Food Allergies
6. An interesting question posed by nutrition expert Stephen Levine. Phd. was:
“Have you ever eaten something – a bowl of ice cream, a piece of cheese, an orange – and felt hungrier than before? Do you have urges for a particular food and find it hard to satisfy your craving unless you eat that particular food?
If the answer is “yes” to either of these questions, then you have a food allergy. If you are also fat, then chances are your food allergy is making you fat.”
Much like a drug addict experiencing withdrawal symptoms when access to their drug is withheld, some people experience un-natural cravings for certain foods to which they are actually allergic. Whether they understand why or not, obese people can testify to the overwhelming draw that certain foods have in their lives. Compulsive eaters crave and continue to eat those allergenic foods to which they are addicted day after day. The obese person has no idea that what his body is doing is actually attempting to prevent withdrawal symptoms that would likely occur if that food or foods were not consumed.
If you notice that your obese child has definite cravings for certain foods, it might be a good time to visit an allergy clinic to have tests run for the foods you suspect. The primary food allergens are coffee, sugar, dairy products, wheat, eggs and corn. Surprisingly, in Oriental countries, rice is a common allergen. Even vegetables like white potatoes and lettuce are potent allergens. Keep in mind that high fructose CORN syrup is found in almost every processed food these days and might be the culprit in soda, candy and just about anything else that doesn’t seem to fall into one of the primary categories.
An interesting home test that has been mentioned in several articles by nutritionally conscious allergy doctors is the use of buffered vitamin C compounds. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) combined with mineral bicarbonates has shown to relieve hunger and cravings and actually cause weight loss (initially due to loss of water that was retained as a reaction to the allergen). The minerals are Potassium Carbonate, Magnesium Carbonate and Calcium Carbonate combined with the Ascorbic Acid in the ratio of: 2135 mg of vitamin C, 405 mg of calcium, 215 mg of magnesium, and 90 mg of potassium. If you notice any marked changes in your appetite and perhaps a unexplained weight loss of a few pounds, chances are that you have identified a food allergy. The buffered Vitamin C can be ordered from Dr. Levine’s Allergy Research Group or just picked up at one of the vitamin super stores.
As a side note, and off the Childhood Obesity topic, doctors dealing with neurotic patients found that between 50 percent and almost 90 percent of those tested were allergic to wheat, corn and or milk. As you can see, we are dealing with very potent factors that affect the mental state of obese and non-obese individuals alike.
In closing, as you can see, childhood obesity can have some wide ranging causes and correction may not be easy but, with food allergies you can take some definite steps to identify or discount them as possible factors in your child.
Tags: childhood obesity, food allergies, obesity
