Allergies & Asthma

[Michelle Sawicki]

Thought those of you with allergies might find this interesting:

http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2004/gut.htm

Michelle

[calypso]

Thanks, Michelle -- I always wondered about why I have hayfever but none of my six siblings do. This may make sense in my case, because my mom certainly didn't keep us ultra-clean!

Amy

[Gena]

Michelle,

Thanks for posting this. This is so true. Imbalances in the gut mircroflora and an overall unhealthy diet and poor digestive system act as the catalyst for the majority of allergies, diseases and chronic illnesses to manifest themselves in our bodies. After all, 70 to 80% of our immune system is in our gut!

Taking probiotics (acidophilus) to help replinish the good bacteria in the intestines/bowels can be very beneficial.

[persephone]

I wholeheartedly agree about the acidophilus. If I come into contact with wheat or dairy products I bloat and bleed. Everyone used to say this was "stress" but if I avoid those foods it doesn't happen.

I had to go holistic in the end. I kept getting admitted to hospital with dsearing abdominal pain and sent home being told there was nothing wrong with me. I knew all along that there was. Of course, I know now that POTS and NMH can cause digestive tract upsets, and that we're more susceptible to intolerances.

I personally think my episode of acute pain was caused by a course of strong antibiotics; these completely destroy the balance of bacteria in the gut and I couldn't eat or go to the loo properly for months after I had those tablets.

but once I found a nutritionist who gave me acidophilus, I slowly and surely got better. I' ve been on acidophilus for a year now and have gone down two dress sizes. I know exactly what I can and can't eat and I'm fine. despite this, some people still tihnk it's "in my head".

When I was in hospital before Christmas last month I was given wheat free bread but I bloated and bled. I asked them to check the ingredients on the packet and sure enough there was milk powder in the bread! WEirder still was that there was someone else in the ward with wheat and dairy intolerance and she had EXACTLY the same reaction to the SAMe bread. Now that is NOT in my head!

Can I recommend the website www.foodintol.com? It's very good for anyone who tihnks they might have a food intolerance, or who suffers from votherwise unexplained GI symptoms.