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Dealing with food allergies as an adult was quite challenging for me. Symptoms occurred when I ate wheat, cheese, yogurt, soy, peanuts, eggs and tree nuts. These symptoms included watery eyes, red eyes, swollen conjunctiva, hives, and persistent itching. This diagnosis seemed so uncommon 10 years ago but now the numbers are growing.

A food allergy occurs when an antibody called immunoglobulin class E (IgE) triggers an immune reaction. The body mistakes certain food proteins as something harmful and the immune system wages an attack. This attack creates antibodies against the food, which means next time you eat the food, even the tiniest amount, antibodies are on high alert telling the immune system to respond leading to the symptoms of an allergic reaction. This is exactly what I experienced.

I did not understand why or how this occurred until now. I think we can all agree that if eighty percent of the immune system is in the colon we need to pay attention to what we are eating, how we are digesting our food and of course the stress factor. When anyone is stressed all the time digestion can’t work well. Cortisol is produced when the body is under stress and it also regulates the immune system. With the right amount of cortisol the immune system is a happy camper. But when our body makes too much we encounter a weakened immunity. Too little cortisol results in an over active immune system that releases histamine and other inflammatory substances causing allergic reactions. This was me. My adrenal glands worked overtime to accommodate all the stress I was under.

I have always known that our body is perfectly designed to heal itself. To experience this healing we have to find ways to manage our stress no matter what symptoms we are facing and give our body the support it needs from the right foods, proper supplementation, enough sleep and detoxification. By doing this, I am now enjoying some of these foods again. We must all learn to let go of the constant busyness 24/7 and realize there is always tomorrow!