| When nutrition researcher Jeffrey S. Bland, Ph.D., | | | | improvement in symptoms. That figure jumped to 52 |
| needed volunteers to follow an elimination diet-that is, | | | | percent among those on the diet-plus-supplement |
| to avoid certain foods with the goal of improving | | | | regimen. These people also showed significant |
| health-he found 106 willing participants in the Seattle | | | | improvement on three of the six tests of digestive |
| area. The group consisted of 92 women and 14 men, | | | | and liver function. |
| ranging in age from 28 to 55. All were considered | | | | Confusion over Food Allergies |
| healthy, meaning that physical examinations and | | | | Some people benefit from an elimination diet because |
| mainstream medical tests had turned up nothing out | | | | they have food allergies. In a true allergy, exposure |
| of the ordinary. | | | | to an offending substance-called an allergen-triggers a |
| Yet these people didn't feel well. They reported an | | | | quick, predictable response. In hay fever, for |
| array of vague, chronic symptoms: fatigue, muscle | | | | example, exposure to pollen kicks in a massive |
| aches, joint pains, digestive upsets, headaches, sleep | | | | release of histamine, a compound that in turn |
| disturbances, and lapses in memory and concentration | | | | produces nasal congestion, runny nose, and itchy, |
| that several described as brain fog. | | | | watery eyes. |
| Mainstream physicians are not wellequipped to help | | | | According to the American Academy of Allergy and |
| people with such complaints. When standard exams | | | | Immunology, an estimated 2 percent of adults and 5 |
| and tests find nothing abnormal enough to qualify as | | | | percent of children experience this type of reaction |
| disease, most conventionally trained doctors are at a | | | | to foods. In a true food allergy, eating even a morsel |
| loss. They may admit as much. Or they may decide | | | | of an offending food-peanuts, for example-quickly |
| that patients with vague, chronic symptoms are | | | | produces symptoms. Your tongue will likely swell or |
| hypochondriacs. Or they may suggest that these | | | | itch, and you'll get a rash on your skin. You may also |
| people see psychiatrists. Meanwhile, the patients | | | | develop a headache, stomach cramps, extreme |
| bounce from one doctor to the next, looking for | | | | flatulence, and diarrhea. In rare cases, an allergic |
| answers and getting increasingly frustrated with the | | | | reaction may result in anaphylaxis, a potentially |
| healthcare system. | | | | life-threatening condition in which blood pressure |
| But the group from Seattle was lucky enough to | | | | drops, the throat swells shut, and breathing becomes |
| capture the attention of Dr. Bland, founder and chief | | | | difficult. |
| executive officer of HealthComm International in Gig | | | | But the vast majority of people who experience |
| Harbor, Washington. First, he had the group members | | | | problems when they eat certain foods don't have |
| complete a questionnaire in which they rated the | | | | true food allergies. Jonathan Brostoff, M.D., director |
| severity of their symptoms. Then he administered six | | | | of the allergy clinic at Middlesex Hospital in London, |
| tests, including one that measures the liver's ability to | | | | estimates that up to 10 percent of the general |
| remove potentially harmful substances from the | | | | population has food intolerances, in which vague |
| blood and another that measures the "leakage" of | | | | symptoms usually develop gradually and unpredictably. |
| certain molecules from the digestive tract. These | | | | Food Intolerance? |
| tests are seldom used in mainstream medicine, but | | | | Eliminate the Possibilities |
| they are considered standard by naturopathic | | | | If you suspect that you have a food intolerance, you |
| physicians, who are more nutrition-oriented. | | | | may benefit from an elimination diet. But before you |
| Next, all 106 study participants began an elimination | | | | try one on your own, Anne Simons, M.D., suggests |
| diet. They gave up dairy products, beef, pork, veal, | | | | pursuing a blended-medicine approach. Start with a |
| alcohol, caffeine, and foods containing gluten, the | | | | visit to your primary-care physician to rule out other |
| protein that gives bread products their spongy | | | | potential health problems-for example, an ulcer or |
| elasticity. They were allowed to eat rice and corn but | | | | colitis. Then consult an allergist or immunologist, who |
| not wheat, oats, rye, or barley. In addition, 84 of the | | | | can test you for allergies. If you don't have any, you |
| participants took a multivitamin/mineral supplement. | | | | can follow an elimination diet to help pinpoint the |
| After 10 weeks, Dr. Bland had the entire group fill out | | | | source of your symptoms. Your doctor or |
| the symptom questionnaire a second time. Those on | | | | practitioner can guide you through the steps. |
| the diet-only regimen recorded a 22 percent | | | | |