I can use (& dial gold). Laundry is a nightmare & I put white vinegar in the softener slot to rinse soap residue (& is a natural fabric softener). My chemical sensitivity was borne out of a gallbladder/over production of bile that backed up into esophagus & burned all my sinus mucus membrane. Took 1 yr to heal (sort of) & I battle every day. Find the source – If you are reacting to the fat of chicken, chances are it is from not eating any sort of oil & your system shoots it through (if diarrhea is the problem). I gave up bread for a diet years ago & still have trouble eating it today. I’d rather have a flour tortilla than bread because of the diarrhea & bloating. Do not stop looking for the source of your troubles, not every one of them may be “allergy”. However, with that said – one word of advice on allergy – if you take a bite of something & get itchy or breathless (even one breath)- do not eat – you are allergic & the next bite could kill you – (anaphylaxis)yes, it can be that quick. Good luck to you- prayers.
this is a follow up to my earlier comment on allergies. In doing the MRT allergy test and following it 99% of the time, I do feel better but still have issues that I don’t believe are due to diet. So I am now in the process of doing Lyme testing (they think I may have this) and will start seeing a chiropractor again. Unfortunately you have to (sometimes) do multiple things at the same time to get better. I did the gluten free diet alone and then added in the diet changes from the allergy testing, and now we will see how the rest of this comes out. But doing only one of these things alone means we are missing a piece to the puzzle. So like I have said over and over, don’t rely on only one “remedy” to solve all the problems. It may mean doing a lot of different stuff to get well. As I was doing only let’s say the gluten free diet, I noticed things were still not right so this is why I added in the allergy test. Things still are not right so now they are considering the Lyme testing. Also want to mention that if you change something minor like a vitamin or brand, you may see a difference (good or bad). Keep testing your TSH levels (they can change over the years) and the vitamin D levels need to be good.
Dr. Scott,
I have been dealing with on and off gut issues my whole life. after the last episode 2 years ago when a pollyp was found on my esophagus the Dr.s thought my stomach cramp issues were over. About a month and a half ago they started agin. THIS time blood work was done. My eosiniphil rate was 3 times normal, my IGE was 10 (IIRC) times normal. I have seen various specialists with only one REAL result which is food allergies. As it turns out I was given the normal food allergy test and had reactions to 71 out olf 74 tested foods. The only thing I had no reaction to was mushrooms, avacadoes, and saline. I have been put on a 30 day elimination diet and am supposed to gorge for one week after that. I noticed 2 weeks into the diet my energy level went WAY up. I was able to work 12-15 hours a day without getting fatigued or muscle cramps ( which is another issue I deal with) All of a sudden yesterday and particularly today, I hit a wall. It is all I can do to keep my eyes open, my trapezius muscles are inflamed and painful andI can’t seem to function properly. This also happens from time to time prior to the diet. For 2.5 weeks I have eaten basically nothing but chicken and fish as I showed reactions to anything that would be in a side dish, salad etc. I actually had reactions to the chicken and fish, but they were only 2mm welps as opposed to the 3mm on most other foods, so my allergist told me to stick with them for the diet since they weren’t AS bad. I am at a complete loss at this point as to how I am suposed to go on, and none of the doctors have a clue what the issues are, despite their own findings all seem to say it doesn’t add up. My only KNOWN reactions are immediate and constant sinus drainage when I consume any type of dairy product including chocolate. Soy, kiwi will make my throat swell up immediatley upon consumption and cherry and roma tomatoes both make my gums swell but not my throat. ” Normal” tomatoes have no known affects and ID test showed them as a 2. I have also noticed the sinus drainage reaction on a minor scale with other foods I tested positive for. However there are many foods I tested positive for that I notice NO immediate reaction from. I suspect the muscle inflammation and fatigue may be other allergic reactions but how can I find out for certain when it is almost impossible for me to eliminate evreything I reacted to ? I also wonder how much other stuff I have been eating I am allergic to, and do not know since I wasn’t tested for every conceivable food item? FWIW I am 37 y.o. male, 5’10″ , 170-175 and athletic. I can post results of my allery testing if that would help. ANY advice or help would be greatly appreciated
Thanks much, Scott
I have also been tested for parasitic infections and celiac disease with negative results.
Scott,
Sounds like you have been through a lot. The first thing that you need to know is that the part of your immune system that is in your skin is different from the one in your gut. So while it is obvious that you are allergic to a lot of things, it doesn’t always work to rely on the skin test to discover what foods you are allergic to. It is important that you stay away from the common food allergens that are listed above (wheat, soy, nuts…). It sounds like when you were on the very limited diet that seemed to work; I would go back to that and then slowly introduce foods one at a time and see which you react to.
Best of luck,
Scott
I’ve had allergies all my life, at the moment it actually does feel like i am literally allergic to everything.
Food allergies include: eggs, peanuts, i’m suspecting msg and pretty well all raw fruit and vegetables (although some more severe then others) these react externally with severe itchiness. occasionally my allergies have been so severe they have landed me in hospital.
Also milk & milk products in large quantities makes my guts react badly giving me stomach pains ect.
I have Coeliac disease, this has never been properly tested but it is the consensus between myself and doctors i have seen over the years. I have been on a GF diet for 14 years, so blood tests come back negative and I see no point in doing any intrusive tests as they will only tell me what I know (if that, since my intestines have had a chance to heal over the last decade and a half)
So that was my food allergies/intolerances. External things I’m allergic to: dust, pollen, grass, cats (actually mostly any animals), creams, soaps, shampoo, conditioner, even the hot water in the shower can make me quite itchy.
It’s a daily thing for me to wake up and feel pain all over where I have been scratching myself (sometimes at night without even realizing), then going in the shower, having shampoo sting as it touches my body, then coming out and stinging all over (even if i don’t use shampoo or any chemicals) then having really dry skin, flaky and disgusting.
So called “natural remedies” are rubbish for people like me, i’m allergic to the base of things in most cases. Even the base of the cortisone ointment (which is the strongest they have) sometimes makes me itchy again.
I tried an elimination diet, one week i basically only ate rice and chicken in very plain form, I only stayed on it for a week, my allergy symptoms didn’t decrease in the least. The only thing that sightly (and I mean slightly) takes the edge off is when I take a Telfast, Zyrtec or similar tablet. Phenergan works, but it also puts me to sleep, so that’s not much help except in emergencies.
At the moment I’ve been pretty well sticking to eating non allergenic foods, avoiding processed and manufactured foods as much as possible also.
I’ve been to so many doctors over the years, they like to suggest new hypoallergenic creams and moisturizers, things but nothing really works. Sometimes I feel like I should just live in a bubble, but I’d probably develop an allergy to that too…
I’m 21 years old, and I’m sick of this, my allergies seem to be increasing and getting worse over the years.
Do you have any suggestions?
Jas,
Sorry to hear about all your troubles. Sounds like you have tried just about everything. From my perspective your gut needs to be healed (look up the term “leaky gut syndrome”)
Here is what I would focus on: keep avoiding the common food allergens (dairy, wheat, corn, nuts, shellfish, soy…). Avoid coffee, tea, chocolate and other forms of caffeine. Try to eat a diet of cooked veggies and meats that you can tolerate. Make sure you are getting enough essential fatty acids (a good fish oil). Find a good probiotic (good gut bacteria: acidophilus… ). You also need a source of glutamine, you can take this in supplemental form or use fresh cabbage juice (this juice makes some people gassy, so try it and see); you can also try fermented cabbage (like sauerkraut). Get some form of exercise every day. Your brain and gut have a very close relationship, so work on reducing stress in your life and your gut will be happier (however silly this may sound, it is true).
Good luck.
Scott
Hi All,
I, 24 and found out 6 months ago I am allergic to Egg whites, Fish, Wheat, Milk, Peanuts & Soyabeans. My symptoms first started out as excema which I have had on & off since a baby. Then I thought it was a reaction to cleansers, body wash, make up etc so I tried using QV products. The Dr suggested a blood test to see if im allergic to anything and bingo! I have always been allergic to eggs and fish but all the others came out of nowhere. It’s so frustrating I am constantly using cortizone cream on my face cause it is red all the time. I am currently waiting to see an allergist to get to the bottom of it. I wish I was normal! The excema on my body has improved greatly since eliminating wheat but I still get hives on my face. I wish I was normal and im sick if feeling ugly all the time!
Dr. Scott,
I’d absolutely love your input. I’ve been getting hives for the last six months, every day. I’m 24 years old and live in NYC. I’ve always had bad seasonal allergies, but never daily hives until this past year. Four years ago, I was diagnosed with oral allergy syndrome and removed all raw bird & ragweed related fruits & vegetables from my diet.
Two full weeks ago, I went into my allergist because I lost feeling in my arm. She told me that I’d had a pinched nerve because of all of the swelling in my lymphnodes from allergies and put me onto a strict elimination diet. In two weeks now, I have not eaten wheat, yeast, mold, soy, peanuts, nuts, or ragweed/pollen related fruits or veggies. My hives have not changed and I still do not have proper feeling in my arm.
My question is this. Should I continue with this diet? The doctor has advised I do this for a full month before stopping and coming in for a consult, but I feel I’m losing huge nutrients (I’m vegetarian) and am growing more frustrated because it does not seem to be making a difference.
Looking forward to your thoughts…
-Rachel
Rachel,
Your allergist put you on a good program. You didn’t mention this, but I’m guessing you are also avoiding milk and eggs as well? The idea behind this is that these are the most common allergens, but you might be allergic to something else. I would stay on the program, but start looking for something else that might be causing the problem. A hint is to look for foods that you crave and are eating a lot of. If you are worried about nutrition, find a good multivitamin (you shouldn’t have any problems eating this way for a while).
Best of luck,
Scott
Hi Rachel, I am dealing with a lot of similar problems and just wondered if you have tried digestive enzymes? Also Wobenzym – it has greatly helped me with pain and inflammation – until I get to the root cause of the issues.
what if you’re allergic to grains too? and wheat, and most fruits?
Grains, especially gluten grains, are a very common allergen. While it is hard to stay away from these, it certainly can be done.
I’m sorry – My last message was not well written. Post this one instead.
I have become allergic to everything in the last 5 years. For example, I have become sensitive, allergic or intolerant to all grain, dairy, meat, all citrus fruits, all legumes, all nuts and seeds, all nightshade vegetables and almost healthy greens. What am I down to? Ice berg lettuce and squash.
A few months ago I read that Genetically Modified foods can cause some people to become allergic to otherwise harmless foods. Search for “GM Corn allergies.” Apparently, the GM plants are made to split the stomachs of bugs open when eaten. This same mechanism can cause “leaky gut syndrome” in certain humans, increasing allergies. Go ahead and Google the topic. This not only applies to GM corn, but to GM sugar, GM soy and a few others.
Just to be extra cautious, two months ago I have also stopped eating ALL corn (GM or otherwise) and finally I am noticing my condition is reversing itself. But I must be extra vigilant: GM Corn is in EVERYTHING – citric acid, ascorbic acid, vitamins, supplements, calcium products (Search for: “Corn Allergy List”). Since making this diet change, my symptoms have greatly been alleviated. I can now eat nuts without any reaction and I have been able to eat a few seeds.
The diet will force you to eat very naturally. No processed foods. Also, make sure you eat meat or dairy or eggs that are organic — if the animals have eaten Genetically Modified foods, many people have a reaction if sensitive to GM foods.
Remember, your intestinal track must heal from the damage, so you may have to be on this diet at least a month to completely notice a difference.
Hope this helps someone!
Thanks for your comments January!
Yes, corn is one of the big allergies and it is very hard to stay away from (because, as you point out, it is everywhere!).
Scott
Hello how are you? I have been having a form of eczema on my hands for about 8 years now its like little blisters under the skin that seem to pop up more when i am getting that time of month for me.
so recently I have been itching all over my body a lot and would develop a hive here and there but they are usually only one never more then 2 anywhere on my body at a time. (if that makes sense lol)
but i was just allergy tested the doctor told me i need to stay away from nuts, she said i have a mild wheat, pork, corn, tomato, potato, and i think rice also cause i ate rice krispies once and my throat got tight like it was closing, I dont know what to eat now im afraid to eat anything. although i seem to still be eating wheat cause i dont know what to eat oh and she said stay away from oranges too cause im allergic to them also pineapple, and kiwi so im afraid to eat any fruit in fear i will become allergic. I also have anxiety so that doesnt help. and i work a very stressful job which requires me running around a lot then i get hypoglycemic and grab juice which isnt the best thing cause all the corn syrup in it. i try to stay with 100 percent real juice.
what can i eat? can i still eat wheat if its a mild allergy? the doctor told me yes in small quanities. but i want to go on this diet but i am also a big girl and need to eat a lot and feel like at work i need the fuel so i grab bread of some sort.
i never really tried any veggies cause i never cared for them but also feel like now im afraid to try anything new. i never use to have this problem it just started i wonder if its from all the shit i been eating throughout the years and gaining weight, i also have pcos. sorry for the rambling. ok so what should i do? thank you so much! =)
Emily,
While it sounds difficult to stay away from those foods, your best chance is to stay away from all of them for at least a week (and better if you can do two weeks). At the end of the week, you then test the food and see if you react. I would say you can’t have a little (of wheat) and that you need to keep it all out of your diet for the week or two. If you test the food after a week and you don’t notice anything, then you can put it back in your diet. PCOS is closely associated with weight and too many sugars; consider going on my 30 Sugar Free Days Program.
Best of luck!
Scott
Helen, I have the same problems with total intolerance to almost everything I apply topicallly on my skin. Quick question: do you know what brought on your symptoms, or did they appear all of a sudden? Mine developed strangely, actually in reaction to a shampoo I used that burned severely on contact. My skin burned constantly after that incidence, then subsided for a while. Now, the problem is my skin develops hives, itching, and welts in response to any products, all over my body.
How did yours begin? I know your symptoms sound the same as mine, so I was curious how yours began. So you’ve not had luck with any products, right? This has been my most challenging problem.
Reply to my post if you ever read it, please. It might be helpful. Thanks!
in the last 2 years i’ve become allergic to everything i put on my skin. There are no shampoos, conditioners, soap, moisturizers etc. that i can use without my skin burning, itching and getting swollen. Why has this happened? I used to be able to use anything i wanted, now i can’t even clean myself, I have tried everything immaginable but still allergic to everything i try. I was patch tested and positive to balsam of peru, fragrance mix, nickel and white petrolatum. i have not had extensive testing done yet though. I’ts very hard to live like this.
Dear Helen,
I’ll be 40 this year…
I just recently had extensive allergy tested. I was itching alot and thought I had just dry skin all the time. I found out I was allergic to glycerin. They say its uncommon to be allergic to glycerin. I have been searching for glycerin free products, it has been hard to find. You can google glycerin free products. One product is kiss my face, another vitamin c. Its in an orange bottle. You may want to go a health food store and see if they have glycerin free products. You can buy a few of these products at walmart or target. The choices are limited. I hope this helps..My new quest is going to a health food store and find milk, soy and wheat free products. I am very limited what i can eat now..