Let Thy Food Be Thy Medicine - Healing Food Allergies Naturally
This is a writing sample from Scripted writer Jennifer Brady
Let me tell you about how we fell into this rabbit hole...
Penny was diagnosed with severe allergies to peanut, tree nuts, egg, gluten, and dairy when she was 8 months old. The allergist, Dr. M, advised me to stop breastfeeding, as following a NF, GF, DF would be "too restrictive." I, very regretfully, listened to her and we switched to an allergen-free formula. This was the first of many red flags raised by traditional medicine.
My husband had asked Dr. M, "What causes food allergies?"
There was no mention of gut dysbiosis orother autoimmune implications. Instead, she told us that global warming was the culprit.
We left the allergist's office with nothing but an epi-pen, a "plan" to practice strict avoidance, and a new found fear that our child could die from ingestion of common foods.
Obsessively reading food labels, calling and e-mailing food manufacturers, interrogating family and friends about ingredients used in homemade foods, avoiding get-togethers and restaurants, unrelenting anxiety and stress became our new normal. How can I protect her? How long until I have to use her epi-pen? Will it work? Are her allergies going to worsen?
I refused to accept that this was the only way to manage Penny's food allergies.
Introduction to Holistic/Proactive Medicine
Thus began my research.
Many late nights were spent reading peer-reviewed articles, e-mailing clinical trial researchers, trying to find a cure for food allergies while making sense of TREGS, IL-10, SCFA, and gut microbiota.
I found a plethora of information about the correlative effects of SIBO, leaky gut, and the development of food allergies but I could not find any published research on successfully healing food allergies in individuals with these conditions. Dr. M was clueless, as usual.
Enter, Dr. B, a wonderful Functional Medicine doctor who practices locally to us. He gave me the first glimmer of hope that we could, indeed, heal food allergies naturally. Dr. B validated that healing the gut would give Penny a fighting chance in healing her food allergies naturally. He recommended the AIP diet and a slew of supplements.
He was also the first provider who ordered bloodwork for Penny. More to come on that in a separate post.
"Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food."
The first step, quite simply, was to stop eating crap. No more processed foods. No sugar, dairy, gluten, soy, GMOs, no nightshades. Eat clean. Eat as we are intended to eat. This was how we would hit the proverbial reset button on Penny's hyperactive innate immune system and start healing her food allergies. It also was an opportunity for my husband and I to model healthy eating for all of our children, and for us to invest in our own health and wellness.
Within weeks, Penny's skin improved. She passed a baked-in egg oral challenge and an almond challenge. Her cheeks do not become randomly flushed. No more mysterious rashes or hives. Her stool is no longer grey or green. Based on these obvious improvements, we were all in.
We are looking forward to a hazelnut, macadamia, and pine nut oral challenge based on excellent IGE lab results. Peanut, walnut, pecan, and cashew remain elevated but I am determined to overcome these and am resolved that we will.
I will continue to add posts as there is so much more information to share. We have come a long way since her initial diagnosis and the journey has only just begun.
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