The conditions below are primarily caused by specific substances that cause stress in your body.  |
These conditions are primarily caused by food sensitivities. |
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Often caused by sensitivities to seasonal changes, pollens, dust, foods, chemicals, animal dander, airborne substances and contactants. |
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The main cause of dermatological reactions are sensitivities to food but can also be caused by allergies to plants, contactants, and chemicals. |
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Symptoms are most likely caused by sensitivities to foods such as chocolate and caffeine or airborne irritants such as pollens and chemicals including household cleaners, perfumes and vehicle fumes. |
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Most likely caused by sensitivities to foods. Many reactions result in lethargy and feelings of fatigue. Tiredness can also occur at certain times of the day, such as in the afternoon after eating. |
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Symptoms often associated with ADHD and other disorders can many times be attributed to food sensitivities. Components such as sugars, vitamins, minerals, glutamates, wheat, soy, amines, salicylates and yeast are common culprits. |
- Contactant – a substance that comes into direct contact with the skin or mucosa.
Inhalant – a substance inhaled through the airways into the lungs.
Ingestant - a substance that is or may be taken into the body by mouth or through the digestive system.
Injectant - a substance injected into the skin.
Allergies vs. Sensitivities
True food allergies are based on exposure to a specific protein component of a food. The immune system incorrectly perceives the protein as a threat and produces antibodies in response. With repeated exposure, cells release histamine and other biochemicals in response to the allergic food. It is these chemicals that cause the allergy symptoms. True food allergies are estimated to affect less than two percent of adults and four to eight percent of young children and infants.
Food sensitivities are much more common, although estimates vary. Sensitivities are abnormal reactions to food or food components that do not involve the immune system, but involve the body as a whole.
There are three types of food sensitivities:
- A metabolic food disorder occurs when a person is genetically unable to properly or fully metabolize a food component. This includes lactose intolerance (inability to metabolize lactose) or favism (genetic deficiency causing a sensitivity to a chemical in fava beans).
- Food idiosyncrasy is another form of sensitivity with an abnormal response to a food or food component, but the mechanism for the response is unknown. The symptoms can resemble those of an allergy and can be either severe or mild. Sulfite-induced asthma is one example and causes asthmatic reactions in 1.7 percent of asthmatics.
- An anaphylactoid response is a type of reaction that elicits the same release of histamine as a true food allergy, but does not involve the immune system. The specific substance that causes this reaction has not yet been identified. The response is not the same as anaphylaxis.
