I react to the red dye number 5 with hives. I think it is more common than we realize.
My husband has been allergic to Penicillin since childhood when he received large doses after being hospitalized for encephalitis (in the 1950’s).
As an adult, periodically, he would develop hives plus swollen lips and swollen hands. One particularly bad bout occurred after he had eaten more than half of a large package of Twizzlers candy, which contain Red Dye #40. We surmised that this was the culprit. Now we acutely aware of how frequently this dye is used in food — think cherry pie, strawberry anything and Red Velvet Cake (recipe calls for several ounces).
We mentioned his allergies to a friend who claims that PCN and Red #40 are chemically similar. I have not been able to verify this, but it is curious that he is only allergic to these two seemingly unrelated things. are chemically similar. I have not been able to verify this, but it is curious that he is only allergic to these two seemingly unrelated things.
I am glad this article mentions white medications that contain dyes. I think human exposure to artificial dyes is much higher than individuals realize. I have to avoid blue dye and am finding that my body is getting more reactive with each exposure. My most recent realization is with tap water at restaurants. Many restaurants have a soda fountain and the water typically shares a tap with something like fruit punch or powerade - almost always something that contains artificial colors. The water is never "clean" coming from this shared tap, and even though it is significantly watered down, my body no longer tolerates this level of exposure. Restaurants need to have dedicated water taps. Something as basic and common as water should not "contain" artificial coloring.
I used to take a generic medication without any side effects whatsoever. This changed abruptly when suddenly I developed lesions on the inside of my lower lip, as well as an extremely tense jaw which progressed to the point where I found it difficult to eat. All this coincided with when the generic was suddenly manufactured by a different company. Which leads me to this: generic drugs need more supervision. It's simply not enough that the medication itself and the strength and amount of it is identical to the brand name. There are fillers composed of who knows what, and it can make all the difference.
Did I mention that the drug itself did not work anymore at all? I felt I was taking a placebo. Drug companies are playing fast and loose in the manufacturing of generic drugs and it's got to stop.
My wife suffers from a disease called Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). Basically, her mast cells are leaky, dumping too much histamine and other chemicals into her body. Since mast cells are in many organs of the body, each MCAS sufferer has their own somewhat unique symptoms. Further, from what I understand, MCAS issues are not a true allergy, but rather an intolerance.
Common triggers of MCAS are sensitivities to food and drug additives (hers include blue dye), preservatives (such as sulfates, sulfides, nitrates, nitrites, and benzoates), foods high in histamine (some cheeses, mushrooms, tomatoes), stress, exercise, fragrances (especially perfume), cleaning products, smoke, and especially MSG (including natural forms of MSG, such as from autolyzed yeast extract). Yes, these triggers are testable and repeatable, causing issues every single time.
Symptoms include heart palpitations, brain fog, heat and cold intolerance, decreased energy and exercise tolerance, peripheral nephropathy, gastrointestinal distress, and congestion/coughing. Although my wife doesn't suffer from hives, this is also a common symptom.
Obviously not everyone's symptoms are caused by MCAS, but it is yet another place to look. Wikipedia has a good article on Mast Cell Activation Syndrome listing various symptoms.
Even if dyes or other additives are not larger protein molecules, there is the possibility that they attach to a protein in the body (much like iron and heme) and then cause an allergic reaction as a complex.
Myself, as a child I was allergic to intense sunshine, think at an equatorial beach or snow-blanketed mountains during the midday hours. I'd get hives. Now it's ridiculous to believe that my immune system would react to photons, however, my belief is that the sunshine changed some proteins in my skin and I had a reaction to that change. This is long ago, so we didn't even know about sunscreen and I didn't care for suntan lotion, so it was me and the sun.
The reason the reports are in handfuls, not thousands is that most responses go unreported. People figure it out on their own and eliminate the cause.
How to avoid preservative chemicals is the larger problem. I am allergic to sulfates, a preservative that is cheaper than alternative ones. One of the only two medications I take is not on the formulary while all the alternatives (all with sulfates) set off massive reactions. Insurance providers are you paying attention?
It is getting worse. Soap, medications, candy, etc are suddenly giving me instant hives or other problems. There are so many changes in moving to "naturals" that are not or to make things with cheaper additives that many unknowns have been introduced.
Synthetic = bad.
Natural = good.
Huge generalization and certainly not universally true, but nothing is universally true (without delving into fun philosophy). But honestly, when Humans decide to just create stuff and foist it upon the general public (the FDA and USDA having become essentially controlled by corporate interests) is to unleash potential havoc upon Society.
And sadly, we have become a society that views a certain level of injury and death in relation to most anything as "acceptable" or "inevitable". E.g., the 50K +/- automotive accidents per year - they are "necessary" to a transportation system.
So, if a few 10s or even 100s are having issues with chemicals in the environment? The Corporate/Government answer is: too bad.
(Unless it's children having the problem; then that seems to matter more than adults dropping like flies, right?)
But "vote" with your wallet. Buy natural. Buy organic. Buy local. And question everything.
Red velvet cake gets a bad rep in this article. The original recipe calls for beet root. No red dye. Dyes are not necessary to color foods. Do some research to come up with alternatives to manufactured dyes.
BTW, I empathize with all of you. My throat constricts when I eat Rice A Roni. While I haven't eaten it in years, my anecdotal research suggests to stay away from this processed food. I purposely avoid any seasoned rice.
2
Around 20 years ago I was diagnosed Fibromyalgia - pain anywhere from my waist to the top of my head. It varies from nagging to serious, debilitating pain, but it’s “just pain” – with no instrument or lab test to measure it and, apparently, not other ill health effects. It has taken me many years to identify the main causes – and they’re almost all chemicals in food or the environment. They include Yellow Dye No. 6, preservatives in meats (cold cuts, commercial bacon and sausage, cured ham), Bergamot, the major Colas and road salt. I can control most of these by careful diet control but it’s a lot harder to control exposure to road salt. It’s not the salt – I live on the coast and have no problem at the beach – it’s clearly the chemical additive used to keep the grains from sticking together.
It’s been challenging to find these triggers as the reaction – pain – comes slowly 8 to 12 hours after exposure. The affect is compounded by stress, lack of sleep and the weather (high atmospheric pressure) as well as the potential for multiple causes. Although it’s rare, a quick, steep rise in air pressure alone can trigger it.
I can’t believe I’m alone in this and must ask the obvious: how many people with similar sensitivities have gone to their doctor for pain relief and gotten it in the form of opioids?
1
I've been having eczema breakouts the last 2-3 years on a regular basis. I've had allergies all my life so know things to avoid. What I found by doing dermatology patch tests is that I have contact dermatitis (a form of allergy) to six common ingredients in soaps, laundry detergent, shampoos and other personal care products. I've gone to products that are "safe" and in four weeks I can see a difference. I had never thought of worrying about what food color was in my medicine, what additives are in things I consume on a daily basis. Ugh. It's hard to track and even harder when you're an older adult because you just don't know what new stuff has come along.
1
Sodium benzoate gives me painful pimples on my chin. It took years to figure out. This additive is on many sodas and processed foods like salad dressing.
My doctor & I just figured out I am allergic to a new insulin. I've been on two types of insulin for many years. This is a newer, longer lasting analog that would have reduced the amount I used overall. Sadly, I broke out in welts at the injection site, had swelling of my tongue & lips & my blood glucose readings went sky high. As I am allergic to several antibiotics with the same reactions, we switched me back to the previous one. It is unfortunate, but another example of patients knowing their own body & its reactions.
Every time I eat a big meal I lose my appetite. When I drink Margaritas I get dizzy and lose focus. Sometimes I fall asleep after dinner and up all night. Cheap socks from TJs make my feet itch. Dryer sheets make my underwear itchy. The eye bag cream made my vision blurry. Sometimes I can’t remember if I took my pill. I make a to do list and forget to check it. I subscribe to the Times on paper but read it in line.
1
I'm allergic to sulfa drugs and sulfites used as preservatives found in wine. I love red wine but find very few wines that don't contain sulfites. One glass of wine will cause me to get a stuffy nose, red blotches on my face and neck and sneezing. If I know I will be drinking wine on any occasion I take an allergy pill prior to having wine.
1
I am allergic to chemicals used to clean the processing line for some wines. Instant projectile vomiting after just a sip of wine. Two friends have the same scenario. Started in 1982 when a specific chemical was introduced in processing. I am still ok with old and very expensive wines but never take the risk.
As a family physician for going on 33 years let me add my own decidedly non scientific and somewhat simplistic observation from over this time. I characterize allergy as a manifestation of susceptibility versus exposure. If you’re highly susceptible to something it doesn’t take much exposure to trigger a reaction. If your susceptibility is very low it takes a huge exposure to trigger that reaction. Both susceptibility and exposure vary regularly but susceptibility is usually determined by many factors not just sensitivity to one particular allergen. Physical, environmental and emotional factors all play a role in susceptibility at any given time.
The body is honest. It simply reflects what is going on at the moment. The mind is not honest. No matter how strongly we’d like to cling to an explanation for something, if that’s not what’s behind it, it doesn’t matter our opinion. Rigid statements about what can or can’t do something aren’t helpful. A careful analysis of susceptibility versus exposure often yields relief or cure. Keep an open mind however not so open that your brains fall out.
9
We recently entered "allergy world" a few months ago when my husband had a Lisinopril (blood pressure medicine) reaction. That was bad enough (anaphylactic). . . but now he's allergic to a whole bunch of foods--shellfish, nuts, you name it. . . .
Normal modern medical treatment for anything slightly off the norm is so hard to trust. (Don't get me wrong, the ER was great for the anaphylactic reaction.) . But now these newly triggered allergies--the allergist doesn't pin them down, etc.
5
Try functional medicine. They specialize in getting to the root causes of patient's issues. Locator on the IFM (Institute for Functional Medicine) website.
I had the shellfish, nuts allergy first. Lisinopril came along later, but I had to do my own research to discover the allergy.
1
Four days after I gave birth to my daughter, my whole body (other than my face) was covered in hives - the itch was so insane that I would scratch to the point of bleeding. After seeing 4-5 allergists-immunologists with 10 different diagnoses, I finally read about elimination diet and removed from my diet all the 8 major allergens and artificial ingredients. The hives cleared up within 5-6 days and I realized that I’ve developed a major reaction to gluten and dairy. I’ve tested negative to celiac disease, but I react violently to any traces of gluten. The result of the diet was that my breastfed baby started sleeping through the night and stopped having stomach upsets. I am extremely careful about what I eat now - no artificial or impossible to pronounce ingredients. It is not easy, but absolutely worth it.
13
A major consideration of this article should be why are these additives in food and drugs to begin with and would it not be better to have less of these things than more?
I've tried to stick to unprocessed foods and after reading this article, I should consider avoiding other additives as well.
10
I have been suffering from Chronic Hives since early 2014,and from severe deramatographism. I was told that the cause is Auto-Immune,but eliminating dyes is certainly worth looking into.
However, I don't have control over the dyes in medication. It's remarkable
that medications to treat allergies can be load with dyes.
3
I've had chronic allergic dermatitis for two years, and have been switching medications with the help of my doctor. For example, I recently switched my thyroid medication to Tyrosint, which has very few ingredients. I've also found no-dye ibuprofen on Amazon. My point is maybe getting rid of the dyes will help? So far I've found replacements for everything I need. If not there's always a compounding pharmacy. Good luck.
2
My chronic hives turned out to be candida. The many doctors had me taking antibiotics and steroids, my hives got worse and worse, sometimes even inside my body. I insisted my doctor try an anti-fungal, which he fought since that wasn’t likely. With the diflucan, my rashes stopped growing within two days and were totally gone in a week. I now follow a candida diet and my rashes are gone.
3
Dermatographism in my limited experience, newly presenting in an adult, merits consideration of systemic mastocyosis. Likely not the cause but your doc can get a serum tryptase easily enough. Most docs have never seen this disease and do not include it in differential diagnoses. And if you are a doctor who does, more power to you!
Beginning in my 40’s I had an aggressive itchy rash on my arms and hips. I stopped eating gluten and it went away - completely.
Ten years later the rash has moved...it I eat gluten now, the rash is on my face. I don’t eat gluten anymore
7
I find the link to sulfa drugs fascinating. I learned I was allergic to sulfa while in graduate school. A few years ago, decades after grad school, my dermatologist tested me for a few items and then decided to test me for a slew of dyes in case I ever opted to cover my grey hairs. Turns out I was so allergic to those blue dyes... I had welts on my back for over 2 months. He said, "If these do not go away, I will have to write a paper about you.". In short, I wonder how common the link between sulfa drugs and dyes, especially blue and black dyes. Thankfully, my doctors take the blue dye allergy seriously and avoid prescribing pills with those dyes.
3
I get migraines from eating foods that have dyes in them. That includes yellow cheese ... I cannot have yellow cheddar or Colby, for example, but white cheddar poses no problem. Smoked salmon often has orange dye and I’ve had to give that up too.
4
Smoked Salmon and aged cheese also contain tyramine which is notorious for causing migraines.
2
Definitely not the dye, Patricia. I’m a migraine sufferer, too. Google “foods that contain tyramine,” and avoid all those at the top of the list.
As a general pediatrician I found a decent number of patients who had symptoms of a mild urinary tract infection but normal cultures who got better when red dye (which is an ingredient in many things colored brown) was eliminated from the diet. There were no symptoms of real allergy (like hives) but the kids very frequently got better with the elimination.
It really shouldn't surprise us that these food additives are not the greatest thing. Another reason why we should all eat more food that is less processed.
12
Wow! I had that issue and my doctor could not figure it out. I was eating lots of jelly belly candy at the time (it’s a weakness of mine). It’s chock full of red dye! Coincidentally, I’ve subsequently decided to avoid those evenly jelly beans for other reasons. The symptoms have gone away. I’m going to tell my doctor about this.
1
Ah, the Christmas UTI like symptoms. Bingo.
As an integrative medicine physician, I perform tests that are not accepted by conventional allergists that look at IgG and T cell mediated food, preservative and other chemical sensitivities. I have seen a strong clinical correlation with symptoms subsiding and being provoked by the items that test positive. Some reactions can be due imbalances of the microbiome that are exacerbated by the foods or chemicals rather than allergic reactions. These imbalances will cause increased digestive permeability to foods that will then cross into the body in too large of a form that will stimulate the immune reaction in the first place. Besides that, immune dysfunction can occur due to hormone and nutritional imbalances so it is important to evaluate the system as well as the triggers that these symptoms evolve in.
9
Jake- how are you? What are you up to these days? I thought you were gone from SF...
I’m one of those oddly sensitive people who feels like she’s allergic to nearly everything (natural & manmade) on most days and then sometimes, for whatever strange reason, things are suddenly fine for a while. Thank goodness my Dad believed me when I was a kid and he took me to a great allergist in Manhattan about 50 years ago. They prescribed medications and I didn’t like feeling “woozy” so I quit. Then I tried a bunch of remedies from the health food stores over the years as I got older and my suffering became much worse. So, now I just roll my eyes as nearly all the doctors I chat with call me a hypochondriac and I just sit at home on a cotton sling chair wearing 100% cotton clothing and wishing I could eat more than the few foods I’ve finally found somewhat tolerable. And, a quick aside to all the gluten free folks out there, it’s not celiac in my case. I’ve tried almost every dietary recommendation already. It’s miserable!
1
Do you have any suggestions as to a good source of 100% cotton clothing ?
I am suffering from chronic hives and can't tolerate any material other than cotton.
Thanks.
1
Try Vermont Country Store for cotton clothing. I am not connected to the business.
2
Try Blue Canoe (bluecanoe.com)
They make organic cotton clothing in the US.
Dr. Swerlick can be sceptical, but all I know is I can take the Pfizer-branded tetracycline, but I cannot take the generic equivalent made by a particular company. That's not true for me with all generic drugs, but it true for generics from that company. Additives, fillers, whatever you call them, they give me a severe reaction.
2
I, too, cannot take a generic of one medicine because of adverse effects of the inactive ingredients.
To get insurance coverage requires a doctor's statement of medical necessity annually. Then this medicine "only" costs me $100 /month as a Tier 4 prescription, as opposed to over $1,000/ month when not covered.
I'm delighted to be covered. At the same time, since the generic is a Tier 1 prescription and so costs less than $10/month, I feel that the insurance companies discriminate against those of us who cannot take generics for reasons beyond our control.
1
I used three brands of thyroid drugs —synthroid and two generics—at the dose that is dye-free non-allergenic. I had reactions from two of them. The third one, which I had no reaction to, stopped being made.
Now I am on WP thyroid, which has few ingredients and good for allergy sufferers. Not covered by my insurance next year, but cheap enough to buy on my own.
Some dyes used to make food bright pink does me in. I've known it since I was eight but every doctor doubts me.
2
became lactose intolerant in my mid 20s. sensitivity has gotten worse with ageing. Have developed reactions to medical tape adhesive, latex, and of all things lemongrass. Can no longer wear wool, except for merino wool. Most often just get itchiness with contact, wash hands to stop reaction. Read labels to watch for contents which cause reactions. Avoid contact is the rule I go by.
3
That's my mantra too.
1
I am an allergist. This is a nice typical case of chronic urticaria. Last year an elegant study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology performed 1100 challenge testaste! wit 11 different additives to 100 patients suffering from urticaria and none was positive. Proof.
2
Doctor, may I respectfully suggest you try harder/learn more before writing off your allergic patients as crackpots. My wonderful allergist is at the top of his profession and he, unlike his less knowledgeable colleagues, has done wonders for me. Doubt yourself before you write off your patients.
8
What is a "nice, typical case of chronic urticaria."?
What you have demonstrated is a typical case of M.D. arrogance.
A sample of 100 people proves nothing. I saw at least 10 allergists,
and numerous dermatologists over the course of decades before
a 35 year old academic allergic to whom I'd been referred waved off the stacks
of allergy tests I'd brought to my consultation, stating: "That's not what's wrong with you. You're not allergic to anything . She sent my blood to the Mayo Clinic.
which confirmed that I am suffering from Chronic Auto-Immune Urticaria.
My dermatologist had the grace to admit that he and his colleagues
had missed my diagnosis for decades. Finding someone who can treat me is a whole other story. I've given up.
11
Many of these additives are made under less-than-rigorous quality and purity standards in China and purchased on B to B market websites. This makes it more difficult to trace the maker.
Current regulations do not require country of origin information for each ingredient on the label.
10
My husband has been allergic to Penicillin since childhood when he received large doses after being hospitalized for encephalitis (in the 1950’s).
As an adult, periodically, he would develop hives plus swollen lips and swollen hands. One particularly bad bout occurred after he had eaten more than half of a large package of Twizzlers candy, which contain Red Dye #40. We surmised that this was the culprit. Now we acutely aware of how frequently this dye is used in food — think cherry pie, strawberry anything and Red Velvet Cake (recipe calls for several ounces).
We mentioned his allergies to a friend who claims that PCN and Red #40 are chemically similar. I have not been able to verify this, but it is curious that he is only allergic to these two seemingly unrelated things. are chemically similar. I have not been able to verify this, but it is curious that he is only allergic to these two seemingly unrelated things.
4
About 4 years ago started having digestive issues and just felt terrible all the time but especially after I had something to eat. Then when I scratched myself the scratch would welt up. Went to an allergist and they found out that I was allergic to corn and corn byproducts, which is in everything and then a nutritionist discovered that this food allergy gave me Leaky Gut Syndrome which was affecting my immune system. I blame it all GMO’s and Roundup in our food supply.
22
If you start eating non-processed food, e.g. food in its original whole state, (lots of fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains — forget the “white” ones which are pretty flavorless) this might help. I know you can’t avoid all processed food since we all eat out and go to dinner at other peoples’ homes, but if you can learn to enjoy cooking you can find better health and great joy. Keep sugar to a minimum. Yes, I have had chronic hives and I also have diverticulitis. But have had no attacks of the diverticulitis in over 6 years because of the fiber I get naturally through my diet; the hives is a newer condition so still trying to figure out what may have been the trigger. It is quiet now that the weather is cooler.
I am living in Germany right now. There are two options for milk here - fresh (refrigerated) and milk that has some kind of preservative so that it can sit on a shelf, unrefrigerated, and last a long time. I think they put that same preservative in those mini coffee creamers in the US. The first few months I was here I kept drinking the latter kind of milk, and I couldn't understand what was giving me such GI issues until I remembered my stomach hates those coffee creamers. I switched to the fresh milk and, voila, no more stomach issues. Convenience has its price.
5
This article refers indirectly to a condition called chronic idiopathic urticaria which I have had for over 40 years, since age 28. In layman's terms it is periodic breakouts of large and often very itchy hives for no known reason or, more likely, for a wide variety of reasons which are difficult to impossible to pinpoint. In the early years of having this, I went into anaphalactic shock twice with my face swollen like a balloon with edema, my air passages closing off; luckily I made it on my own to the closest ER to get whacked up with prednisone. I have been to more allergists than I can count, also immunologists, gastroenterologists, endocrinoligists and, of course, internists. My first allergist back in 1978 thought artificial dyes and flavorings were involved so I stopped eating almost all processed foods or anything that appeared "artificial." I now manage this condition with twice daily doses of OTC pills for H1 and H2 as histimine overload ( my term) appears to be an issue in my case. I designed this particular drug cocktail after reading widely in online message boards of fellow urticaria sufferers -- there are more than you could possibly imagine.
1
After a mega-meal of Chinese food about 10 years ago, I was dizzy and disoriented to the point where I thought I had vertigo. Thinking it was msg, I was more thoughtful about my next Chinese meal. Then, sometime later, I experienced the same symptoms after eating a bagel. Ugh! Other food items brought on mild headaches, fuzziness, strange breakouts around my mid-section. Another symptom of an allergy is not being able to stop consuming something. While I have successfully navigated the aforementioned problems, my new nemesis is SUGAR. Honey or maple syrup is fine, but anything refined kicks off binges that result in bloat and inflammation; sometimes painful. Double UGH! A while back, someone told me that your body may be able to tolerate mild allergies in your '20's or '30's, but after that, not so much. I believe them.
5
I've had the opposite experience. In my twenties, I developed allergies to a whole host of foods, which left me with about 30 types of foods I could eat (including meat, fish, grains, vegetables, fruits, etc.). In my sixties, many of the allergies went away. It's a whole new world now: flavors I haven't tasted, foods I haven't eaten in a lifetime are wonderful re-discoveries now. There are still some things I can't eat, but they are fewer.
1
I became allergic to many things after a meal with lots of MSG. Woke up unable to swallow. Fortunately had liquid Benadryl. After it happened again after eating that same soup, I realized it was MSG. I can eat at any Asian restaurant that is MSG free. However, I kept all the new allergies, including to my Armour thyroid and other medications.
I, too, ended up with head-to-toe hives -- burning, red, massive hives -- what doctors call urticaria. I could only wear dresses, fully-lined shifts that were loose around my body. No underwear. My body was so black and blue from scratching, that I looked like someone beat me with a baseball bat. This agony lasted almost a year.
Doctors could never figure out the source. Never-the-less, a series of doctors prescribed high doses of prednisone for that year, even though the drug did nothing to help me. The prednisone caused such lasting negative effects on my immune system, that I ended up suffering from disabling symptoms that lasted almost 8 years. After seeing every top medical expert I could find, it was a holistic doctor who finally restored my health. After about 9 months of working together on which foods I could and couldn't eat and a range of supplements I needed to counteract the damage, I regained my health back ...mostly.
1
I have had urticaria for twelve years. I control it with a daily dose of fexofenadne (Allegra) 180). If I miss even a single dose, the itching and hives make a comeback. No prednisone, thank goodness.
1
How I wish that a daily dose of 180 mg of Allegra would control
my Chronic Urticaria. Doctors put me on 4 times the usual daily dose of Allegra, 20 mg of Levoceterizine., Pepcid, Singulair. Doxepin (for H1 & H2 )and a number of other ant-histamines. I continued to claw my skin off. but slept through most of 2014,
1
I am allergic to FD&C 5 yellow, and FD&C 6 sunset yellow, which cause my throat to close up. Several common medications contain these colors and I have to advise pharmacies and check each new refill. I have been discouraged by the continued use of these dyes in the US but now believe that they are used in medications to make them easier for busy nurses to identify. Sunset yellow 6 is banned in some European countries.
1
What started as a itchy reaction to sunscreen, ended up as hives and tightness in my throat which led to a PABA in sunscreen diagnosis. PABA was eventually removed from sunscreens but since it’s a part of B-Complex, it’s everywhere. I’m not allergic to naturally occurring B-Complex in food ( beans, nuts, oats, dairy) but it’s in food coloring and hair dye. B- Complex even if it says PABA free has traces of it.
Almost 40 years ago I developed hives after taking a medication called "Macrodantin". This year, my doctor suggested I take baby aspirin and when I did, I had hives again (the only other time in 40 years). Turns out, the yellow coating on the aspirin that makes it time released contains whatever Macrodantin had (he looked it up). Now, I have to split aspirin every time.
2
The salycites in the Aspirin could be the culprit.
I have lived with intermittent joint pain, which can get pretty severe, all my adult life. As the standard tests were negative or only "marginal", the standard doctors quickly threw up their hands and said my problem wasn't bad enough to treat. The anti-inflamm
Apparently, lots of intermittent pain isn't "important" if it doesn't kill or cripple you, if doctors don't know how to treat it. Trust me -- it can be a quality of life issue, though.
I had noticed certain foods, especially meats, made it worse. I had also noticed certain regional foods, especially Asian foods, tended to make it much worse. (Not a 100% correlation, but a strong one).
FINALLY, after maybe 20 years, and mostly treating myself via logic and observation and careful behavior (i.e. managing the condition), something dawned on me. Many of the Chinese dishes I enjoy (on occasion when I'm doing well) have the same kinds of foods I eat without the Chinese food sauces/spices -- that I can eat all day long with nary a problem.
What if the problem was the spices in the Asian food? (I had already tried ordering with no MSG, and although the food looked different, that didn't seem to matter). That fits with that some BBQ sauces are fine -- and some nail me every time.
I suspect allergists or doctors who focus on diet might help a lot of people who get NO help from traditional doctors might find some relief -- without waiting 20ish years and finally figuring out much of the problem themselves.
The real problem is that the FDA will relax enforcement and scale back regulations. Those pesky regulations crimp the corporations' style.
1
It would be nice if the medical mantra "This is not a true allergy" would give way to medical people saying, "This is not a true allergy as we define true allergies, but the "x" substance definitely causes side effects that can cause extreme illness and needs to be avoided and/or treated."
25
Health care practitioners need to listen closely and respectfully to folks who come to them for information and the best available advice regarding reactions to food, medicine, water and air. Perhaps even learn from their patients who might be describing symptoms that are actually "canary in the coal mine" warning alarms. When someone tells you who they are (or in this case, what their struggles are) believe them.
1
I have an exemplary allergist who has worked with me to identify the substances that cause my allergic reactions. I wish every allergic person had him. (By the way, I went t a number of allergists through the years who just had me eliminate more and more foods and substances, but provided no relief. There are excellent doctors out there so do what you can to find them.)
@Farida Shaikh
Hi would you be able to provide the name of your allergist?
I am in my early 50s, female and figured out my allergy about 2 years ago. I carry an EpiPen because I have anaphylaxis. I have had a scratchy sore throat at times for years but thought it just sinus drainage. It steadily got worse. I am skipping details but after connecting the dots it is from consumables with red dye 40. The last attack was when I was eating dry Reese's peanut butter cereal. I am so careful to check ingredients and this one slipped by me. After a few bites I felt funny and knew. I googled and sure enough - red dye! I started choking and my coworkers came running, they know I carry an EpiPen. I took two dye free Benadryl pills and felt better in about 15 minutes. I have not had to use the EpiPen yet. My reactions get more severe each mistake. I stopped choking but a little later my cheeks on the inside of my mouth were swollen over my teeth and my lips and tongue were swollen. This usually last 24 hours and the next day my muscles feel achy like I have the flu and my skin hurts to touch. Nope, definitely not in my mind! I have many who have seen each time I have slipped up. Red dye is in medicine, toothpaste and mouthwash, drinks and so many foods/candy as color or a preservative. I am allergic to the red dye that is made from petroleum. Not the others the article mentions.
7
Red food dye gives me migraines. Took me a while to figure this out but now I'm ultra careful. It's amazing how many foods have unnecessary added colorings.
6
A good excuse to learn to cook and bake from scratch is to avoid additives like food colorings by default.
6
In the 1990s, spent a whole year in England, returned to California and broke out in hives everyday of my fall semester in college. My mother said I was too stressed out. Went for allergy testing, the allergist thought I was making up my symptoms. The look on her face when she looked at my back - I was allergic to everything she tested me on. Luckily the hives went away. But another girl, also spent a year in England, returned to California and broke out in hives. There is something in the foods we eat in the US. When I go abroad, I have no GI/stomach issues or skin issues.
20
I've had a similar experience, though not with hives. When I'm in Europe, my GI issues are much reduced. When I come back to the states, they go right back up. Doesn't really matter what I eat in the states. Definitely additives that are allowed in the US and not in Europe.
While food shopping my son asked me to buy him a sports drink of some kind, I think it was a Gatorade product. It was in a plastic bottle with a label that obscured 100% of the contents so you could not see the liquid inside. It was single serving and designed to be consumed straight from the sport bottle.
The consumer of this beverage would never actually be able to see the liquid inside yet it contained three different artificial colorings. Why would they color a product that is not even seen by the consumer?
6
Some of us actually are allergic to 20 types of medications....
That said, I would have loved a link to the site that shows the dyes that are similar in reactivity to sulfa drugs. I'm allergic to sulfa drugs and knowing this fact would have been appreciated.
5
Let's not leave out aromatics. I'm on my third recovery day from being caught by several ladies with perfume in an elevator. I assume it's something synthetic in fairly expensive perfumes, but it's rough stuff. Wheezing, phlegm, sneezing. I was never allergic to perfume, but these scents are in fabric softeners, floor cleaners, dish detergency, hand soaps (!) in bathrooms, polishes, and of course foods. Done have to make a choice between washing our hands and having an allergic reaction to stinky, fake-lavender-smelling soaps?
35
You sound exactly like my spouse. Amazing how many people don't believe this.
1
I am severely sensitive to almost all scents(natural or man- made) and every single perfume fragrance. Even flowers or fragrant plants get me ill. People have always told me it's all "in my head."
So true.
I had to walk of Bed Bath & Beyond and Best Buy stores because of the toxic chemical smells---I simply couldn't breathe that air. The moment I had entered the store it was like being hit with a wave of chemicals.
After I complained to store employees and managers, they brushed me off saying that they did not notice anything wrong. I asked them how they could bear to be in this toxic workplace and they shrugged. Apparently, they are exposed to it so much that they don'e even notice it.
It's not just the chemical-laden cleaners they use or the chemical fake fragrances (watch out around the holidays with cinnamon in the air!), it's also the chemicals in the industrial carpets, and other building materials. These too-big-to-be-bothered big box stores are only obsessed with profits.
1
Certain wines and beers give me hives. One Chinese beer started a breakout in minutes. Imported German beers don't. The culprit might be preservatives.
3
German beer has been produced under the Reinheitsgebot law since 1516, meaning that only water, barley, hops and yeast can be used.
Less is more sometimes.
2
I'd like to know what it is in instant coffee or coffee essence or coffee syrup that brings on a visual migraine within half an hour, and yet I can enjoy a 'real' coffee without any problems. It's a problem because there are some ground coffee brands that enhance the flavour with instant and increasingly it's being used as an ingredient in cooking. Discovering my migraine trigger was an absolute life changer.
6
For me it is red wine - a killer! AND I have been doing an experiment of late because my migraines were worsening and lasting for 3-4 days. I had read chocolate was a common trigger, so stopped eating it. I am sad to report that after several weeks with zero chocolate, I have not had a smidgeon of a headache. Sigh. I miss it terribly.
1
I broke out in little bumps and what looked like acne on my face even though I was 40 years old and never had it. Narrowed it down to BHT and BHA used as a preservative in cold cereal like cornflakes, etc
4
Following two back to back bouts of strep throat, I had a severe reaction to aspirin and or penicillin, requiring medical treatment. Since then I have learned that I have a general salicylate sensitivity, and for me the big problems come with three things: one, yellow dye number five or six, which is found in medications and in combination with other colors. So I have to watch out for things that are green, or tan, or peach colored, they often contain yellow dye. Two, anything with artificial mint flavoring causes an immediate reaction. Thank toothpaste, gum, mints, mouthwash. Anything with mint flavoring will do it. Three, cloves. If I eat anything that is like a spice cake or a hermit cookie, I will get an immediate reaction. This extends even to some sauces like A-1 or Worcestershire which contain cloves in the original recipe.
The point here is that there are many, many members of the salicylate family, and you are not going to respond to all or even some of them. But just a few that are as common as these three can land you in the hospital. I have had two hospitalizations because of exposure to pickles containing yellow dye, and a green pill that was recently prescribed and I thoughtlessly swallowed one. So look for a list of salicylate containing items and be your own detective.
7
Speaking of dye - before cutting out cheese puffs from my diet (loaded with Yellow No. 5), when I "accidentally" ate too many, later on my eyes would itch as if a cat were in the house.
6
I understand the predicament for doctors not being able to diagnose based on small anecdotal evidence. But I wonder if more people are suffering from minor reactions, without reporting. I get a weird uncomfortable tingling sensation in my mouth after eating certain foods. The feeling is so uncomfortable I have to immediately rinse my mouth thoroughly, and if possible, brush my teeth. And I've never been able to find a connection because they seem so unrelated. I get it from organic apples and Trader Joe's tomatillo salsa, for example.
People with kidney disease also struggle because they cannot have phosphate, and it is often not even mentioned on labels. I think it's about time we are told what we are eating.
11
I get that too. I stumbled onto an article about Oral Allergy Syndrome. I am allergic to birch trees and there's a whole list of like protein fruits and vegetables that one might be intolerant to due to the tree allergy. Finding out if you have any environmental allergy might be a clue.
5
Oh yes. Sounds like you may have a celery allergy and or associated birch pollin allergy like the other writer mentioned. You should definitely see an allergist and also be careful with cilantro, carrots, raw apples until you are tested. These reactions can be anaphylactic so don’t be cavalier about it. By the way in th US celery does not have to be listed or only listed as a spice but in Europe it is considered a major allergen and has to be boldly labeled.
What this article didn’t address, b/c most doctors don’t recognize it, is that these food coloring and dyes can also cause mental and emotional symptoms in children such as ADHD symptoms, angry outbursts or even bed wetting. Think about how many dyes and colorings are in a small child’s diet. As a holistic nutrition professional I’ve seen this. And the dyes are also in many of their meds. Most people wouldn’t associate the two. There is also testing available but doing a complete dye removal diet and then slowly adding one back in at a time works too.
15
My own experience isn't scientific, but anecdotal. Forty years ago, when I was pregnant, I had seizures that continued throughout the pregnancy and several weeks afterwards. I found that after I ate anything with yellow dye I would get a pre-seizure aura. I eliminated yellow dye from my diet and my last seizure was over 30 years ago.
5
My mother kept bees before I was born to when I was a small child and her only major reaction to a bee sting was when she was pregnant with me. Her whole hand swelled up.
1
30 years ago I sicovered I was allergic to aspirin when I'd been taking it frequently for an injury over several days, I ended up in the ER with oral angioedema that could have progressed to my throats closing. My allergist informed me that Yellow #5 was also a salicylate, and I should avoid it. Later, when I began to get hives regularly, I realized that my the wintergreen lifesavers I'd recently begun eating, contained yellow #5. More recently, talking to a different allergist skeptical of this kind of allergy, I noticed intense itching on the sole of my foot and discovered a large welt...angioedema. The allergist asked if I'd had pickles in the past day....yes! I hadn't known till then that most commercial pickles are colored with yellow #5. This was as close as you can get to a blind challenge. Allergist no longer skeptical.
12
Diagnosed with an allergy to salicylic acid, my husband tried to avoid it for over a year. The allergy wasn't limited to additives, but to salicylic acid found naturally in foods. The list of these foods is pages long. His dermatologist diagnosed the allergy, and his allergist prescribed Prilosec, or the generic version, 30 minutes before dinner. The only "blow-ups" he has now is if he forgets to take the pill. I hope others find this information useful.
1
Thank you for this. I've had weird reactions to many things over the years but developed one to capsicum in my 40s. Benedaryl often solved the problem but I noticed this same reaction of throats closing and scratchy happening with some foods. I try to be diligent with food labels and have been for years and I finally noticed annatto. Your mentioning annatto here gives me great solace because since avoiding it I have fewer reactionss.
2
Additives to drugs are usually called excipients. An example is that which is added to coated aspirin in an effort to reduce side effects from the aspirin itself, such as gastrointestinal bleeding. Turns out my husband was allergic to that excipient, and switching to uncoated aspirin cured his problem.
3
Lately, I am suffering from many sources. In addition to the ones mentioned in this article. Synthetic Vit A is awful. I break out in painful hives when I intake it. What is it in? It is in almost everything: all low fat dairy products including MILK, prepared sauces and dressings have synthetic Vit A,
And GUMs. All Gums now are really a SOY derivative. They don't want to write the word soy or peanuts. They now have a number of different terms for cheap preservative & thickening agents that we are highly allergic to.
3
The implication that the problem with sulfites has been handled by banning restaurants from treating raw fruits and vegetables with sulfites is unfortunately, not true. The FDA allows sulfites to be added to many food products without proper labeling, which allows random exposure to those of us allergic to it and causes the allergy in the first place. I became allergic to it after regularly drinking Maine Root Ginger Beer, a supposedly natural soda which the company says does not contain sulfites but which promotes a severe reaction in me. Imported spices, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables, particularly prepared potato products for restaurant use all contain sulfites but are not required to be labeled. Even medications can contain sulfites, raising the truly frightening possibility of an even more serious reaction after being injected with a treated medication.
5
I have a sever sulfite intolerance, and I had the same reaction (pun not intended) when I read this article. Sulfites are also often added to dried fruit, shrimp, lobster, wine vineagar, balsamic vinegar, chili sauces, sun dried tomatoes, and capers. As a result, salad dressings and marinades are my enemy. It's really hard to avoid exposure eben when you're vigilant.
I expect deadly reactions to Red 40 aren't particularly common, otherwise it'd be a pretty common occurrence for Red Velvet cake to actually kill people; most recipes call for one or two BOTTLES of the stuff. (Using natural substitutes is problematic, because to get that deep level of red, natural dyes actually have an identifiable taste.)
I always think it's hilarious that I add other food dyes a handful of drops at a time for a whole recipe, but I have to pour out a 1/4c of Red (I buy it in pints from Amazon) every time I want to make Red Velvet. (I have a killer Red Velvet Cheesecake recipe.)
3
I wish for that Red Velvet Cheesecake recipe.
4
we substitute natural vegetables for the artificial ingredients in red velvet cake such as beets in place of red dye. it works fine and the taste is probably better knowing we won't get an allergic reaction from it.
6
Thank you for this insightful article. I have an acute allergy to sulfa drugs and even a trace amount requires a trip to the emergency room. Over the last three years, I have been breaking out in hives and a team of doctors—allergists and dermatologists included—have not been able to determine the cause. This article gives me a new line of investigation. Thank you!
8
Allergic reactions to food and pharmaceutical additives are rare but can be very severe. Even highly inert chemicals can rarely elicit very specific immunoglobulin E, and life-threatening anaphylaxis. Pin-pointing the culprit in cases of allergy to multiple sources can take detective-like work. Ex: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15479277
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1323893015313253
4
Eliminating and removing artificial dyes from our products will be the next job for the manufacturers of all products. Why should things be blue? Ever.
As consumers we should start demanding this. Eventually they will listen. Hopefully.
41
Blueberries should be blue. That's it.
5
The only way food manufacturers will stop putting dangerous dyes and additives in food is if we stop buying them. When their profits decline, then and only then will they change.
1
You can limit your exposure to chemical dyes by shopping for groceries at stores that don't carry products with these dyes, such as Whole Foods and Trader Joes.
1
I'm allergic to both - thanks for the interesting connection. I've had decent luck with the Free and Clear brand shampoo and conditioner. I have to order it online.
3
I developed a sensitivity to omega 3 after my doctor told me to take supplements. I stopped taking the supplements, but they had a lasting effect. Now, every time I eat anything with omega 3, I get diarrhea the following day. It's entirely predictable, and now I have to figure out a de-sensitization program.
1
The number of chemicals in our food is harmful and ridiculous. And there is no reason to add coloring to any medicine.
With regard to food, Michael Pollan said it best: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
33
I pretty much make ll my food from scratch, and that eliminates the need for any additives. Yes, it is an effort, but I work full time and do it - it just takes a bit of organization and good planning, a big freezer, and a good food processor. The first time I made mint jelly, it was a bit of a shock - not the bright green stuff you buy in the store, but a nondescript brown, and I had to use it immediately, as it started to grow mold after three weeks. However, it tasted fantastic.
Bread made with natural sourdough and home milled flour tastes so much better too!
11
Perhaps these allergies are considered so rare is that No One in the Medical Profession .has really started to look for them ! I would really like to Thank the author of this article, I am still coping with the reason that , for years I have taken Propranolol
Now that the govt told the makers of the 10 mgm in the year 2016 that they had to have the same color as the original Manufacturer used , I can't take them
10
We finally solved what was causing my husband's severe and sudden diarrhea with a clue from a friend. Apparently, Askenazi Jews have trouble with anything containing onion powder. Aha! This was logically extended to any powdered spice and then to any powdered mix such as onion soup. Finally, including cake mix and pudding. It eventually dawned on me that it was probably the anti-clumping agent.Now, whenever we go out the main course has no sauce and the salad comes with vinegar and oil on the side.
14
Must be only some Ashkenazi Jews; my husband and I dump onion powder into pretty much everything.
5
Ashkenazi Jews as a global population are swept up in such a generalized statement here as to be ridiculous. More Ashkenazi Jews in America, at least, dined happily on brisket foil-baked with Lipton Onion Soup and set upon its more famous dip out in their suburban dens. Find the sufferers. Yours may be the only one.
2
Who told you that : "Ashkenazi Jews have trouble with anything containing
onion powder" ? I know plenty of Ashkenazi Jews who do not have any trouble with onion powder, cake mix, or pudding.
GMO foods are considered to be culprits too. See this article from the Institute for Responsible Technology: "Have you been wondering if GMOs
are dangerous to your health?" http://responsibletechnology.org/michelle-perro-interview/
Robyn O'Brien also talks about the dangers of GMOs in our food supply. Allergic reactions galore! We have been made into guinea pigs at the hands of Monsanto.
3
Actually, there is no evidence supporting this at all. Weak anecdotes, perhaps, but all from heavily biased sources.
7
My son is allergic to sulpha drugs and was later diagnosed as being allergic to Blue Dye #1. When he eats something with Blue dye #1 his lips swell then his throat starts closing.
12
I'm 70, in stable health, see the GP yearly. For more than a year I'd had heart palpitations. I put it down to job stress--I'd been doing my best to reduce or eliminate red meat, reduce refined sugar, mainly by substituting raisins, which I'd been putting in EVERYTHING. One day I ran out, ....Two weeks later I suddenly noticed the palpitations had stopped.
36
Check to see if the raisins you were buying contain sulfites, as many non-organic dried fruits do. That can cause serious allergic symptoms and because labeling laws are very inconsistent, can be difficult to diagnose. Good luck.
4
Many non-organic dried fruits contain sulfites to preserve their color.
4
My mother was rushed to the ER twice within a year--her face swollen, throat closing--due to an allergic reaction we connected to rotisserie chicken from a particular large supermarket chain. She's otherwise never had any reaction to chicken of any sort. She reported these incidents to the grocery store which raised some eyebrows there but of course, that's about where it ended. I wonder if there is any centralized reporting database for these types of incidents/reactions so widespread offending additives might be identified and eliminated. A severe allergic reaction can be life-threatening.
18
I'd love the answer to this. A central reporting database should be a no-brainer.
3
If you have a Sulfa allergy, look for Methylisothiazolinone (a preservative) which is used in almost all skin care products and shampoos. It's outlawed in Europe and products for sale in the US are loaded with it. Besides the top end organics, I was only able to find two brands of conditioners that did not contain it.
Itchy head GOODBYE!
40
Thank you I do.
Patty in Ithaca: I have the same problem (Methylisothiazolinone as a preservative) and buy all my skin care products from EU producers. There are specialty stores that stock only EU products which are worth finding online. Amazon would make a killing if it had an EU sourced section. That would then drive changes in U.S. additives or I hope it would.
thank you! this is so helpful.
I am not surprised. My husband can't eat red dye no. 20- a pack of Twizzlers would send him right to the hospital. After I had a particularly bad experience after eating some very blue cake at work, I've pretty much banned anything from the house that's a color that it shouldn't be.
27
Some items appear white, but have dye in them despite that.
Why is this so difficult? Read the labels. Don't ingest anything that you don't recognize. You'll probably feely better for it, whether its the preservative killing the bacteria in your gut, the sugar elevating your blood glucose, the trans fat clogging your arteries, or that dye you're sensitive to. Do we really need to eat the chemicals?
7
Mary, the key point here is that there are hidden additives in food that do not appear on labels. They are used up the manufacturing chain. Even if you do everything right you can still be exposed and that is scary. This is well known to people with sulfite allergy. For example fresh grapes can cause a reaction (sulfite is considered organic because it occurs naturally and sprayed in the fields, on boxes etc), This affects raisins etc. none are labeled as containing sulfites.
38
Anyone with a sulfite allergy, or suspects they have one, can learn a lot reading the Mayo Clinic website on the subject. They extensively cover the inconsistency in our labelling laws, which helps identify suspected culprits. Spices, which are primarily imported and which loose color, like paprika, contain sulfites but are not labeled. Makes many prepared foods, like rotisserie chicken are dangerous to people with a sulfite allergy.
3
Mary, I agree one must read all labels however as Linda pointed out labels don't list all additives, etc. As an example some spices contain sulfites and it's not listed. Lemon in food products is usually processed lemon juice also containing sulfites usually not listed. I have found out the hard way with debilatating migraines.
Another point is eating out is extremely difficult for one with sensitivities to these artificial additives. I have gotten extremely sick at least twice (at airports) eating what was supposed to be organic greens (w no dressing as that is usually dangerous) and lost 3 days of my life battling horrendous migraines complete w vomiting nonstop for more than 48 hours. I travel a lot for work and try and bring food w me as much as possible. We also grow a lot of our food and have chickens, pigs, goats etc.
Also all medication should not have artificial colouring as the colouring is now creating another problem for the patient. Btw I have only been 'sensitive' to sulfites etc for the past 25 years perhaps they weren't in our food in the 60's/70's? One more point is that food is labeled in much more detail in Europe. We need to demand better food it's a matter of life and death.
7
This is one of the most interesting articles I ever read on the Health pages. Keep up the good work!
34
Some natural foods and supplements marketed as natural alternatives to drugs can cause illness. People don't always know what they're eating.
12
T-cell mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity to small chemicals that can bind to skin proteins are not true allergies. They are examples of contact dermatitis. Other examples include delayed onset rashes after exposure to poison ivy or rashes from chromium or nickel containing jewelry. Many rashes after sulfonamide-class antibiotics are also T-cell mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity. These rashes can last weeks with a single exposure. This is unlike hives or urticaria where the itchy rashes last only hours in a single spot and move around. Contact sensitivities can be diagnosed by patch testing. With IgE-mediated allergies to environmental allergens like cat saliva, peanuts or honeybee venom the reactions occur immediately with exposure. IgE-mediated allergy can be diagnosed by ski testing. With IgE-mediated allergy desensitization if often possible. With T-cell mediated contact dermatitis, desensitization is not possible and avoidance is the only effective mode of therapy. Steroids, which blunt T-cell activity will help treat the acute symptoms of contact dermatitis, but with continued exposure the rashes will persist.
21
My wife is allergic to Yellow 5. Not hives, but vomiting, headaches. We figured it out slowly, but too much of e.g. any lemonade, cake, bakery product, cake-mix, mashed potato mix with Yellow 5 causes these results. We stay away from it, and most any other artificial colors or flavors. I researched the manufacture of Yellow 5, and several manufacturers in India proudly proclaimed that their particular Yellow 5 contained less "Cadmium Yellow, less Lead, or less other poisons than the next competitor." Unbelievable, but true. I had previously believed that Yellow 5 was specifically just the chemical tartrazine. Well, not so.
So, my message to the food industry and to the pharma industry is: By all means, if you have any conscience and concern for your patients & consumers, please eliminate poisonous food coloring. Many substances such as cadmium, lead, mercury, etc. have "slowly additive effects" in the human body. You do not need to watch any "scary movie" about pharma and food industry, you can simply find it out all by your lonesome. It's not a conspiracy, it's just that they need to squeeze the last penny of profit out of everyone, without regard for human life. Sad. I have no kindhearted solutions for this problem.
68
All these dyes are banned in Europe. Here the Food & Drug Administration doesn't mind playing Russian Roulette with our lives. Deaths have to happen on a massive scale for them to be banned. Discomfort and loss of well being does not count.
83
I never had food allergies until just a couple of years ago, when apparently companies starting using some flavoring/additive that's cropping up everywhere now. It's usually in packaged coffee drinks or dairy products like yogurt, and in vanilla-flavored foods, but I've also reacted to random things like apple cider and cough medicine. It's infuriating because I can't find the common ingredient and can't predict what I might be allergic too.
(Although I've also been sticking to Trader Joe's--their vanilla yogurt is one of the only brands I can still eat).
12
Try almond or cashew yogurt. I like the Kit Hill brand that you can get in CA.
It took me years of detective work via severely debilitating abdominal pain that felt like being stabbed in the gut with knives for about 36 hours straight to figure out I am allergic to the red coloring carmine (cochineal extract), which is used for instance to color artificial crab. Ditto with sulfities, which once caused me to think I had food poisoning from restaurant cole slaw and another time hijacked my ability to function at a conference after eating a salad. I became leery of ever eating out. If I could not read the label I didn't want to eat it. The whole "clean food" movement has been helpful for me and I am able to eat out safely more now than ever before. I still avoid sour cream though - that gets me too, and I don't know why.
17
I took a genetic test and found out I had a fructose intolerance gene on top of asthma. You might have this too. With it you even need to stay away from honey and many artificial sweeteners. I went on Paleo diet myself to combat my allergies.
1
Some sour cream and blue #1, might be the culprit.
2
Thanks to my former neighbor, who was a nurse from Scotland, I have been aware of these allergies since 1971. Currently my doctor and I are stuck trying to find glaucoma drops that work and don't contain preservatives. Steroids that treat the allergies effectively increase eye pressure. Talk about a rock and a hard place, I'm there.
13
Mary,
Timolol is formulated without preservatives in a prescription eye gel product called Geltim, which you can get in France with a prescription from a French opthalmologist. Works quite well because of the gel formulation and you only have to take it once a day. Another good product is Monoprost, which is latanoprost without preservatives. This can also be gotten in France. Once you have been off the glaucoma products containing preservatives for a while, you will likely notice reduction or elimination of allergic reactions, primarily to the benzylkonium chloride, and may also see a reduction in dry eye syndrome. Good luck.
2
I get hives and facial swelling from FD&C Yellow 5. It's a shame because I love orange-flavored everything--soda, candy, cookies. It's been 49 years since I first figured it out. I was on an elimination diet and had to take an antibiotic for bronchitis. The yellow capsules triggered another case of hives. It's a lot easier nowadays because artificial colors are identified on food labels and many manufacturers have switched to annatto or turmeric to add yellow color. (Quaker is an exception; Yellow #5 shows up in several of their cereals.) Eating out is still a problem; salad dressings and sauces are often colored.
I can sometimes ingest a small amount and not get much of a reaction but I not too often. I enjoy orange buttercream chocolates and can usually eat the one or two in a box of chocolates but not on the same day.
9
I have an old recipe for a Red Velvet Cake that calls for 3 bottles of red food coloring. Yes, you read that correctly, 3 bottles of red food coloring. I no longer make this cake, but it was delicious. And to think that I fed my family & guests reconstituted insects! I have discovered that, as I grow older, my reaction to certain additives has increased, especially with preservatives that are used in dried apricots, etc. I can feel my throat begin to close when I consume these food additives.
12
You can make the cake without the food coloring. It will taste the same, but be a muted brown color.
Also, not all red food coloring contains cochineal (insects).
It's a little tricky, but I've made red velvet cake with beets to color it. It gives the cake only a slight veggie taste.
3
How about beet juice? It wouldn't take much to color it with that.
1
I have these allergies - really bad.
Red dye, which ironically is used in many allergy medications!
Thanks for the clue as to why I have an allergic response to my toothpaste - blue dye.
19
The more natural you go the more things can affect you.That applies to alcohol nicotine and soda pop.Some additives may become toxic especially the known ones like chemical colorings and preservatives like benzoate of soda. Any derivative of benzene and there are many can be dangerous. Much of the additive classes are simply overburden from the chemical industry ,millions of tons they've developed a market for by lobbyists.Otherwise they may have to dispose of it at a radical expense.
5
The FDA must establish regs on additives in meds. Currently, drug manufacturers do not have to declare gluten/wheat. Wheat can be used as a biding starch and simply labelled as starch. People with wheat allergy and Celiac have to call the manufacturer, who often won't give a straight response. Even some meds for hypothyroidism contain gluten, which is especially hard for the Celiac population as they often also suffer from Hashimoto's.
16
right now, the FDA, like the EPA, is devoted to DE-REGULATING as much as possible for the good of "business". Those pesky regulations that inform us about what we are ingesting just cost industry too much!
1
Some days f those meds also contain lactose, a nightmare for the lactose intolerant!
I had protracted sinus condition , hacking cough etc, and treated by many doctors, allergist and specialists. They asked me if I was allergic to any meds and I said sulfur based meds. No one was able to help me. I cured myself by stopping drinking wine- sulfites. Duh!
17
I take Xolair shots, a drug for Asthma and the people with hives called CIU. The drug reduces our IGE to allow most of us to not have to take Prednisone for the remainder of our lives. In our Facebook forum we discuss food. Many of us trying to remove all triggers that even with Xolair could cause a reaction. Myself, I went on the Paleo diet to pull out all the processed additives that would affect me and have not had to have Prednisone for 2 years now. I began to read food labels very critically and discovered that gluten was in everything including ice cream, Starbucks syrups, and salad dressings. For many of us, we need to make our own meals of only simple ingredients to avoid life threatening ingredients. Your article highlights some of those ingredients, but there are many more that are harmful. Please extend your reporting to include more of these articles and less of the eat what ever you want articles as was reported last week. Thank you for your reporting.
17
Hi Becky- Like you, I suffer from Chronic Hives. I am also suffering from
severe dermatographism. Xolair has not been the magic medication for me that
it has been for so many others. I had a horrific reaction to Xolair.Which Facebook group are you referencing ?
Is it the ICUS group ?I could certainly use some support. I don't know
anyone else who suffers from Dermatographism .
I know of a patient who successfully ate kiwis regularly in France, but got an allergic reaction when eating them in the U.S.. about 20 years ago. Looking it up, the patient found that fresh kiwis in France were imported directly from Morocco, a relatively short airplane flight away. But for kiwis imported into the east coast in the U.S., at that time, they were being stored in vats in sulfites (to prevent their ripening until export) in Australia for over 10 months. [Whether this is still the case I don't know.] "Eternal vigilance is... ."
34
So glad you are finally addressing this issue. If epidemiologists can trace back the emergence and ruse in incidence of allergies etc to the advent of artificial chemical food colorings and preservatives they will do humanity a great favor. My daughter was offered Gatorade playing sports in high school, and each time she would promptly throw up. Turned out she was intolerant to the artificial ingredients.
In traditional ancient cultures most flavorings and colorings were either herb or spices based. Even clothing was dyed using natural stones gems and plant barks roots herbs. something to learn from our ancestors.
16
Cochineal red possibly made its world debut as a colorant for fabric. But to eat it? Some cultures do eat bugs and other insects, even in relatively civilized worlds and in their restaurants, i.e. Chocolate-covered grasshoppers in France and deep-fried scorpions in China. At some point, everyone is allergic to something. But what? You won’t know until you get a good sleuth like the dermatologist in this story.
If you have the allergy to those things it sure doesn't soothe you or solve your problem that those allergies are "rare". And if at first your doctor doesn't know what's going on you, many times, have to seek out and find a doctor who finally gives you the answer(s) and help. Allergies are a serious medical issue that seem to be way down the list of possible causes for health problems.
16
I cannot eat foods with FD&C Yellow 2 and 5 in them. I cannot eat foods that are dyed blue unless it's natural coloring. Yet the drugs we purchase for our illnesses or allergies often have these same sorts of chemicals in them to distinguish them from other medications. That little blue pill or purple pill might be the cause of hives or headaches if one depends upon it for more than a few days. It's why we need to read the labels on food and medications and why the food and pharmaceutical industries ought not to be adding artificial flavors and colors to their products.
One note, Trader Joe's, for the most part, doesn't add artificial flavors or colors
to its products.
48
"I cannot eat foods that are dyed blue unless it's natural coloring."....Perhaps you may have missed this part of the article...."These natural substances are more likely to provoke an allergic reaction because they contain proteins."
5
You're right, I missed that. My experience with the artificial colorings still holds.
1
Did you read this at all? "Natural substances are more likely to provoke an allergic reaction" Artificial colors are safer!