All bell peppers of any color, and also oats whether gluten-free or not. Severe abdominal cramping and pain, alleviated only after a bowel movement often days later. Both oats and Bell peppers happen to carry high levels of pesticide residue and nickel. Ewww. I figured out both of these intolerances after a great deal of pain and frustration, when I decided to write down everything that I ate, and sure enough I was able to make the correlation. Good riddance!
I was expecting a bit more detail, surprise, and nuance in this article. The setup promised me something valuable, but I was left empty-handed.
2
Oh golly this is a hard article to 'stomach' and fans the flames of pseudoscience. There is nothing wrong with having foods that don't agree with you, but there are some real risks to taking it farther down the path of dietary restriction. This is a helpful podcast that does focus on food allergies (often not an actual allergy) but goes into the rationale and down side to dietary restrictions, unvalidated lab tests, elimination diets, etc. https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=1447250475
1
Part of my very healthy diet for years included daily nuts, cheese and bananas. I also suffered chronic constipation for 30 years no matter how much roughage I ate. I had to stop the nuts for a colonoscopy. No constipation. Sure wish I could eat nuts again. I guess I can't digest them. Similar issue with bananas and cheese.
When cow's milk began to trigger a sludgy anal incontinence -- good grief! -- my doctor diagnosed lactose intolerance. Three weeks after getting off all dairy, I felt fine -- until I tried a "100% lactose-free" cow's milk; the incontinence returned that very day. I called the company, and a customer service rep said I might have an intolerance to the A1 protein in most cow's milk, including theirs. She suggested A2 Milk, which is an actual brand name that contains a different protein (A2). I tried that and am fine. The market for A2 dairy products is growing, and there's even an A2 Bulgarian yogurt now. products is growing.
1
My wife developed lactose intolerance. I developed casein-alpha 1 intolerance. She began using lactose-free milk, I switched to goats milk. Unfortunately my symptoms returned even worse: bloating and abdominal pain. I tested myself again only to discover that now, I also have lactose intolerance. I think it's an old-age related problem.
When it comes to food intolerances, we are pretty much on our own to diagnose and treat ourselves. The medical system’s lack of basic information and support is astounding, given that food is fundamental to health.
6
I developed a severe intolerance for gluten several years. Tests suggested that "maybe" it was gluten, upon stopping eating gluten the distressing symptoms went away. I avoid gluten now and on the very rare occasion that there is a possible small amount in something I eat, I get stomach cramps, headache, brain fog and vomit. I would love to "get over" this "intolerance" but frankly experimenting eating something with a bit of gluten in it is just not worth the reaction I get from it.
3
@Not much of a cook It sounds like you suffer not just from gluten intolerance but coeliac disease. If the later is the case you should strictly stick to a gluten free diet. I don't know what tests you have undergone, but the presence of coeliac disease is typically determined by a biopsy of the small bowel (and, sometimes prior to it, a blood test) during an endoscopy done by a gastroenterologist.
1
I developed a severe intolerance to garlic and onions after going on a restricted diet (low FODMAP) where I had completely eliminated them for a few months. When I tried adding them back, I experienced intense fibromyalgia pain. I was finally able to tolerate garlic and onions again after micro-dosing and slowly building up my tolerance with allimax liquid drops (garlic).
1
Not a food allergy, however something i find very interesting: After having radiation (my lifetime maximum) for cancer in 1978, I developed an acute allergy (severe respiratory distress, rash, itching, eyes swelling) to animal dander, dogs in particular. I'd grown up with dogs, and had dogs when I was diagnosed with cancer, and never had a problem (or any allergy) until radiation. In the late '90's I read Eat Right 4 Your Type by Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo, and decided to follow his advice re eating for my particular blood type. I followed it strictly or 8 weeks. Lo and behold, I discovered I no longer was allergic to animal dander.
Over time I became lax about adhering to that diet, and eventually stopped paying attention to what I ate. The animal dander allergy returned almost immediately, and remains to this day - unless I return to that way of eating and adhere to it.
I'd be interested in knowing if this method could apply to eliminating some other allergies as well.
3
My eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE) was pretty well under control by eliminating dairy and wheat, then I started eating a new, tasty dark chocolate brand made with cacao, not cocoa. Within six weeks I had a terrible flare up, it turns out cacao is the raw, unprocessed version of cocoa. Cacao can be highly toxic and dangerous to the nervous system and cause other problems. I like to think I am fairly well educated, but I was unaware of this nuance. Read what’s in your chocolate treats as cacao is sneaking into everything!
3
I'm learning about a host of sensitivities and allergies here in the comments. I developed a sensitivity to latex which manifests as itching and a rash. Over the years, thanks to a casual comment about latex allergy and food, I discovered why some foods made me ill - it's because they have components related to latex. Oranges, quinoa, and avocados are among several that cause me cramping, nausea, and the rest.
2
What's occurred to me is that a change in the bacterial flora in the gut could create (or undo) a food intolerance. Has anyone looked into this?
2
@Bridge
Absolutely. That's why it is recommended to take probiotics during or after the intake of anibiotics in order to restore your gut flora.
Before I continue I would like to say that I am not against Covid-19 vaccines (been vaccinated twice with BioNTech/Pfizer and the third time with Moderna). I have, however, develop massive gastrointestinal problems (lactose, fructose and sorbit intolerance, and multiple allergies) between the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines (four months stretch). Since I never had such problems before it would seem only logical, to me, that my bacterial flora has been badly affected (not to mention I had bronchiale asthma for six weeks after getting Moderna). I also know a man in his 20s who has developed lactose intolerance after the first Pfizer vaccine. It was confirmed by his home physician who advised him to refrain from further vaccinations. I also know a number of people who have been vaccinated four times with no side effects. What I am trying to say is, I guess, watch out what you let into your system when you know you are a highly sensitive person.
The answer presented here -- 'It's possible; talk to your doctor' -- is about as helpful as my doctor's advice: 'Eliminate what causes you trouble.' For those of us whose diet is severely restricted by debilitating symptoms (in my case, a day in the fetal position with a burning stomach and throbbing back after eating egg products, avocado, bananas, broccoli, plus a new mystery food yet to be identified), I'm frustrated by the lack of better information.
16
@Michelle oh my goodness I absolutely identify, Every month brings a new food I can no longer tolerate. It's madness and makes life just a challenge every day. I used to cook all the time but have given up because everything seems to make me feel horrible. I feel sorry for mu poor husband who was used to a different life. Me too I used to love food.
1
@Michelle
Eliminating food from your diet that may cause you gastrointestinal problems is one way to go. However, more efficient (speaking from own experience) would be putting the food into FODMAP categories - Fermentable Oligosaccharides (e.g. galactan, fructan), Disaccharides (e.g. lactose), Monosaccharides (e.g. fructose) and Polyols (e.g. sorbitol [E-420], maltitol, xylitol). If you notice you can't eat apples (and it's not an allergy) which contain sorbitol, check for other foods containing sorbitol, etc. Look for a list with foods which contain most and the least FODMAP, and start testing from there. Hydrogen Breath Tests (HO2) might be helfpful as well, although they are not 100% reliable if you are a so-called "non-responder". (You can assess if you are a "non-responder" only after the test: You have all or most of possitive symptomes while the test turns negative.)
If your gastro problems persist even after a weeks long low FODMAP diet, it would be good to test for IBS.
I know, it's highly frustrating; I had been through the trial for almost a year. Had done all possible tests to end up on a low FODMAP diet. It's been incomparable better ever since, although not ideal, yet. Still in a testing phase. Good luck with your efforts! :-)
Oats, are no longer in my diet. Multi grain sure made my shopping choices for breakfast cereal simple.
Offer me a million dollars and I admit I would think about eating an oatmeal cookie, but then I remember my digestive issues the last time I ate one, not a chance.
2
@Heidi As someone who cannot ingest gluten I had initially thought that verified gluten-free oats would be okay for me, but no dice. Then, after reading up a bit more on oats I realized that they contain massive levels of nickel. Guess who has had an allergy to nickel (verified by wild allergic reactions to cheap jewelery as a child)? If you have a nickel allergy that might be why you're reacting to oats even if you don't have an oats allergy. I've had to eliminate a lot other foods that 'concentrate' nickel like sunflower butter, etc. which as a nuts-allergy person is a drag. But feeling so much better after eliminating oats, sunflower seeds and sunflower butter, etc. is worth it! Hope that your digestive system continues to be on the mend!
10
@Heidi Add me to the oats category. For decades I have not been able to eat anything with them, nor made from them. I am told it is not an allergy. But I experience great abdominal pain and GI symptoms within an hour of eating them. Celiac negative times abundant testing. Also sensitive to gluten in larger quantities but oats is the worst offender. Chocolate gives me heart arrhythmias within minutes. PACs mostly but also temporary A fib. That I can avoid. You just learn what your body can and cannot handle and try to keep it to yourself, lest people label you a picky eater. (um, yeah! for good reason!)
@A Researcher
Hmm, that's interesting what you wrote about a nickel allergy and oats. I am extremally allergic to nickel but can consume (gluten free or otherwise) oats with no problem.
There is a difference between food allergy and food intolerance. What Heidi discribed looked more like a food intolerance, to me. It would be interesting to know, if she experienced the same digestive issues after self-backed gluten free oatcakes or porridge...
My food intolerances are to onion, garlic, sugar, yeast which make me nauseous and hyperactive, vinegar and salt which gives me panic attacks, ear ringing and trouble breathing, and sulphates, citric acid, sweet and hot peppers and spice (cumin, coriander) which gives me hives and itchiness. I have to eat a very bland diet. It's very hard but I found if I follow my diet religiously, I can eat these foods on occasion. What a treat that is!
1
@Una Hey there, we sound quite similar in our allergies! I notice that you're located in North America. Have you been tested for a corn allergy? In the US (and probably in Canada too) most 'salt and vinegar' flavors are highly corn-dervied. (Most vinegar / acetic acid is indeed produced from corn byproducts.) Citric acid is largely corn-derived as well in the US. The reactions that you mention to spices and peppers are interesting because they are both 'histamine releasers'
(along with citrus, strawberries, etc.) I've been on a low-histamine diet for years and - finally - panic attacks, hives, and ringing ears from food have subsided. Check out the Swiss Society on Histamine Intolerance: https://www.histaminintoleranz.ch/downloads/SIGHI-Leaflet_HistamineEliminationDiet.pdf and https://www.histaminintoleranz.ch/ as starting resources. The onion and garlic intolerance is quite common; my spouse also has an allium allergy. There are low-FODMAPs food companies that make ketchup, pasta sauces, etc. without alliums so you may be able to tolerate those. (Tomatoes are a histamine releaser, so consume tomato products in moderation if you find that you have histamine intolerance.) I am sensitive to garlic, onions, yeast, sulphates, benzoates (naturally occuring in cinnamon!), high histamine foods and am strongly allergic to corn. (CornAllergyGirl.com has a wealth of corn-allergy information!) I hope you continue to be able to expand your diet and wish you good health!
10
I have an intolerance to spices containing capsaicin, e.g., Jalapeños, dried Chiles, etc., where the result is painful cramps and diarrhea. My biggest problem is avoidance/detection, as it seems every chef today insists on using the spices, and the waitstaff are nearly universally inaccurate in being able to convey the spices' presence.
1
As usual the comments are much more informative than the actual article. Very inspiring!
19
You didn't answer your question, "Can you get over a food intolerance."
34
@Jeanne Goucher
And the obvious answer that the author didn't consider is "no" to intolerances such as lactase deficiency, where the patient can only treat the intolerance with lactase supplement.
This article was little more than boilerplate.
4
Years ago, I developed an allergy to Jack cheese which soon spread to all kinds of cheese. Then I was sent to hospital, still with my allergy, for treatment of an inflammation which was cured with massive doses of antibiotics which cleared my intestines of most bacteria. I asked the nurses to give me as many diary products as possible (still-sealed portions of cottage cheese, kefir, etc). To my pleasure and the doctors' surprise, I lost my cheese allergy and can now eat whatever I want.
1
@CMD Did you have SIBO? Small Intestine Bacterial Overload? If so, a simple test could have been administered earlier.
4
I developed moderate eczema a couple of years ago. It comes and goes which is a mystery to me. I've omitted eggs from my diet for two weeks and both my stomach and my skin are a lot better. So, I'm going to eat one scrambled egg soon and see what happens. The irony is that we have backyard chickens and I may never be able to eat those fresh, organic, free range eggs again.
1
Interesting, related note: lactose intolerance can be a side-effect of SSRIs and tricyclics. So, if you've just started an anti-depressant and noticed sudden lactose intolerance... Mine disappeared after more than a year, but I didn't know about the connection at the time.
Spelt flour is a good substitute (but not 1:1!) for regular flour for those who are gluten intolerant but not full-blown Celiac.
2
What a frustrating article! It said that food intolerance can be diagnosed by eliminating it from the diet, but then says it can often just be re-introduced with no problem? So if someone stops eating it for a little while the intolerance magically goes away? A little explanation is needed here, especially since that part of the article includes no links.
16
I noticed kiwi in the article’s photo, and I haven’t had one since my throat felt like it was closing up after a bite 30 years ago. Have others had this experience and has research revealed the cause?
6
@Gigi
If your throat felt like closing after eating a kiwi you had an allergic reaction (kiwi intorerace would manifect in digestive issues).
I used to have kiwi and apple allergy, which is typical in cross allergies. https://www.aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/allergy,-asthma-immunology-glossary/cross-reactivity-defined For some reason, I can consume kiwis and some sorts of apples now, but I purchase mainly organic foods.
Allergies are response to the state of your immune system. If I was in your shoes, I would undergo a food allergy test, kiwi included. You may be surprised.
You are not alone. Just Google “Do kiwis cause allergic reactions?” You’ll get more info than you may have wanted!
This article did not answer the question posed at all. What bad writing.
17
In the space of DAYS (as improbable as that seems) in the summer of 1988, I became dairy-intolerant. (Seriously, one week happily chowing down on over-cheesed pizza--as true to "Buffalo-style" pizza as "cup and char" pepperoni--the next week, suffering the cramps and diarrhea of lactase insufficiency.)
My mom was intolerant. My dad and I could drain a cow dry. I joined her on the Other Side (and now realized mom wasn't watching her weight when she abjured ice cream and preferred to bake oatmeal-raisin rather than chocolate chip cookies.)
I had it bad, too. I couldn't eat a small package of M&M's without some worrisome discomfort. I carried lactase enzyme like some people carry an inhaler.
Ten years ago, I figured I had just enough time to get home if I ate that delicious-looking one-cubic-centimeter sample of exotic cheese at Wegmans. I hadn't brought my lactase.
To my surprise, I had one tummy rumble and then ... nothing. Carefully over the last decade I have increased my unprotected intake and now can eat four processed American cheese slices (I'm looking at you, gooey cheeseburgers) or have real cream in my coffee without fear. You CAN nibble away at intolerance. And it is worth it to try.
15
@Christopher Bieda, I also had a dairy or cheese intolerance come on suddenly after being sick for a day or two with something like a flu or food poisoning. It resolved after about a year of avoidance. Do you recall any precipitating illness?
Sometimes I wonder if the illness caused some change in the gut's microbiome which gradually returned to normal. Sounds like a lot of people could be helped if researchers could figure this out!
9
I don't understand why we differentiate between food intolerances and food allergies. I also think it is wrong to place them on a hierarchy with food intolerances being seen as less debilitating as an allergy.
According to these labels, I am intolerant to wheat, oranges, and bananas - which cause me migraine headaches which are extremely painful and often debilitating for several days. I am allergic to mangoes and pineapple, which cause my lips and tongue and throat to swell up for 15 minutes and cause hives.
If I had a choice, I would choose swelling and hives every time.
I call everything an allergy because it is the only way to get people (restaurant staffs, friends, family) to respect it.
12
@mb: I've never seen it stated this way, but I believe that food intolerances are generally attributable to some sort of metabolic deficiency whereas an allergies are an immune response.
Some of the effects may be similar, and the distinction isn't always important, but it does matter for diagnosis and treatment.
Calling everything an allergy is probably wise, socially and even medically, unless you're talking to a doctor who cares specifically about those sorts of issues.
If you are asked for a list of medications to which you are allergic, by all means include the ones to which you may also be intolerant--you don't want to take (or be given) any of them.
5
@mb The reason to differentiate is simple; at least for someone who has both food intolerance and allergies. I carry an Epi pen because it can save my life if an errant sliver of shellfish ends up in my plate. Food intolerance will cause itching, hives and swelling but are not life threatening.
Interestingly, five years of sublingual immunotherapy for severe allergies to Oregon flora has allowed me to breathe a little easier, except for hazelnut season, but had not resolved issues with consumption of local stone fruit and nuts in the rosacea and birch family.
11
@Marya For me, food intolerances (to high-histamine foods like shrimp) cause not just itching but hives, swelling of the mouth and tongue and even the throat, low blood pressure, racing heartbeat--in short, anaphylactic shock. The shrimp triggers a histamine release. But if I don't have a high histamine buildup, I can eat a piece of shrimp. The key is a low-histamine diet and healing leaky gut syndrome, but I'm not going to completely avoid high-histamine foods like spinach, kale, tomato, and citrus. (I highly recommend starting with a true elimination diet and slow reintroduction of foods--about a 5 month process--along with gut-healing supplements and nutritional testing and supplementation.)
1
I'd never had any allergic issues up until I had a blueberry muffin and had a full on respiratory emergency. Took me a long time to figure out that blueberries were a new food for me, no problem with any other berries. Blueberries had just become the new 'miracle' food in trendy circles and production was really ramping up. Years later, cranberries became trendy and I developed the problem again. It took a really good doctor to discover that it was not the fruit, but the pesticides that were taking my breath. If I grow my own or gather wild blueberries, I have no problem. I worry a lot about the chemicals.
52
My spouse's gluten/wheat allergy has been fading after 20 years - less brain fog and joint pain. We have been purchasing small mill flour and oats so I can make bread and oatmeal/desserts. We are thankful.
8
@AnnieK-MKE Can you tell us what flour you are using?
@AnnieK-MKE
she for sure did NOT have celiac disease because that does NOT go away ... what goes away is people's hype about "not eating gluten" ... not saying that this was the case with your spouse.
My daughter is highly allergic to balsam of Peru, a substance that appears to be in virtually everything we eat, drink and wear. It is found in chocolate, tomatoes, ice cream, vermouth, lotions, shampoos, conditioners and scores of other items. We had never heard of balsam of Peru and now we're left searching ingredients/contents to be sure it's not there!
3
I’ve never heard of that either, or seen it in ingredients lists! Im sorry you have so much to worry about. Does it also have another name? And by “tomatoes” do you mean canned ones or fresh?
3
@Midd America: I had never heard of it or seen it, either, and found the Wikipedia article on it very informative. It appears to be a fairly common allergy and to be very widely used--a disturbing combination. The Wikipedia article lists a dozen or more other names by which it is known and almost all seem to include the word "balsam." I don't think I've ever seen "balsam" in any list of ingredients that I've ever read, so maybe it has additional names, or perhaps, as a flavoring, it doesn't have to be listed explicitly.
2
Here is a link to the other names:
https://www.contactdermatitisinstitute.com/balsam-of-peru-myroxylon-pereirae-resin.php
My known enemies (amongst others) are acacia powders, hypromellose and Benzoin products also a tree resin used in food, adhesives and medicines.
Thanks for you comment, reading it through hive eyes. Gives me another avenue of research.
8
@P. DeNoble That cross-reactivity is called oral allergy syndrome or pollen-food syndrome. I have reactions to most fruits and some raw veggies for the same reason. I've had it since I was a kid, now age 46. I have tons of pollen allergies. Currently, some allergy docs in the US recommend patients get allergy shots (aka immunotherapy) for the pollens they're allergic to, and for some folks, that course of treatment (can take 1-2 yrs or longer) may not only eliminate their pollen allergies, but will possibly also eliminate the food cross-reactivity. There isn't much research on this approach, it's still pretty experimental. There's also latex-food syndrome for folks that are sensitive or allergic to latex -- causes reactions to most tropical fruits, avocados, and I think chestnuts.
3
@Leah
I have this too. It started in my 20's with an apple. I then had issues with pitted fruits. I thought it was pesticides at first, but organic didn't help.
In my 40's it started getting better. Weirdly, I found that I had less reactions with locally grown fruits, although I've been able to eat cherries again in the past couple years, non of which are gown in my area.
4
@Leah This actually sounds like fructose malnutrition or fructose intolerance. This means when the fructose to glucose ratio exceeds 1:1 the excess undigested fructose collects in the lower intestine. The colon draws in water to flush out the lower intestine. The result is bloating and diarrhea.
I developed this in my late 20’s and swore I had a gluten allergy. It actually turned out to be fructose intolerance.
Easy test is to take a tablespoon of agave syrup. If you get sick later in the day, you’ll know you have it and can discuss your treatment options with a nutritionist.
8
@Kernyl
It might be the local food helped a bit since it rots a little more readily (I have noticed this with Trader's Joe produce and others, farmer's markets might not get the freshest fruit). Because it can change your gut biome, maybe? Just speculation based on NYT and my own experience.
My mom has baked apple pie for decades and claims that the intolerance comes and goes, which would fit that idea. Not much help for me, right now, when I grew up in dairy country but any glass of milk now will keep me up hours at night burping - and I've had a cappuccino nearly every afternoon for a decade now, and ice cream, and milk shakes. Until this year. This was quite unexpected and demoralizing. Years ago it happened with Cabbage, but I didn't care about that much. Now, I just ate 'live' sauerkraut to test this, and without an issue, so that supports the 'gut biome' idea.
I can only speculate that as modern Americans we're not exposed enough to anything that isn't perfect and fresh?
Once I flavoured a stew with rosemary ate it and had some let over. The next day I ate the leftover and almost died from a violent and totally unexpected allergic reaction.
Allergies and food intolerances are incredibly complicated and some seem to "appear" over time.
To me case studies and anecdotal evidence has offered more help than medical sites.
Two years ago I suddenly got very bad dermatitis - eventually I tied it down to fats. Have tried reintroducing fat to my diet but always get the concomitant skin and digestive problems.
Subsequently I got digestive problems and read extensively about the Monash FODMAP diet. A Monash article wrote of how anecdotal evidence indicates that chronic digestive problems may be precipitated by the consumption of fat / oil. The elimination of oil, and foods high in FODMAPs cured me. Have tried reintroducing small amounts of fats / oil - without success. Olive oil (the so-called healthy oil) is the worst.
If medical research collated more anecdotal evidence / case studies they might make more progress than with using only controlled clinical studies.
I learnt more from reading widely about other people's experiences / discoveries; rather than in reading clinical columns.
16
@JJ take a look at fermented foods as well as FODMAPS--vinegar (catsup, mayonnaise, etc.), soy (everything), miso, beer, wine, spirits, kombucha, cheese, tuna, sardines, etc., plus preservatives and food coloring. That means a diet of chicken and rice or at minimum, a diet that is as clean and non-processed as possible that you cook yourself. But it beats the alternative. Being very attentive to FODMAPS, I was aware of oils but not so very aware of the particular difficulties of olive oil and that was my oil of choice. I've moved to highly uncool canola oil and we'll see. Just another thing: I had always thought that because cheddar cheese didn't have lactose it was okay; well - fast forward to the day when fermented foods suddenly caused problems: cheddar cheese is fermented.
5
@Marsha
I also have a bad reaction to fermented foods -- sick, bad migraines and hours of vomiting. UGH! I found out the hard way that chocolate is a fermented food! Another thing that makes me very sick is gelatin. It's in many foods -- like 31 flavors ice cream, for just one example. I have to beware. Unprocessed, fresh food is the way to go, for me. Canned tuna doesn't bother me, though! But canned soup is a no. I make my own.
These have been solved all my problems--
FODMAP diet from Monash University in Australia
A2 milk [does not have the A1 protein, which for many is indigestible]
nightshade exclusion
3
@Hank YES! Within 4 days of being on the FODMAP diet, my symptoms disappeared. It was crazy that the foods that never bothered me before, became intolerable.
1
@Hank If it were only so easy for most of us ....
@Hank
Yes! The FODMAP a diet helped me solve my food allergy mystery. Turns out to be a sensitivity to tyramine, a product of protein metabolism, which is found in foods where protein may be breaking down into its constituent amino acids. Think aged cheese, or dried salamis, even some tap beers that aren’t being used rapidly. It’s not an all or none situation… I can tolerate low amounts. The FODMAP helps me manage my symptoms.. sudden, immediate onset of diarrhea (sorry), soaring blood pressure, and migraine symptoms bad enough for an ER visit. Being mindful, I live virtually symptom free, as long as I remain beneath triggering dose that may build up within 1-3 days.
4
After a convention in San Antonio in 2013, I had diarrhea for more than 3 months—and this despite an Imodium-a-day regimen I've been on since 2010, following cancer surgery.
I think it's because they put spicy red peppers into almost everything tourists eat there. I even had a meatloaf dish at the San Antonio Botanic Garden, and it was laced with the stuff.
Eating out is an adventure I seldom go on any more.
9
@Andrew Porter May I be so bold to ask if you had radiation following cancer? I did for endometrial cancer and for the past 20 years not a day has gone by that I haven't explored the Nerva app, guided meditations, FODMAPS, Mast cell activation, learned the difference between the sympathetic and parasympathetic neverous systems--you name it. Now I'm playing around with eliminating fermented food. Since I'm functional, my blood work is fine and my weight is normal, I'm basically told to manage this horror show by continuing to do what I'm doing. What is that, you ask? If I have to go somewhere or do something, I fast until I get home. That's my technique for no-stress management. That is generally fine until you think about Ubering from LAX to San Marino or something at rush hour. Hey Andrew, kill the Immodium--the time comes when the dam breaks and it's 300 times worse.
I thought I was allergic to mayo since the age of 12. Through the process of elimination, and some embarrassing issues, I realized that I have an intolerance for the combination of egg whites and oil after a poorly done Caesar salad (they used the whole egg instead of just the yolk). I have been mostly safe since, but stay vigilant and ask questions all the time!
4
Sorbitol is one of those substances many people can’t tolerate, but it might take them years to realize it.
A good rule of thumb for me is is to not eat foods with more than 10 ingredients on the packaging.
8
@F R Oh, ugh. I realized long before FODMAPS were actively studied that any food containing sorbitol was painfully, putridly indigestible.
1
I wish there was a treatment.
My problem is called a "Type IV cell-mediated hypersensitivity" to milk protein. For over 50 years, I dealt with episodes of atopic eczema that doctors treated the usual way, topical steroids, creams, even (long ago) radiation. Many times I was advised that "stress" made it worse. They were all wrong.
I can credit the diagnosis of the problem to the nice people who make a wonderful, popular product: Fage Greek Yogurt. If you like it's low calorie synergy with fruit and have a cup of it every day, you'll be consuming around 20 grams of milk protein a day. I say go for it, so long as you're not sensitive to it--they make a great product. However, after six months of looking like a someone who had been burned in a chemical plant, I put two and two together. The problem is that the reaction always takes 36 to 48 hours to develop, long after the food product has been consumed.
Thanks to the yogurt manufacturer, I learned I could actually turn this problem on and off. I tolerate small amounts of dairy products (a couple of grams of protein a day). However, although the dairy cows are thrilled, I miss eating more of the stuff (I like clear skin more).
I'd love it if someone figured out how to treat this problem. Meanwhile, the moral of the story is: Find another doctor if you're told your skin problem is the "stress" or telepathic rays from Jesus, and look for a more specific cause.
8
Try getting regular unprotected sun light for about 30 minutes a day. I have a milk intolerance that caused eye lid swelling. I had no unprotected sun for decades but found when I get some unprotected sun I can eat milk products with no reaction. It took me a few years to figure this out. Most of my doctors had no interest in my anecdotal solution. Case studies are out of fashion but it worked for me.
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@KMC That's interesting. Another side effect of milk for me is blepharitis, basically eczema on the eyelid. My question for you is: Did the sun exposure work where Vitamin D3 supplements did not?
I had a couple of small patches of psoriasis on my legs that were NOT correlated to dairy consumption. They disappeared about six months after I started taking 2000 IU daily of Vitamin D3. Then later I found out that Vitamin D was an old first-line treatment for psoriasis, according to a couple of papers I found on the NIH PubMed website. So your observations might be less anecdotal and more old, forgotten science. As I wrote above, however, almost all of my skin problems traced to milk products. Sometimes, discoveries are in plain sight for years before we see them.
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@Charles Coughlin I am lactose intolerant and had been making my own yogurt with mixed success using lactose free whole milk.
Then discovered that Fage now has a lactose free Greek yogurt. Wonderful product. It even tastes batter than my home made.x
2
This article took a long time to answer the question posed in its title. And even then, the short paragraph actually addressing the subject basically just said, "Maybe."
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@Amanda
I found this frustrating, too, buried the answer and didn't explore it, making the title misleading at best.
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@Amanda
The responses are more interesting anyway
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@Marsha
And more informative!!!
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I have an intolerance or sensitivity to celery, especially raw, but the cooked kind spoils anything it's in for me. I get awful stomach pains that last for several hours. The problem is that the darn stuff is everywhere -- people think it is innocuous!! I hate the taste, the smell, and by association the sight and sound of it.
And I am old enough now that I don't think I am going to grow out of it.
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I have an allergy to celery too. I rarely hear of others with an allergy to this seemingly innocuous food (that does seem to be everywhere...except in my kitchen). But while working with a functional medicine allergist, I learned that my bodily response to celery was actually a crossover allergy. My body “interprets” celery as ragweed, one of my major allergens, and I respond with serious hives/edema, requiring an epinephrine injection. Over the years, I find I can tolerate some cooked celery in soups such as chowders, but even the handling of raw stalks results in my reacting. I understand that there is some new research going on related to curing food allergies that involves using alternative med procedures with some reported success for children with peanut allergies. Of course no insurances cover such interventions yet, so this research should be useful medically and financially for patients.
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@Seabiscute My first violent reaction to food was the celery in V8 juice offered on a ship dining room that brought my family to the US. Having never been exposed to the evil veg, it took many incidents of hives and swelling before identifying the culprit. Since celery is ubiquitous and used in stocks and as filler in so many dishes, restaurant visits begin with questions. My body is so repulsed by the flavor that it's not difficult to detect its presence.
@Seabiscute -- so interesting reading this article from 2-1/2 years ago (why?). Since then, my celery issue has intensified, as its use in foodstuffs has continued to increase. I got dreadful griping intestinal pain for over a day -- preventing sleep at night -- from eating a salad with bacon bits that had been cured in celery juice, just a few weeks ago. (Who would ever suspect that?)
I found via google that celery allergies/intolerance are taken much more seriously in Europe, where many products are required to have warning labels. That would suit me just fine -- I've been thinking of taking a magnifying glass on shopping trips to read all the tiny ingredient lists.
And I still am not allergic to ragweed or anything else. Oh, except Darvon, which gives me completely different issues, but fortunately nobody prescribes that much anymore.
I'm curious that neither the author nor any respondents have so far mentioned blood tests for food intolerance. 15 years ago, after several years of chronic, intermittent flu-like symptoms, fatigue, joint pain and stomach pain my doctor suggested testing my blood for food intolerances and lo and behold back came a list of reactive foods. Under her guidance I started by completely eliminating all problem foods for 4 months then including modest amounts periodically. As long as I stay completely away from gluten I generally feel great now.
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@JS
Had opposite experience. Tested for everything and told had no intolerances. By process of elimination found it was dairy and wheat.
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My allergy is shellfish. Which is not so hard to deal with as many many others. Just avoid it. But every once in awhile some “chef” decides to do something cute like use shrimp shells to make a broth that is then used in a dish. OMG! In those cases I am in agony! Have had to school more than one chef in this problem. One of the most common food allergies and yet still....
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As a child, I was intolerant of chocolate, eggs and maple seasoning---they gave me headaches.
Decades later, I eat cocoa daily, without a problem. Sometimes one outgrows these intolerances.
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@Jonathan Katz Do you know what the issue is with maple? I find that problematic. Is it because it's from a tree? Then maybe the fake HFCS maple syrup (Aunt Jemima, etc.) is best
This article did not mention food sensitivities. Sensitivities and intolerances often have the same symptoms.
Actually, I have never heard of the intolerances (difficulty in digesting) of most of the foods listed here. I thought you were actually talking about sensitivities.
You should revise the article, mentioning sensitivities. The removal of offending foods from someone's diet and then reintroducting them -- that is therapy for food sensitivities.
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Garlic and onions are on my list, which is hard because they are so ubiquitous. Do a search for garlic on the NYT recipe site and it's used everywhere.
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@David you might have fructose intolerance. Onions and garlic have along chain carbohydrate called a fructan - wheat has it too - that can't be digested if you can't digest fructose. I'm in the same boat as you with garlic and onions - it is so hard! You may be able to tolerate onion and leek greens.
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Me too. My joy and delight used to be Japanese food, which never used to use either, and now sometimes does. Look for Indian restaurants that have Jain menus as they don't use any. And certain Buddhist restaurants as well.
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@David
I also have to avoid garlic. But carrying Beano with me helps greatly when I accidentally consume it.
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I thought this article was about food intolerance. I don't understand the relevance of additives to this subject--additives are not food.
Also I get a little tired of lactose intolerance being treated as a defect of some sort. The overwhelming population of the world, over the age of 3, is lactose intolerant. Lactose tolerance is the exception.
Nor does there seem to be any real need for the lacteal secretions of bovine mothers.
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@Justin, Dairy is the protein food group my body handles best. (Seafood is a close second and then soy.) Maybe because my ancestral origins are mainly northern Swiss and northern German. (Ignore the Goldstein; it was a marital acquisition.) That said, I try not to foist dairy meals on many friends who avoid them.
My personal problem which can be dire but not life threatening is bell peppers. Acute stomach flu without the fever.
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@Justin
You're right--additives aren't food, but they are difficult to avoid in many things you might buy in a grocery store, even where you wouldn't expect them. My wife has frequent issues with "natural flavors" and we now avoid anything that contains them, which has helped her enormously with food reactions. Organic natural flavors seem to be less problematic for her.
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@Justin The problem is food additives in food at restaurants and in prepared food. It's still an intolerance. Violent gut reactions, elevated heart rate, hand sweating and hand itching are allergic symptoms. It's tough to split hairs on food allergies vs additives.
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Why does this say symptoms of food intolerance include hives? Wouldn’t hives be an allergic response?
I hate articles like this which confuse allergies and intolerences and are a major disservice to people with life threatening allergies
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@Sara
Yes, hives are a common (and awful) reaction for some food intolerances.
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@Sara
No. Histamine reactions (as mentioned in the article) can cause hives. Stress, heat, and cold can also cause hives. It's not always a response to an allergen. Therefore, hives are not necessarily an "allergic response" (although they can be).
Like most Americans, I grew up eating the all American diet. However when I was 40, I started having cramps occasionally after eating some things. It steadily got worse so I saw my doctor and explained what was going on. After hearing me out, he thought I might be lactose intolerant. "I'm 40 years old!" I said. I'd eaten cheese and ice cream and milk all of my life and had never had a problem and was surprised that that was possible, especially since my heritage is French/French Canadian.
I stopped all dairy products until I discovered lactase supplements. I tried it and through experimentation found the right dosage. I sometimes go without it, but my tummy always lets me know that's unwise.
As it turns out French Canadians usually have a bit of non-western European DNA and of the 9 children my parents had I'm the only one who got that particular strand.
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I thought it was well known that French Canadians often have indigenous heritage?
@Margie I grew up in Wisconsin and drank milk daily. Dessert after dinner was almost always ice cream. After moving away from home I quit drinking milk and had ice cream infrequently. In my 30’s I began having cramps after eating yogurt on my morning break. Never knew what was going on til my 60’s when I read about the FODMAP diet and did a week long elimination. Lactose intolerance prime problem.
Family mythology had a story about the ‘Indian princess’ in my heritage. Laughed it off until I did a DNA test which revealed 9% Native American.
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I’m sensitive to raw onions, scallions and chives, but cooked ones are fine. Apparently they contain enzymes that I can’t tolerate, and these enzymes break down during cooking.
Sadly, raw onions, scallions and chives are EVERYWHERE. Chefs use chives as decorations, and don’t mention them on the list of ingredients on the menu. In my local grocery, every one of the prepared salads contains onions or scallions. Enough, already!
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@J.G.
Keep pocket/purse size container of a Beano with you. Huge help!
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@J.G., me too.
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@J.G. Don't eat out
I was diagnosed with fructose malabsorption (like lactose intolerance but with fructose) about a year ago. It's inconvenient for sure, and I would love a way for my body to relearn how to digest those foods. I agree with an earlier post about how awesome the MONASH protocol is in figuring out what works and doesn't.
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After severe allergies, skin woes, GI problems, and mood swings, I saw an NAET practitioner and went on the elimination diet, cutting out sugar, caffeine, dairy, and simple carbs while getting NAET treatments. It changed my life. NAET is a miracle or a hoax, depending who you ask, but it worked for me and is how I discovered I have a gluten intolerance. I grew up taking antibiotics once or twice a year and I don't doubt that this ruined my gut. I'm now 3 years gluten-free, I rarely drink, and I avoid 'bad oils' like canola and soybean. I'm not on any medication. I've learned about herbalism to address immune system weaknesses, and I have been fortunate to be able to steer clear of antibiotics for about five years now. It's all about being open-minded to "alternative" modalities, and to be informed about pesticides, the food industry, pharmaceuticals, and to listen to your body. Read ingredients! One last thing: dentistry. I had a root canal and it set off a 15-year saga of health trouble––some even believe root canals can cause autoimmune diseases. Stay informed & find what makes sense to you.
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@cc the more advanced version of NAET is ellen cutler method or ECM. it treats many allergens at once.
Soy, lactose, eggs, shellfish, peanuts, certain bread flours and chocolates are obviously the main offenders for having or developing food allergies.
However, what concerns me more and more is how increasingly adulterated our basic food supply has become as ever more newfangled chemical additives and pesticides have been introduced into the actual food growing and processing industry as a whole. Say If flour company A decides unilaterally that barley malt, used in the processing, can be substituted using a much cheaper new-fangled man-made chemical version, without publicly notifying anyone, and then suddenly someone who's used that same product for years begins having odd sensitivity type symptoms, it can take years to figure out the culprit.
So, for me, it's not so much about the foods themselves, but about our industrial food system changing up the growing and processing variables, without telling us. Not good.
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I have had food allergies to citrus, nightshades, soy, for over 50 years. However, the "allergies" to egg yolks and milk did lessen when I became an adult. In the 1960's, the only way children could be diagnosed was through several skin panel tests weeks apart. I remember how painful the tests were, and how itchy my skin was, as well as my eyes swelling shut. My brother had 5 kids, and a few were diagnosed and treated with drops,etc. I just wish the fad people who invent food intolerences, where the main symptom is weight gain, would not be given credience; it takes away resources from people who really need help...
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I was diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis last year, which is also caused by food intolerances. I've been working with my specialist to determine which food(s) may cause it and have been on the six food elimination diet (wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, tree nuts, seafood) as well as medications. Thankfully, it is now under control.
The toughest part of the SFED is educating myself on food content in packaged foods and recalibrating my diet accordingly. The majority of prepared foods contain SFED items, so I had to start cooking most meals from scratch. It's been a hassle at times, but the reduction of bloating, some bonus weight loss, and controlling my EOE symptoms has made it completely worth it. And thank heavens for companies like "Enjoy Life" that prepare only foods free from those common causes of food intolerances in facilities without exposure to them as well. Dining out can still be a challenge, but I now have a few go-to restaurants that have menu items that don't need to be adjusted. I don't have to be "that person" and can simply enjoy the meal. Overall, I'm feeling much healthier and energized, so I'm motivated to maintain this nutrition program. I just have to keep that thought in mind when I really, really want a glass of beer.
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I did not see bread among the foods commonly not tolerated, which is surprising since so many people these days claim to be gluten intolerant and "gluten-free" products and menu items are all the rage.
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@William Wroblicka I think that, often, the gluten-free movement is more about Keto. Although I have a family member with Hypothyroidism and she needs to avoid Soy products and limit some other foods.
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@William Wroblicka I was surprised as well not to see it on the list. Several years ago, after significant GI reactions, I eliminated foods to find the cause. Low and behold it was gluten. I abstained from gluten for three years to allow my GI to heal, and was able to gradually reintroduce it into my diet. For those three years though, it was a challenge to explain that while I didn't have a gluten allergy, I did have a sensitivity of or intolerance towards gluten.
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Perhaps some of these people have undiagnosed celiac, as I did until I was diagnosed at 60 after a lifetime of digestive ups and downs.
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The low-FODMAP diet protocol from Monash University was a godsend for my digestive issues, and figuring out what I did and did not react too.
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@Moose Same here! and now I know that onions and garlic are a no for me. Farro, peaches, cherries and high lactose dairy are as well. Thank goodness for the Low FODMAP diet. My life is so much more comfortable now.
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Years ago, while driving home from a business lunch I developed acute stomach cramps while chewing gum. The boss had to drive home while I lay on the back seat in pain. I stopped chewing gum and didn't have the cramps until about 8 years ago accompanied by 10 pounds of weight loss and diarrhea. I discussed this with my doctors they didn't have an answer. I did my own research and found online a woman in England who had a similar unexplained weight loss caused by an intolerance to the sugar alcohols, Sorbital in particular. I went through all my meds., foods, and found the culprit, toothpaste containing Sorbitol. I cannot digest it, it sits in my large intestine absorbing water, causing diarrhea and ensuing weight loss. The day after I tossed that brand of toothpaste my cramps and diarrhea were gone and I've gained back 8 pounds.
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@Bill Ohlsen
I always felt I couldn't tolerate Sorbitol so I avoided it like the plague. My feelings were confirmed when I asked my husband to get a box of lactose tablets (LactAid) on his way home. He brought home some chewables that tasted really good, but within an hour I had cramps--so while the lactose worked, the Soribitol in the capsules were doing me in.
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@Bill Ohlsen one accidental swig of diet soda gave me a very similar reaction. I seriously thought I would die. I actively avoid artificial sweetners of any type.
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@Bill Ohlsen et alia, these substances are also seriously toxic to dogs, so I have made a point not to have any in the house for that reason.
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I began to develop hives, headaches, joint pains, shooting abdominal pains and GI problems so severe that I was afraid to leave my house. I assumed that it was related to radiation used to treat rectal cancer seven years earlier. Five consultations with doctors representing different specialties proved useless. I started to keep a food diary, but that reminded me to much of dieting, so I had difficulty with that. Finally, Jane Brody wrote a column in November 2017 that was life-altering for me. It was about food dyes, which I knew made me sick, and a commenter mentioned salicylates. I did a lot of research and realized that I have a salicylate sensitivity. Salicylates are found in nearly all fruits, vegetables, seeds,nuts, dyes, legumes, enzymes, emulsifiers, soy, “natural flavors” (see Brody’s recent column about that), sun screen, and many pharmaceuticals. It has been a real education for me and my family. But now I know how to eat and feel much better.
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For years I thought I was suffering from bad urinary tract infections. I also had to pee all the time (well, sometimes every hour — but unpredictably so).
One day, sick and miserable with what I thought was another UTI (my doctor, as usual, wasn’t “sure”), I googled “foods to help the bladder.”
I ended up heading into an internet hole where I read all about IC (Interstitial cystitis) and irritated bladder. Various websites basically suggested a bland diet: no soy, alcohol, caffeine, carbonated drinks and citrus. I gave it all up.
The relief was huge! No more pain and I don’t have to pee all the time. Plus I feel more in control of my symptoms. Sometimes, yeah, I sneak a little weak tea (okay, nearly every morning) and yesterday I had Thai food (for the 1st time in 4 months), but by generally being aware of this I have massively improved my quality of life.
Before this I had sort of noticed that Thai food and soy irritated me (love it so much though) but I hadn’t made the connection with tea (hello, 6 cups a day) and alcohol (2 glasses a night). I guess over time it just overwhelmed my system.
PS Garlic and onions are fine — go figure.
PPS Pretty much totally gave up alcohol. Citrus fruits, too. I do miss both categories.
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Two years ago, while in my early 30s, I lost 30 lbs (which put me at less than 100 lbs) and had all the symptoms of colon cancer. After so many diagnostic tests and elimination diets, it turned out to be a soy intolerance. To this day, I have only regained 10 of those pounds. Avoiding soy is a constant struggle for me. Eating anything with soy will send me into stomach cramps and other digestive issues for 4-5 days, along with insomnia and the worst depression. I work in the medical field as a laboratory scientist so I have a good understanding of the body and laboratory tests; however, I cannot find any research that will help me understand how after 30 years of eating whatever I wanted, I suddenly developed a food intolerance to soy. All the research is for infants and nothing discusses this issue in adults. I wish I could understand what is happening so it would give me some sense of control over the situation.
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@ABell
Obviously I can't tell you why you developed the intolerance, but what I can do is make educated guesses. Like wheat, it's perhaps the case that these days there is more soy in more things; or like sugar (hello type 2 diabetes mellitis epidemic!). And in greater concentrations. In my case, I used to smoke. A few years after quitting, I was diagnosed with Celiac. Smoking is immunosuppressive, so I tend to speculate that the smoking is what kept the Celiac at bay, and perhaps that I ate less overall too. (But, who really knows.) What was explained to me, in what is increasingly common to hear, is that my intolerance is genetic and the environment (finally) turned it on.
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Soy irritates my bladder. Who knew? I was really glad to figure that one out.
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@ABell
I have problems with soy, also, and soy is everywhere in American processed food. Try to find a loaf of bread without soy lecithin, or a jar of mayo without soybean oil. Soybean oil is the most widely used oil in fast food and slow food restaurants because it is cheap.
10
No dairy for me. But using a non-dairy creamer in baked goods, rice pudding, etc., can be used as a substitute for milk.
4
My wife was diagnosed with celiac in her 50s. Cutting out gluten has worked fine though our kitchen is now overflowing with every variety of weird flour on earth. I have wondered if intestinal flora have something to do with disorders like celiac. Is there any research concerning this taking place?
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@DKB
We have a daughter with celiac disease, diagnosed when she was six, 30 years ago. It is an autoimmune disease, and is genetic. It seems to be in the same gene pool as some other autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes (which her grandfather had). Also it is probably triggered by something, hers by giardia, her grandfather's by a virus.
Celiac is not a typical food intolerance, and cannot be cured,
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@DKB YES!! https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29204051
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@Richard Totally agree about celiac desease. When I was diagnosed with eczema and food allergies, my doctor warned my parents that in his experience, children who had allergies and intolerances were more likely to develop type1/2 diabetes. And, after 30+ of watching for it, and watching what I ate, low and behold I now have diabetes, which I have under glucose control. More research needs to be done on how the gut and immune system work with and against each other.
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When I was first diagnosed with my particular auto immune condition, Celiac, I would not have wanted to hear that I can "get over" my tolerance.
No, my first order of business was to avoid gluten, and learn to like living without it, in order to spare further damage to my small intestine. Nine years on, though, I must say I’m more and more intrigued.
Dr Andrew Weil has talked about how he overcame an allergy to cats, and one or two other things. I would not want to intentionally damage myself by jumping right in and eating fresh baked bread again, but I’m open minded and that’s about all I can say right now.
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@Steel. Celiac is very different from a food intolerance, however, and much more serious.
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@Steel, If you have medically-confirmed celiac disease, please don't experiment with eating gluten. Unlike food allergies, celiac disease means that the presence of gluten damages your body *even if you experience no symptoms*. Functionally, this means you can't empirically experiment to see if changing one variable or another improves symptoms.
The autoimmune reaction to gluten in a person with celiac can cause cancer in any part of the digestive tract, loss of ability to absorb nutrients from food as cilia are destroyed, severe osteoporosis...I could go on.
This, by the way, is the reason it's really worth people getting tested to find out if they have celiac, or a sensitivity to gluten. If it's the latter, it makes sense to figure out empirically what works for you. But if it's celiac, please take scrupulous care to follow the regimen of complete gluten avoidance, hard as that is.
Good luck!
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@Diana
As I say, I am intrigued with what Dr Weil has done. I've lived with this for 9 years, done too much research, and adjusted well. It's a huge pain. All of which is to say I am intimately familiar with the disease and how to manage it. Thanks!
2
Acquired a lactose intolerance in 20s. Lost it in my 50s.
6
Also lost 35 lbs in my 50s.
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@Nannie Nanny Sometimes lactose intolerance is caused by bacterial imbalance in the gut. Your lactose intolerance might have been triggered by antibiotics. And conversely, the disappearance thereof might also have been triggered by different antibiotics.
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@emr I took tetracycline for years in the 60s/70s for acne and I blame this in part for my digestive problems (as well as for my grey teeth.)
2
If you want to try, a small amount by itself in the middle of the day, seems to work best.
6
Eliminating certain foods was truly life changing for me. Fortunately, we live at a point in time where it is possible to source a completely nutritious diet and omit offending foods.
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I spent years thinking that I was developing allergies to multiple foods and products as an adult. Never going into anaphylactic episodes, but becoming more and more sensitive to the world.
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome is a relatively new diagnosis, and it can arise at any age. Doing an elimination diet helped me, as well as adding OTC medications such as Benadryl and Cromolyn Sodium.
Most of the foods mentioned in the beginning of the piece are common triggers for MCAS, but environmental and physical triggers exist as well. The first step is believing that it isn't all in your head.
There is hope, and two of the international experts live in the NY area: Dr. Afrin and Dr. Maitland have worked extensively to help spread the word.
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@Cathy Thanks for mentioning MCAS, which I also live with. I've had symptoms since childhood but didn't get treatment until my symptoms quickly progressed 2.5 years ago. Now I rely on medications to enable me to eat food -- H1/H2 blockers & omalizumab (Xolair). I think there are a lot of undiagnosed MCAS folks who think they simply have food intolerances.
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@Cathy with you in mast cell activation, sister! I heard Dr. Maitland speak at the last TMS conference--she's amazing!