>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?


Yes, this is true. I saw a respected allergist a couple years ago who told me that the best way to detect food allergies is to eliminate one specific food that you suspect for a few days. I believe she said it took four days to completely get the food allergen out of your system. The next time you eat the food, if you are allergic to it, you will get a noticeable reaction. She said that this had to do with the fact that if you are getting daily doses of the allergen your body is used to dealing with the allergen and you will notice the symptoms less. You should repeat this for each food you think you are allergic to. The allergist told me that the most common food allergies are soy, milk, corn, malt, and yeast. BTW, the allergist said that the skin tests for food allergies are not very accurate. The skin tests for dust and molds and inhalable allergens are pretty accurate, but food allergies are much trickier!

Jennifer Fretwell, soprano