The United States Center for Disease Control identified eight food groups in which 90 percent of food allergies occur:
● Cow’s milk
● Hen’s eggs
● Peanuts (a legume, not a nut)
● Soy foods
● Wheat
● Fish
● Shellfish
● Tree nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, etc.)
Some nutritionists add corn to this list because it is a food product that does cause many health issues. The entire food group should be eliminated from your diet for at least a month to determine if you really have an allergy or sensitivity to that specific food. You should ensure that any portion of another food that you are eating contains no quantity of that specific food to which you have a sensitivity.
Wheat is a major health risk for many reasons, regardless whether you have a sensitivity to it or not. I strongly suggest you read, Wheat Belly, by William Davis, M.D. and, Grain Brain, by David Perlmutter, M.D.
Reading labels can be challenging since many manufacturers designate their ingredients by a variety of different names. For example, wheat may be identified on a food label as:
● Flour
● Bulgur
● Semolina
● Spelt
● Frumento
● Durum
● Farina
● Couscous
● Matzah
Ironically, sometimes, the food label identifies a food additive as a ‘wheat alternative’ – and, it is not.
Always listen to your body. When in doubt, keep a food journal and list the symptoms you detect after eating. It will be of immense help to your doctor to help you find the food that is causing your problems. Sometimes when we have not eaten a food in a while – a few months, we might find that we can eat it and not have the same symptoms. Your body has had a chance to recover from the constant onslaught of fighting the inflammation caused by that food. Your immune system has had a chance to recover and become fully functional again. A word of advice – if you are allergic or highly sensitive to something – don’t eat it. Wear a wristband to alert medical authorities.
