Food allergies are estimated to have increased by up to 500 percent since the 1990s based on hospital visits. However, determining if this is due to increased vigilance of doctors and patients, improved diagnostic testing or other factors is difficult to identify.

Studies also show a rise in other allergic conditions including asthma, hay fever and skin conditions but because no one was carefully tracking food allergies in past decades these results are also inconclusive. Remarkably, the origin of allergies is still not well understood, although the age at which foods are introduced and the ­nature of a food itself both appear to be important ­factors.

A food allergy is a hypersensitivity reaction resulting in an abnormal immune response to a substance (allergen) that should be harmless. Classically, food allergies have been identified as being mediated by a specific antibody (IgE), but new research and testing is now encouraging doctors to explore the role other types of antibodies may play in disease, ­specifically IgG and IgA.

IgE-mediated responses are quite severe and usually require hospitalizations, while IgG and IgA-­mediated responses are often less severe, and symptoms often appear more generalized. Symptoms from IgG-­mediated allergic responses may manifest as skin and complexion issues, headaches/migraines, nervousness and irritability, fatigue, joint aches, immune compromise, gas and bloating, inflammatory bowel disease, and other classically associated allergic responses―itchy watery eyes, runny nose, water retention. Some have even theorized there may be some involvement in ADHD, mood disorders and autoimmune disease.

Allergies can be identified through two major avenues, testing and elimination diets. Blood testing (IgG), or skin prick testing (IgE) are common ways and seem to be most accurate. Testing is often moderately expensive, but is often the easiest way for most people.

Elimination diets are considered the "gold standard," during which suspected foods are removed from the diet for a time and reintroduced one at a time to assess reactivity. Research is indicating elimination diets are valuable in the management of several conditions including migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's, eczema and rheumatoid arthritis.

If you suspect you may have food sensitivities, keep a diet diary ― a log of everything consumed and symptoms that you experience. This will make it easier for your doctor to analyze which foods may be the culprits.

Dr. M. J. Atkins is in general practice at Peninsula Naturopathic Clinic in Sidney, BC.
www.DrAtkinsND.com, (250) 655-1660

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