IgG food allergy testing

I got this from Bellevue allergy and asthma and I think it explains very well why allergists do not consider the test to be effective.


What is food sensitivity or food intolerance?
Food sensitivity (also called “food intolerance”) has been described as an adverse reaction to a food, but without the classic signs of food allergy: hives, swelling, difficulty breathing, etc. With food sensitivity, patients report a wide variety of symptoms including abdominal discomfort, malaise, headache, fatigue, and behavior problems. These symptoms are real, but it is difficult to know if they are related to food, or maybe something completely different (e.g. a different medical problem, stress, or a lack of sleep or exercise).

What is IgG or IgG4 testing?
IgG or IgG4 testing (sometimes called a “food allergy panel”) is a screening blood test that has gained popularity in the past several years. Its supporters believe the test can determine the foods to which you are allergic or sensitive. When you stop eating those foods, your symptoms, whichever they may be, will go away. In reality, it is probably not so simple.
IgG, or “immune globulin G”, is a naturally occurring antibody generated by the immune system. We know that IgG antibodies play an important role in fighting off infections. For unknown reasons, the immune system also makes IgG antibodies to many of the foods we eat. IgG directed at a food isn’t necessarily harmful: healthy individuals can have elevated IgG levels to a particular food(s), yet have no symptoms at all. In fact, food allergy researchers are finding that higher IgG levels may actually protect against food allergy2-3. It goes to show that there is still much to learn about food allergy/sensitivity and the immune system.


This is the explanation I like....

Why does the Allergist community speak against IgG food allergy testing?

One of our goals is to help patients make informed choices about their health care. Therefore, it must be said that IgG testing has not been scientifically proven to predict food allergies, food sensitivity, or food intolerance. While the test can accurately measure IgG levels to numerous foods, we do not know what those levels actually mean. For example, if a patient has an elevated IgG level to milk, does it mean the person is sensitive to milk, or does it simply confirm there is milk in the person’s diet? The IgG test cannot tell us the difference.






http://www.allassoc.com/problems-with-igg-food-allergy-testing/

My own soap

So I'm thinking of making my own soap, shampoo, and conditioner. So far this is the recipe...

1/4 cup coconut milk

1/3 cup baking soda

1 tsp vitamin E, olive or almond oil

10 to 20 drops your choice of essential oils (I can't use citrus so maybe lavender or just leave it coconut)

Any suggestions?

I'm going to give it a try over the weekend and see what I come up with.

Cheers to removing chemicals!

Nickel - Food Allergies

Thank you Allergista.

I knew that my nickel allergy list included zippers, door knobs..but as far as food the only one I knew about was spinach. I read a recent list from the Allergista who posted a lengthy list. I am going to start eliminating these from my diet...slowly:(

Nuts, corn, and my green veggies are going to be rough. Not sure what's left.

chocolate, particularly dark
green, brown and white beans
spinach
canned food
wheat
shellfish
ground meat
vitamins
figs
pineapple
prunes
raspberries
shellfish
mussels
sunflower seeds
licorice
nuts
canned food
baking powder
oats
seeds
rye
millet
lentils
peas
soy products (tofu, soy sauce, soy beans)
sprouts
brussel sprouts
asparagus
broccoli
cauliflower
spinach
canned food
red kidney beans
chickpeas
cabbage
corn
mushrooms
onions
carrots
pears
bananas
tomatoes
raisins
rhubarb
dried fruit
herring
mackerel
tuna, processed meats with fillers or coatings
Tea
beer
red wine

Homemade mosquito repellent

Perfect for not having to spray yourself with that chemical filled crap..no one likes bug repellent. Hopefully this will work as a good alternative. I will have to test it out camping to see if it really works.


Mix together 15 drops of lavender essential oil, 10 drops of citronella essential oil, 3-4 tablespoons vanilla extract, and 4-5 tablespoons lemon juice into a spray bottle

Organic Cotton Clothes

I have looked high and low for clothes all organic and 100% cotton. Why organic? I want clothes that do not have chemicals in them. Companies put formaldehyde in clothes to keep them wrinkle free. I don't think anyone would want this in their clothes..for me it goes bigger because I am allergic to quantum 15. Which is a chemical directly related, found in many other products like skin care products, shampoos and conditioners, smoke from wood, coal, kerosene or charcoal fires. We should be avoiding products we put on our bodies that contain chemicals. We are exposed to different things in our environment every day that we cannot avoid, but what about what we can control, trying to create an environment for ourselves that is as clean and chemical free as possible? Why over expose ourselves?

This brand that I found is the only one that looks hippy free and organic. I'm not trying to look like I walk around licking tress or anything. Hopefully this will catch on more and I won't have to weed out polyester blends..yuck.

Lets just visit exactly what that is....Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include naturally occurring chemicals, such as in the cutin of plant cuticles, as well as synthetics through step-growth polymerization such as polycarbonate and polybutyrate. Natural polyesters and a few synthetic ones are biodegradable, but most synthetic polyesters are not.
I have been exposed to too much and polyester..because it is not natural..it now irritates my skin.

http://Gaiam.com
Still a little hippy...how about just a normal v-neck tee? Or a tank?
I need to go into business.


The only thing I have come up with that I would wear that is a 100% cotton is Gap tees. And I can't say I'm a huge fan of them either. It's not organic that's for sure.

Mercola's thoughts...

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/organic-clothing.aspx

Authentic African Black Soap

This is a new soap I picked up over the weekend. I have used it before. It works well for overall soap and shampoo. I used to use Dove because my dermatologist recommended it for me. Until my recent allergy test we found that I am allergic to a few ingredients in Dove soap and shampoo.
My dermatologist can't recommend any one brand for me, I am on my own because I have so many allergies that have to do with environmental products I have to read everything myself. All cases of allergies or eczema are different so I think it's always important to do your own research to find what works for you.

I was also told to try Free and Clear, however, this soap had several chemicals in it including alcohol which is drying.

The Authentic african black soap has no chemicals, parabens or synthetic fragrance.

Balsam of Peru is one of my allergies, it is basically essential oils including citrus. This is something I have to look for in natural products. It is often in massage oils.

If your looking for something natural that gets the job done I would recommend this. So far I haven't had any reactions. I am using it for my shampoo and soap.

I am hoping to start making my own soap soon but I do appreciated that company's do take the time to take chemicals out of products.

Kari Gran - my new makeup

Someone at my work turned me on to this product. Amazing! I love it! Not only does my skin feel great because of the essential oils but it also looks really nice. It has no chemicals! All minerals..the website goes into more detail but I am very please with it so far. It's nice to know I am using something that will cause more good then harm. I used Lancôme for so long not knowing the bad affects it had on my skin. Not to mention that it is full of parabens.



http://karigran.com/

Portland Bee Balm

So the past week has been pretty good. Although my lips have been slightly swollen and itchy. I narrowed it down to my chap stick. I have to pay attention because it can be something I ate or soap I have used. In this case I’m going to say chap stick. I went to whole foods and searched their plethora of lip balms. They have a wide selection, maybe 20..After reading through I found one with the fewest ingredients and this one does not have lanolin or any parabens. I am also allergic to wax so any generic wax won’t do, must be organic bees wax. I highly remmmend this brand.

http://portlandbeebalm.com/about/