Hi, gang --
Karen, your links are fantastic, as always. And yes, re: the dietary thread, obviously people with bad eating habits can cross the board -- from the McDonald's obese American to the anemic white-flour-and-pasta vegetarian. I will point out that eggs and dairy are also "complete" proteins, so it's not like you're missing the meat group if you eat those also. Healthy vegetarianism is tough to screw up if you eat eggs/dairy (and as long as you don't eat refined grains all day -- obviously).
On to my topic: I heard that if you start avoiding a food that gives you trouble, when you eat it next, you will have a big huge reaction. If, for instance, I notice myself getting a little stuffy when I eat wheat, and so I cut it out of my diet for six months, then if I eat a plate of pasta I will be completely congested (much more than the past slight stuffiness). This is more severe than a "normal" attack -- it's actually worse (I mean measurably worse, not just "I'm more sensitive to it now because I'm been non-stuffy for the past six months" -- I'm talking a major attack) (or so I've heard). Is this true, and why?
Likewise, people who sequester themselves away from dust and pollen will find that their allergy attacks are much worse if they wander into a pollen-filled enviornment than they were before. Is this true?
My voice teacher always tells me to make sure I walk or run in the fresh air every day, to keep the body's natural defenses against allergens and sensitive stuff high.
This is all leading to, of course, me. Let's say I'm a little sensitive to milk, and cutting it out will lead to a slight improvement in my voice. Then am I making it worse for myself if I eat milk again in the future? If a dairy product is accidentally slipped into a pre-performance meal, will I be a basket case (whereas, if I had kept it in my diet, I would not be as affected)?
It's a strange thought. By wallowing in things that I may be sensitive to, am I building a resistance to them?
Of course, I also heard that wearing glasses causes your eyes to get worse faster than not wearing them, which I don't believe. So I'm ready to listen to scientific bashing of the above theories.
Isabelle B.
===== Isabelle Bracamonte San Francisco, CA ibracamonte@y...
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