Are all these food allergies real?
neverstray
Posts: 3,845 Member
It seems insane that in the last few years, everyone is allergic to something. The big thing now is gluten. But, WTF is going on? When I was a kid, no one had any problems (OK, in my whole enitre childhood, there was this one kid that was alergic to peanuts, but that was it). Now, all of the sudden, everyone has some issue with wheat, gluten, dairy, etc....the list goes on. Am I insane? Or, is something happening out there? Aleins perhaps? How have we all survived the past few thousand years? I feel like something is wrong, or people are just being pansies. What's the deal? I'm not looking for smart-*kitten* remarks, I'm looking to be educated. Is there some food epidemic or something? Why is all this stuff suddenly a problem for everyone?
I'm not talking about diets, I'm talking about real food problems.
As an example, someone I know stopped eating gluten and says he fels so much better. But, that's totally not scientific. I keep asking if something was wrong or what? He just said he was having "issues" (of course, it's undefined), and he stopped eating gluten and now he feels good. But, to me, that's not a real issue. Since his problem isn't well defined, and because he doesn't really know if it was the gluten, or if it's something else. So, this is kind of what I mean. People self-diagnose, but is the problem real. Ya know?
When my son was young, the doctor told us he might be lactose intolerant. So, now his mom keeps telling him that, and he believes it, but he's never been tested. It's this kind of BS that I'm talking about. He is growing up thinking he is actually lactose intolerant, but has absolutely not one shred of evidence. I call BS, and serve him ice cream, and he eats it with no problem. This is what I'm talking about.
People are making this stuff up. I know not in all cases, but as I look around, many people are making it up, but it's not real. But, more and more there are more people saying they have some kind of allergy or intolerance, or whatever to something.
Are there studies about what's going on?
I'm not talking about diets, I'm talking about real food problems.
As an example, someone I know stopped eating gluten and says he fels so much better. But, that's totally not scientific. I keep asking if something was wrong or what? He just said he was having "issues" (of course, it's undefined), and he stopped eating gluten and now he feels good. But, to me, that's not a real issue. Since his problem isn't well defined, and because he doesn't really know if it was the gluten, or if it's something else. So, this is kind of what I mean. People self-diagnose, but is the problem real. Ya know?
When my son was young, the doctor told us he might be lactose intolerant. So, now his mom keeps telling him that, and he believes it, but he's never been tested. It's this kind of BS that I'm talking about. He is growing up thinking he is actually lactose intolerant, but has absolutely not one shred of evidence. I call BS, and serve him ice cream, and he eats it with no problem. This is what I'm talking about.
People are making this stuff up. I know not in all cases, but as I look around, many people are making it up, but it's not real. But, more and more there are more people saying they have some kind of allergy or intolerance, or whatever to something.
Are there studies about what's going on?
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Replies
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First, there is a difference between an 'allergy' and an 'intolerance'. People can be intolerant to something, but not allergic. Basically they're body doesn't handle a particular food well, so they feel sick when they eat it. That doesn't make it a true allergy.
On to true allergies. Yes, it's real. Yes, the incidence has increased. No, we don't know why. Lots of theories exist. It could be that many people delay solid food these days due to recommendations to breast feed exclusively for 6 months minimum. It could be that our food is more processed than it used to be and that is causing issues. Or how we process it. Or that people eat a greater variety of food now and are more likely to encounter an allergy than they used to be.
If you can come up with the answer, you'd be rich.0 -
I personally believe that there is an explosion of food allergies because we are not eating the same "food" that we ate when we were kids.
This GMO stuff is not what we were raised on.
I never had allergies growing up, then bam. Gluten and dairy allergies.
I removed the gluten and dairy...........I can have RAW dairy, but not pasteurized and homogenized dairy from a regular grocery store.
The things they do to the food to supposedly make it safer and stuff is actually causing the allergies.0 -
Too many processed foods, too many pesticides, too many hormones in meats. Not scientific at all. No study to back up anything I said. Just a thought. Hope someone can answer this I am curious too. Seems like every poster on the forum has an allergy to something. *shrugs*0
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OK, you edited while I was posting. LOTS of babies can be lactose intolerant and grow out of it. My son was. By about 18 months he was able to handle regular milk. Yay for us because the lactose free stuff is $$$$. And again, that is an intolerance, not an allergy.
Symptoms of gluten intolerance is lots of intestinal issues, bloating, etc. Not stuff people like to talk about openly LOL.
I don't really buy into the GMO link either, because that's relatively recent and the increase happened prior to that becoming mainstream (at least I think it did).0 -
Too many processed foods, too many pesticides, too many hormones in meats. Not scientific at all. No study to back up anything I said. Just a thought. Hope someone can answer this I am curious too. Seems like every poster on the forum has an allergy to something. *shrugs*
It doesn't bother me personally. But, I just want to understand it. I can't tell if people are really having problems, or if there's a weird social epidemic where people want to have a problem and they make it up. Ha, ha. The mind is so powerful, I think you can make yourself think you are allergic to something and actually have the physical reactions of being allergic, but you aren't really allregic. LOL. I'm just curious. It's fascinating.0 -
Too many processed foods, too many pesticides, too many hormones in meats. Not scientific at all. No study to back up anything I said. Just a thought. Hope someone can answer this I am curious too. Seems like every poster on the forum has an allergy to something. *shrugs*
Agreed.0 -
OK, you edited while I was posting. LOTS of babies can be lactose intolerant and grow out of it. My son was. By about 18 months he was able to handle regular milk. Yay for us because the lactose free stuff is $$$$. And again, that is an intolerance, not an allergy.
Symptoms of gluten intolerance is lots of intestinal issues, bloating, etc. Not stuff people like to talk about openly LOL.
I don't really buy into the GMO link either, because that's relatively recent and the increase happened prior to that becoming mainstream (at least I think it did).
I just wanted to throw in a couple of examples.
But, as you know, it seems pretty epidemic to me. I saw some signs on the street from some group that were suggesting there are reasons for these growing food issues. But, I didn't care enough to pull over and talk to them. They looked like hippies that just want to grow weed. LOL0 -
I know myself that if I eat anything with wheat or yeast in it my mouth breaks out in ulcers and I'll get thrush a few days later.
Went for the coeliac test but came back clean but anything that's wheat or yeast free is gluten free as well so I usually just say I'm a coeliac.0 -
OK, you edited while I was posting. LOTS of babies can be lactose intolerant and grow out of it. My son was. By about 18 months he was able to handle regular milk. Yay for us because the lactose free stuff is $$$$. And again, that is an intolerance, not an allergy.
Symptoms of gluten intolerance is lots of intestinal issues, bloating, etc. Not stuff people like to talk about openly LOL.
I don't really buy into the GMO link either, because that's relatively recent and the increase happened prior to that becoming mainstream (at least I think it did).
My endocrinologist told me that the influx of Autoimmune disease is most likely caused by GMO's. They have been using GMO's long before it became public.
There is also a link between GMO consumption and Parkinson's disease, which is another autoimmune disease.
http://www.soundhealthinc.com/pdf/gmo.pdf0 -
OK, you edited while I was posting. LOTS of babies can be lactose intolerant and grow out of it. My son was. By about 18 months he was able to handle regular milk. Yay for us because the lactose free stuff is $$$$. And again, that is an intolerance, not an allergy.
Symptoms of gluten intolerance is lots of intestinal issues, bloating, etc. Not stuff people like to talk about openly LOL.
I don't really buy into the GMO link either, because that's relatively recent and the increase happened prior to that becoming mainstream (at least I think it did).
My endocrinologist told me that the influx of Autoimmune disease is most likely caused by GMO's. They have been using GMO's long before it became public.
There is also a link between GMO consumption and Parkinson's disease, which is another autoimmune disease.
That's scary. And the bill in CA to label GMO foods as such was shot down by the voters. Ugh!0 -
OK, you edited while I was posting. LOTS of babies can be lactose intolerant and grow out of it. My son was. By about 18 months he was able to handle regular milk. Yay for us because the lactose free stuff is $$$$. And again, that is an intolerance, not an allergy.
Symptoms of gluten intolerance is lots of intestinal issues, bloating, etc. Not stuff people like to talk about openly LOL.
I don't really buy into the GMO link either, because that's relatively recent and the increase happened prior to that becoming mainstream (at least I think it did).
I just wanted to throw in a couple of examples.
But, as you know, it seems pretty epidemic to me. I saw some signs on the street from some group that were suggesting there are reasons for these growing food issues. But, I didn't care enough to pull over and talk to them. They looked like hippies that just want to grow weed. LOL
Unfortunately, no one knows the answer. I have a friend whose child is allergic to almost everything. True allergies. So much so, she has a feeding tube because she can't take in enough nutrition. Another friend whose 1 yr old was recently diagnosed with life threatening egg and peanut allergies. My oldest son appears to be allergic to something, but we can't figure out what! Tests negative to everything, but gets covered in a full body rash frequently.0 -
My cousin was having issues with weight loss and decided to go gluten free, then decided to say that her weight loss failure was due to being allergic to gluten. I think there are a lot of "self diagnosed" food allergies out there. It's easier to blame an allergy for whatever is going on rather than blame yourself.
So. I am allergic to sodium >.>0 -
Another issue is that we are using antibacterial soaps, lotions, hand sanitizers much more then before. Those chemicals kill both good and bad germs and causes our bodies to not be so resistant to certain things.
Therefore whereas before our bodies could fight off the allergy so to speak it can't anymore.
I don't have time but I'm sure someone can find some research to back that up. I've read stuff in the past.0 -
I too, wonder what the heck is going on! If I read or hear one more thing about "going gluten free" I am going to scream! I think it's a marketing tool and people are buying it hook, line and sinker. It's just interesting to me since something like only 10% of the population even has Celiac disease.0
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My husband used to say he was allergic to onions. He just hated them. REALLY hated them. Like gag and puke if one snuck in his food LOL.0
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Too many processed foods, too many pesticides, too many hormones in meats. Not scientific at all. No study to back up anything I said. Just a thought. Hope someone can answer this I am curious too. Seems like every poster on the forum has an allergy to something. *shrugs*
My husband is always saying things like this, that food doesn't taste the same as when he was younger (he's 38) because of the reasons stated above.
I think intolerances have increased, but also people are more aware of what they eat now.
There also seems to be a rise in things like autism and ADHD. I'm a teacher and we have a massive percentage of students on the SEN register. I'd never even heard of ADHD when I was at school myself. Are people more aware? Are conditions like that a result of diet?0 -
Too many processed foods, too many pesticides, too many hormones in meats. Not scientific at all. No study to back up anything I said. Just a thought. Hope someone can answer this I am curious too. Seems like every poster on the forum has an allergy to something. *shrugs*
It doesn't bother me personally. But, I just want to understand it. I can't tell if people are really having problems, or if there's a weird social epidemic where people want to have a problem and they make it up. Ha, ha. The mind is so powerful, I think you can make yourself think you are allergic to something and actually have the physical reactions of being allergic, but you aren't really allregic. LOL. I'm just curious. It's fascinating.
Not food related but. My husband tried telling me when we first started living together that he was extremely allergic to cats. Rashy, itchy, swollen up, etc. However, I am a cat person and wanted a cat and so he decided to adopt one for me from a shelter. Then he got me a second cat for my birthday (I didn't ask for it!) When he was biking home from work he found a poor bedraggled stray kitten on the side of a busy highway and rescued/adopted her. We moved to the US where someone at his place of employment found a mommy kitty and kitten and wanted to find a good home for the strays and he volunteered us.
When I playfully challenged him on it a few years ago he pointed out maybe he was jsut allergic to long haired cats. We NOW have 2 short hair, 1 medium hair, and 2 long haired cats.
15 years and 5 cats later, I am waiting for the sever allergic reaction to surface. :laugh:0 -
I blame Monsanto.0
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My cousin was having issues with weight loss and decided to go gluten free, then decided to say that her weight loss failure was due to being allergic to gluten. I think there are a lot of "self diagnosed" food allergies out there. It's easier to blame an allergy for whatever is going on rather than blame yourself.
So. I am allergic to sodium >.>
Your cousin may very well be right in what she is saying.
I counted every thing that went into my mouth when I was on Atkins and I could only lose weight when I was eating meats and other proteins, fats, vegetables and fruits.
As soon as I started the phase where you add back in grains on the Atkins lifestyle I would unexplainedly start gaining weight again.
That is when my Dr sent me for allergy testing and I am allergic to wheat, corn and all other grasses.0 -
Too many processed foods, too many pesticides, too many hormones in meats. Not scientific at all. No study to back up anything I said. Just a thought. Hope someone can answer this I am curious too. Seems like every poster on the forum has an allergy to something. *shrugs*
My husband is always saying things like this, that food doesn't taste the same as when he was younger (he's 38) because of the reasons stated above.
I think intolerances have increased, but also people are more aware of what they eat now.
There also seems to be a rise in things like autism and ADHD. I'm a teacher and we have a massive percentage of students on the SEN register. I'd never even heard of ADHD when I was at school myself. Are people more aware? Are conditions like that a result of diet?
Yeah, the ADHD thing gets me all riled up, so lets not go there.
Autism is hugely on the rise, they say.0 -
I blame Monsanto.
Ha! That's probably the answer right there.0 -
Too many processed foods, too many pesticides, too many hormones in meats. Not scientific at all. No study to back up anything I said. Just a thought. Hope someone can answer this I am curious too. Seems like every poster on the forum has an allergy to something. *shrugs*
My husband is always saying things like this, that food doesn't taste the same as when he was younger (he's 38) because of the reasons stated above.
I think intolerances have increased, but also people are more aware of what they eat now.
There also seems to be a rise in things like autism and ADHD. I'm a teacher and we have a massive percentage of students on the SEN register. I'd never even heard of ADHD when I was at school myself. Are people more aware? Are conditions like that a result of diet?
From what I see on this site, people aren't more aware of what they eat..................if they did they wouldn't sing the praises of all the junk, processed, frankenfood they fill their diary with.0 -
I blame Monsanto.
Ha! That's probably the answer right there.
Which goes back to the GMO issue.0 -
Too many processed foods, too many pesticides, too many hormones in meats. Not scientific at all. No study to back up anything I said. Just a thought. Hope someone can answer this I am curious too. Seems like every poster on the forum has an allergy to something. *shrugs*
Agreed. My Friends are such smart cookies!! :flowerforyou:0 -
lactose intolerance is very easy to test for as long as your son can follow the instructions. Its a breath test into some capped test tubes that are then sent to a lab...0
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Totally personal opinion, but I think we've trashed our immune systems until they react to everything under the sun because they're not exposed to anything to build them in early childhood.
When I was a kid (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth) we played outside, dropped our cookies in the dirt and ate 'em, crawled around floors that were not disinfected to within an inch of their lives. I teethed on my Dad's tobacco pouch. Our immune systems got exposure and became robust. I have friends now who make us use hand-sanitizer before we can hold their baby.0 -
Of course I can't speak to anyone else's experience, but I sometimes wonder about some of the claims. I have a very real allergy (complete with histamine reaction and confirmed by an allergist) to bananas, avocados, and kiwi, along with a pretty pronounced intolerance to eggs. These weren't things I eliminated from my diet in the vague hopes of feeling better, rather the symptoms were significant enough that I wasn't left in any doubt as to the cause.0
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Are you sure GMO labeling was shot down by voters and not congress? There are powerful lobbies making sure the food industry isn't regulated to the extent that probably the voters would favor. For example - a company (I'm sorry; I can't remember which one) wanted to test all its beef and guarantee to consumers that there was zero mad cow disease. The government wouldn't let them.
Anyway, sometimes I think food intolerances are a coincidence. As in somebody quits eating wheat and for some other reason begins to feel better. They will forever blame wheat when that wasn't it at all.
But you never know. I had eaten bananas all my life until about 6 years ago when I was eating an organically grown banana, and my lips and mouth started to burn and swell, then I coughed for about the next hour. No more bananas for me! (but maybe it was a coincidence)0 -
Well. GMOs. Isn't that clever? The farmers are able to make more money on crops that are bigger and disease resistant and it could be causing all this grief? What's the point? Pretty soon every one will be allergic to something. I think I'll stick to growing my own veggies in my garden in the yard. It's so much cheaper too. I only hope the seed we use are just seeds. But who really knows??0
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Of course I can't speak to anyone else's experience, but I sometimes wonder about some of the claims. I have a very real allergy (complete with histamine reaction and confirmed by an allergist) to bananas, avocados, and kiwi, along with a pretty pronounced intolerance to eggs. These weren't things I eliminated from my diet in the vague hopes of feeling better, rather the symptoms were significant enough that I wasn't left in any doubt as to the cause.
Yeah, and I think that's different. That is a direct correlation. For instance, whenever I drink alcohol, I wake up with a hangover. So, I had to stop drinking. it's really not good for me at all.
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