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
Dr. Scott,
I’m allergic to tomatoes and I have had reactions to potatoes, oranges and chicken lately. Based on that, are there foods I should start watching out for to see if I’m allergic to them also? I’m trying to keep a food diary, but I like the idea of an elimination diet. I’m red hot and covered in hives tonight. I’m 41 and never knew until a few weeks ago that I had food allergies. Lots of GI issues over the years should have clued me in. I see an allergist/immunologist again next week.
It is good that you are seeing an allergist, but I would give the hypoallergenic diet a shot. It can be very hard, but worth it and I think the best way to uncover allergies. You are wise to think that it might have something to do with your gut, but don’t expect the allergist to agree. Good luck.
Hi, my friend used to love to eat stuff with nuts in them, like cookies, but a while ago, in the summer, she had a cookie and she had a severe allergic reaction to the nuts. How is that possible? How cam someone not be allergic to something and then suddenly be?
Actually, the way that allergies work is that more exposure to the allergen is what makes them worse. While it is hard to say in your friend’s case, many kids have the same thing. They can eat peanut butter for years, and then suddenly become very allergic to it. My guess is that it has something to do with the breakdown of the gut barrier (search for Leaky Gut Syndrome), but it is hard to say for sure.
Hi,
If someone can please give me some advice, I would deeply appreciate it. I’ve been suffering with horrible sinus pain for 3 months now – my inner eyes and eyebrows. I just had sinus surgery and it has not helped.
I’m now wondering if it’s allergy related. I started reading about oral allergy syndrome and realized that I have been eating a lot of apples recently. I tried a Honeycrisp apple for the first time a few months, got hooked and have been eating 1-2 a day ever since. I never would have thought this would have a negative impact on me but I’m now wondering if it’s causing my problems!
Obviously I am stopping them and will see, but I just thought I’d ask your advice. Could an apple or fruit allergy cause facial pain like I’m having?
Thanks!
Kylie,
Sinus pain can be related to allergies. Try following the allergy elimination diet. Your question reminded me about a post I wanted to write: I’ll write a post about sinus infections and allergies soon.
I have struggled for 2 years to find out what was “wrong” with me. The truth was everything!!! The products I was using and the foods I have been eating were making me sick. I had allergy testing and wasn’t “allergic” to ANYTHING. Was the most defeated day of my life. I followed an elimination diet for 2 weeks and was like a bulb turned on and I finally had answers!!! I kept a food diary and tracked my symptoms. The culprit would stand out like a sore thumb. Now, I follow a low histamine diet. That has given me a lot of relief. And much fewer symptoms of hives, angiodema (swollen lips, eyes), and stomach upset. I was so used to having stomach problems that not having them was strange at first. But now, I feel that an elimination diet saved my life. And now I have control over how I feel instead of being victim to “I don’t know”. I also stopped using sulfate based cleansers! I use glycerin soaps and sulfate free shampoo (hard to find but worth the $). My scalp, skin have repaired 100%. No more eczema, rashes, sores, burning skin. Hope this post helps & hang in there – you can get through it!!!
Over the last year and 1/2 I have become more and more restricted in my diet. I’ve gone from 5’7 165 lbs to 115 lbs…it’s getting very discouraging. I’ve done the elimination diet but it’s been a bit confusing because foods can be okay for a while and then out of no where my mouth/throat/face reactions start. Any suggestions? I’m currently eating only hamburger, chicken and potatoes…that is it and I know it is not nearly enough for the necessary nutrients. **By the way the allergist ran extensive blood work (can’t do scratch test due to heart condition and possible reactions), only shows 3 foods to be allergic. Is the blood test reliable? I really appreciate your help.
My 11 yr old is allergic to alot of foods soy, nuts, green beans carrots, corn, hops, strawberrys watermelon, mustard, yellow squash, pototoes, and apples..she probally has more allergies undiscovered..I am running out of ideas to feed her the stores have soy or corn or hops in everything, also I work full time and I’m on my own how can i find a way to get a good supply of meals to make for her. in addition she has outdoor, and indoor allergies along with ezema. Any ideas on how I can get more support to improve her life?
Jen, it sounds like you are dealing with a lot. The best way to find food that your daughter can eat is to go to a store that understands food allergies. The best national chain is Whole Foods; find someone knowledgeable who can help you. You can find already-made and frozen foods that are made for people with allergies. There are also plenty of books for allergy-free cooking (check Amazon).
Are limes known as a source of allergic reactions? Over the last month, I have had bouts with intense itching, and the only thing I can think of that I have done differently lately is I’ve had margaritas, Bloody Mary’s and gin & tonics – ALL with twists of lime! I have had limes in the past with no problems. Are limes from different parts of the world different? I see my doctor regularly, and, other than a history of pollen & animal allergies, which are well under control, I have no other health issues! This is quite a mystery to me.
Thanks for the help! In the meantime, NO LIMES!!
Janet,
Limes or any citrus fruit is a common allergy, so you might be on to something. The other thing to think about, but much more rare, is that it might be the alcohol itself causing you the problem.
Hope that helps!
Dr. Scott
I have celiac disease and hypothyroidism and am ‘allergic’ to many foods including many on the ‘allowed’ list. Foods DO have a direct impact on hormones. Soy isoflavones are also known as soy ‘estrogens’? Excess estrogens (from whatever form) can cause low progesterone. Sounds to me like foods cause hormone imbalances … in men and women.
I don’t consider my reaction to these foods as allergies and it’s unfortunate that it is given such a generic term. Chemicals in certain foods inhibit vitamin, mineral, and hormone uptake in my body … they are detrimental to my health … not simply an ‘allergy’.
Broccoli and cabbage (and all the other Cruciferous vegetables) are considered goitrogenic … that is they inhibit synthesis of thyroid hormones by interfering with iodine uptake. Other goitrogenic foods are strawberries, millet, peanuts and canola oil … among many others.
Meat is injected with hormones and antibiotics and fed the same soy beans that we are told not to eat among other things. No, I am not a vegetarian.
I am overwhelmed with trying to figure out what to eat … I don’t have the answers but I did want to point these things out for those suffering from thyroid disease. Other foods that you may not be aware of that contain thyroid inhibiting isoflavones are black cohosh, grape seed oil and gingko biloba.
This is so me right now sighhhhh. I found out very recently that potatoes and corn give me troubles too, I had already eliminated everything else and now this. I am very discouraged, I just need to adjust to the idea and figure out what I can consume.
I ask myself “was I that oblivious???” It all started with a noticeable reaction to soy and it’s snowballed from there. I will just be happy when I feel like a human being again. Everytime I think I have it figured out something else pops up – like electromagnetic fields????? I react to that too. I am tired of being tired
Lynn,
A lot of people are in the same boat that you are. Trying the allergy elimination diet can help you discover where to go next. I wish you the best of luck.
Hi Dr Scott,
I’m 39 years old. My allergies have recently become very, very bad over the past 6 months. I’m having reactions to almost everything I eat and even UV light. I wake up swollen from head to toe every morning. My thyroid has been a little low, on and off, and my progesterone and DHEA levels are borderline low. Can hormone imbalances be causing all of this?
Kim
Kim,
Hormone imbalances are unlikely to effect your allergies. Try the allergy elimination diet and see what happens. You can’t control what is in the air or other allergens you come in contact with, but you can control the ones you put in your mouth.
Is maple syrup a possible cause for allergic rash? That is the only thing my son had different yesterday and today he has a rash in both armpits, his groin, and spread some also to his leg and feet.
It is possible, but you also want to look out for infection. You should probably have a local health practitioner check it out.
I have recently found that I am allergic to eggs, bakers yeast, corn and wheat.
What can I eat? I am all ready getting tired of veggies and have been real gassy since eating on this fruit and veggie diet with only fresh meat in this diet.
Robyn,
There are many people in your shoes who find the transition to a grain-free diet difficult. Try searching the web for “grain free” recipes; that will help. It does get easier. The gassy part is either due to the transition, something you are sensitive to, or you may need to supplement with digestive enzymes for a while.
Good luck!
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Sometimes I feel like this too. Might have to try.
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Hi Dr. Scott
Really helpful post! I recently did a detox with food, very safe and with the purpose of cleaning out the toxins. After the detox I was advised to watch these foods for any reactions:
1. Wheat
2. Pasteurized dairy especially cow’s milk
3. Sugar
4. Corn
5. Soy
6. Supermarket eggs
7. Peanuts
I don’t eat soy, store bought eggs, sugar, or pasteurized milk. I guess I could say I don’t eat the 7 foods on my list, but I’m sure I get these foods in other things I eat at times so it was important to test them. I couldn’t test the store eggs at all because all I could think of was how the chickens are treated so badly just so we could eat their eggs! Sorry – that’s not related here.
Your list is very good and goes into much more detail about foods that people can be allergic to and not know it.
I stay clear of the food bugaboos you list such as food additives.
Thanks for helping us stay healthy and learn along the way!
Robin
Robin Plan’s last blog post..Obama – Vilsack Not "Change We Can Believe In" Stop More Harm to Our FOOD…
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