Allergies- Delayed/Hidden
In recent weeks I have helped patients with: an onion allergy causing severe abdominal distention; a dairy allergy causing daily headaches; a wheat allergy causing severe brain fog, and a tomato allergy causing extreme joint pain. The interesting thing about these allergies is that they were all “hidden” and delayed.
The typical allergic reaction, as we know, often results in sneezing, itching, watery eyes, etc. This type of reaction can occur immediately once someone is exposed to the injurious allergen. There are several important chemical agents involved including histamine and immunoglobulin E (IgE). Histamine may be familiar since many of you have probably taken the over-the-counter allergy medicine Benadryl, which is an anti-histamine product. IgE may not be as familiar, but is the reason why histamine is released in the first place. There are also other, slower moving, “hidden” reactions that are just as detrimental to the body, but are more difficult to detect. These are called immunoglobulin G (IgG) reactions. Finding and fixing these slower moving reactions often results in substantial improvement.
A recent study examined two groups of children — obese and normal weight. They found the obese children had three problems that the thin children didn’t have. First they were much more inflamed (as measured through a special blood test called C-reactive protein). Second, they had the beginnings of cholesterol plaques in their arteries. And third, they had 2½ times the level of delayed or IgG food allergies.
So what’s happening? These hidden food allergies trigger a chronic immune reaction and gross inflammation. And anything that causes inflammation can interfere with metabolism, leading to weight gain. If I had to estimate, I would say that 70% of my female patients with complaints of hormonal imbalances have delayed allergy reactions.
What are Immunoglobulins?
Immunoglobulins are complex protein structures that exist either in a free-floating form acting as a “search and signal” agent for the immune system, or as receptor sites on outer membrane of an important immune cell called a B-cell. There are five main categories:
1.) IgA.
IgA antibodies are found in areas of the body such the nose, breathing passages, digestive tract, ears, eyes, and vagina. IgA antibodies protect body surfaces that are exposed to outside foreign substances. This type of antibody is also found in saliva and tears. About 10% to 15% of the antibodies present in the body are IgA antibodies.
2.) IgG.
IgG antibodies are found in all body fluids. They are the smallest but most common antibody (75% to 80%) of all the antibodies in the body. IgG antibodies are very important in fighting bacterial and viral infections. IgG antibodies are the only type of antibody that can cross the placenta in a pregnant woman to help protect her baby.
3.) IgM.
IgM antibodies are the largest antibody. They are found in blood and lymph fluid and are the first type of antibody made in response to an infection. They also cause other immune system cells to destroy foreign substances. IgM antibodies are about 5% to 10% of all the antibodies in the body.
4.) IgE.
IgE antibodies are found in the lungs, skin, and mucous membranes. They cause the body to react against foreign substances such as pollen, fungus spores, and animal dander by causing mast cells to release histamine. They may occur in allergic reactions to milk, some medicines, and some poisons. IgE antibody levels are often high in people with seasonal allergies.
5.) IgD.
IgD antibodies are found in small amounts in the tissues that line the belly or chest. How they work is not clear.
Fixing Delayed Allergies
In my office, to treat either the fast moving allergy or the slow moving allergy first requires the identification of the type of allergy, followed by the appropriate remedy or treatment. With PAK, it is easy to find the fast moving allergies because they will show up immediately with muscle testing. The slower IgG reactions, unfortunately, may not. However, I have discovered a helpful trick. After a person has been exposed to the suspicious food and no reaction was found, I will then recheck the food with a generic homeopathic sample of IgG; often it will then be positive. To the patient, this means that the initial exposure to the food began a slow immune reaction; a reaction which was not significant enough to induce a muscle weakness, but was significant enough to generate an IgG response. Now that a muscle weakness is present, a suitable antidote or negating agent can be found that restores muscle strength and will therefore likely help the patient with their offending food.
A further helpful step is to make a homeopathic remedy to the offending food. This can be done with a little machine (remedy maker) that I have in the office and takes only seconds. I have patients take this homeopathic daily while still avoiding the offending foods. The homeopathic seems to work very well for both the healing of the food reactions and to stop any accidental reactions that were started by unknowingly ingesting an allergic food. However, to stop the reactions I usually recommend taking a full droppers worth of the homeopathic instead of just the regular dose of 1/3 dropper.
Understanding and correcting allergies is an ongoing test. Present successes and daily discoveries are however, making the challenge of natural allergy correction and elimination both possible and probable for all.
The typical allergic reaction, as we know, often results in sneezing, itching, watery eyes, etc. This type of reaction can occur immediately once someone is exposed to the injurious allergen. There are several important chemical agents involved including histamine and immunoglobulin E (IgE). Histamine may be familiar since many of you have probably taken the over-the-counter allergy medicine Benadryl, which is an anti-histamine product. IgE may not be as familiar, but is the reason why histamine is released in the first place. There are also other, slower moving, “hidden” reactions that are just as detrimental to the body, but are more difficult to detect. These are called immunoglobulin G (IgG) reactions. Finding and fixing these slower moving reactions often results in substantial improvement.
A recent study examined two groups of children — obese and normal weight. They found the obese children had three problems that the thin children didn’t have. First they were much more inflamed (as measured through a special blood test called C-reactive protein). Second, they had the beginnings of cholesterol plaques in their arteries. And third, they had 2½ times the level of delayed or IgG food allergies.
So what’s happening? These hidden food allergies trigger a chronic immune reaction and gross inflammation. And anything that causes inflammation can interfere with metabolism, leading to weight gain. If I had to estimate, I would say that 70% of my female patients with complaints of hormonal imbalances have delayed allergy reactions.
What are Immunoglobulins?
Immunoglobulins are complex protein structures that exist either in a free-floating form acting as a “search and signal” agent for the immune system, or as receptor sites on outer membrane of an important immune cell called a B-cell. There are five main categories:
1.) IgA.
IgA antibodies are found in areas of the body such the nose, breathing passages, digestive tract, ears, eyes, and vagina. IgA antibodies protect body surfaces that are exposed to outside foreign substances. This type of antibody is also found in saliva and tears. About 10% to 15% of the antibodies present in the body are IgA antibodies.
2.) IgG.
IgG antibodies are found in all body fluids. They are the smallest but most common antibody (75% to 80%) of all the antibodies in the body. IgG antibodies are very important in fighting bacterial and viral infections. IgG antibodies are the only type of antibody that can cross the placenta in a pregnant woman to help protect her baby.
3.) IgM.
IgM antibodies are the largest antibody. They are found in blood and lymph fluid and are the first type of antibody made in response to an infection. They also cause other immune system cells to destroy foreign substances. IgM antibodies are about 5% to 10% of all the antibodies in the body.
4.) IgE.
IgE antibodies are found in the lungs, skin, and mucous membranes. They cause the body to react against foreign substances such as pollen, fungus spores, and animal dander by causing mast cells to release histamine. They may occur in allergic reactions to milk, some medicines, and some poisons. IgE antibody levels are often high in people with seasonal allergies.
5.) IgD.
IgD antibodies are found in small amounts in the tissues that line the belly or chest. How they work is not clear.
Fixing Delayed Allergies
In my office, to treat either the fast moving allergy or the slow moving allergy first requires the identification of the type of allergy, followed by the appropriate remedy or treatment. With PAK, it is easy to find the fast moving allergies because they will show up immediately with muscle testing. The slower IgG reactions, unfortunately, may not. However, I have discovered a helpful trick. After a person has been exposed to the suspicious food and no reaction was found, I will then recheck the food with a generic homeopathic sample of IgG; often it will then be positive. To the patient, this means that the initial exposure to the food began a slow immune reaction; a reaction which was not significant enough to induce a muscle weakness, but was significant enough to generate an IgG response. Now that a muscle weakness is present, a suitable antidote or negating agent can be found that restores muscle strength and will therefore likely help the patient with their offending food.
A further helpful step is to make a homeopathic remedy to the offending food. This can be done with a little machine (remedy maker) that I have in the office and takes only seconds. I have patients take this homeopathic daily while still avoiding the offending foods. The homeopathic seems to work very well for both the healing of the food reactions and to stop any accidental reactions that were started by unknowingly ingesting an allergic food. However, to stop the reactions I usually recommend taking a full droppers worth of the homeopathic instead of just the regular dose of 1/3 dropper.
Understanding and correcting allergies is an ongoing test. Present successes and daily discoveries are however, making the challenge of natural allergy correction and elimination both possible and probable for all.