I'd like to present a treatment protocol that many people know nothing about, and others pooh-pooh, yet could be a help.
I've always had various food sensitivities, which changed from time to time. I remember my first one was to shredded wheat, which I loved. It occurred soon after a shot of penicillin when I was five or six. I quickly figured it out, moved to corn flakes, and learned to be very aware of what I ate and what my reactions were.
A number of years later, my food sensitivities started to really get out of control, and I sent blood samples to York Labs (only in England at the time) for an assay of sensitivities. They came back with documented sensitivities to wheat and about fifteen other common foods including, of all things, lettuce. It got to the point that if I had to eat out, I'd order a hamburger from a fast food place, eat the meat and use the bun to feed the birds. My diet continued to become more restrictive, and after having read a number of books and talking to people, I was getting desperate.
It was then that my wife mentioned that she had made friends with a nurse who had gone through a desensitization of her own numerous food sensitivities. I spoke with that nurse, and decided to try that treatment, even though she warned me before hand that I wouldn't believe the process.
The process is called N.A.E.T., and I will be forthright in saying that it sounded like a bunch of unscientific voodoo and charlatan mumbo-jumbo, and STILL sounds like that to anyone who hasn't had results from it.
The first practitioner I visited did nothing to dispel the notion of quackery, and I quit him after the second session. I then found the practitioner that the nurse had used, and was amazed at the difference in the quality of the process. The first significant breakthrough came after my sensitivity to wheat was treated.
24 hours after the treatment, you are supposed to challenge it by eating the offending food. If the treatment took, your body will not react negatively to the food. I ate a hamburger with the roll and... absolutely no problem! I ate bread and butter. No problem. I had pizza. No problem. At that point, I didn't care if she was divining spirits from the appearance of mouse livers. It worked. No ifs, ands, or buts, it worked.
As she went down the list over the next few weeks, every one of my sensitivities but one became normalized.
There are various explanations on how some people think the treatment works. I have my own ideas, but the bottom line is that it worked for me when everything else failed. The previous avoidance diets had bought a little time for me, but allowed other sensitivities to manifest.
In the 1970s I worked in a health food store for a while. I am a voracious reader, and have read literally tons of books on various subjects. I'll provide a list of books that I have found helpful:
"Living Pain Free" by Dr. Devi Nambudripad D.C. L.Ac. R.N. PhD
This book is the layman's guide to acupuncture and acupressure for when you need to use it for yourself or a loved one quickly. It literally has charts of where to press and instructions, based on common ailments. It may be hard to find but worth the search.
"Say Goodbye to Illness" by Dr. Devi Nambudripad D.C. L.Ac. R.N. PhD
Details the development of the N.A.E.T. process and gives an overview. I found myself balking a bit at some of it, but pushed through. There is also a workbook that goes along with a treatment program which is mildly helpful.
The N.A.E.T. treatment itself is not cheap and involves a dozen weeks or more of commitment. I doubt it would be covered by any insurance. You do what you have to do.
"The Food Allergy Cure" by Dr. Ellen Cutler
This is a self-help rip-off of the N.A.E.T. techniques, but is close enough that if done properly, a simile of the N.A.E.T. can be done at home for only the nominal cost of the book. I suggest it only for those who can't afford the real thing. Results are mixed, while the results from N.A.E.T. have a much higher success rate.
"Dr. Braly's Food Allergy and Nutrition Revolution" by James Braly, M.D.
Braly is the one that put me on to the York Labs testing. If you are working with allergies through avoidance, his writings are very good.
"The Complete Guide to Understanding and Relieving Your Food Allergies" by William E. Walsh, M.D.
Bill Walsh's work in conjunction with Braly's forms a good solid core for traditional approaches. IIRC, he did some of the early work with Nystatin and yeast issues.
"Patient Heal Thyself" by Jordan S. Rubin, N.M.D, C.N.C. Fascinating story of one man's trip through conventional medicine to development of his own alternative approach. If nothing else, his "dirt" that he sells through Garden of Life products is an amazing pro-biotic, unlike the standard milk-digesters.
Other resources that should fit on your shelf are the Balches' two big books on "Nutritional Healing" and the "Eat Right for Your Blood Type" books. I have a host of other books, but the ones I've mentioned here are by far the most important.
Oh, the food that never cleared for me? Guar gum. Supposedly it is classified as a G.R.A.S. fiber from an Indian tree. It is used as a thickener for liquids. It is in a LOT of adulterated milk products and in me will create a thick mucous that can be so bad that I have to actively work to keep my airway clear. "Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream" is impossible for me to eat.
Every person is different. Foods affect us all differently based on our constitutions, the bugs in our guts, our overall nutritional balance, and a number of other factors. If there is one thing I have learned, there is NO one-size-fits-all answer to food sensitivity and allergy issues. You do what works, and keep looking for better solutions. I hope that the resources I mention here help you discover your own counsel and route to better health. Being sick s*cks.
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Food allergies/intolerance
Who out there is dealing with food allergies? Not just wheat, gluten or celiac, but a variety of "foodstuffs". Join in and let's tak about these "foodstuffs"....