-IBIS-1.7.6-
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immune system
food sensitivities
Nutrition
dietary guidelines
eating principles:
short alkaline fast (see Fasting in materia medica) followed by an elimination diet
elimination/rotation diet, rotation diet, rotation diet expanded
increase fiber to decrease bowel transit time
therapeutic foods:
foods that tonify the Spleen
foods that harmonize Spleen/Stomach
increase omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids: vegetable, nut, seed oils, salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, walnuts, flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, black currant oil (if these are tolerated well)
avoid:
common allergens: wheat, eggs, soy, chocolate, dairy, corn, citrus, shellfish. Use an elimination diet, then introduce each of these 5 days apart to see reaction
rancid oils, fried foods, coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, alcohol, sugar and sweet products, processed foods, MSG, saccharin, high levels of salt, spicy foods, stimulating foods, caffeine
supplements
bioflavonoids: quercetin, hesperidin, catechin
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6
Selenium
essential fatty acids
cysteine
methionine
footnotes
Bell IR, Markley EJ, King DS, Asher S, Marby D, Kayne H, Greenwald M, Ogar DA, Margen S. Polysymptomatic syndromes and autonomic reactivity to nonfood stressors in individuals with self-reported adverse food reactions. J Am Coll Nutr. 1993 Jun;12(3):227-38.
Abstract: This study compared symptom reports and cardiovascular reactivity of a group of 24 individuals recruited from the community who reported a cognitive or emotional symptom caused by at least one food (food-sensitivity reporters, FSR) vs those of 15 controls (C) without a history of food, chemical, drug, or inhalant sensitivities. The main findings were: 1) FSR indicated sensitivities not only to foods, but also to environmental chemicals, drugs, and natural inhalants, as well as significantly more symptoms than C in multiple systems; 2) more FSR than C noted recent state depression and anxiety, as well as higher trait anxiety on the Bendig form of the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale; 3) however, on multiple regression analysis, not only depression, but also the number of sensitivities (foods, chemicals, drugs, inhalants), accounted for part of the variance in total number of symptoms (38 and 17%, respectively), whereas none of the affective measures accounted for any of the variance in total number of sensitivities over all subjects; 4) after controlling for depression and anxiety, FSR still showed a trend toward poorer performance on a timed mental arithmetic task (p = 0.16); and 5) FSR and C showed opposite patterns of heart rate change to two different stressful tasks (mental arithmetic and isometric exercise) (group by task interaction, p < 0.05). The data are discussed in terms of a time-dependent sensitization (TDS) process that predicts a cross-sensitizing and cross-reactive role for xenobiotic agents (e.g., foods, chemicals, drugs, and inhalants) and for salient psychological stress in the expression of psychophysiological dysfunctions of FSR. As in other chronically ill populations, negative affect in food-sensitive individuals may explain greater symptom reporting, but not necessarily account for the illness itself. For either a food or a psychological stimulus to begin to elicit sensitized responses, e.g., marked physiological differences from C, FSR may require multiple, intermittent exposures spaced over 5-28 days rather than on only 1 day.
Christensen L, Somers S. Comparison of nutrient intake among depressed and nondepressed individuals. Int J Eat Disord. 1996 Jul;20(1):105-109.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The study investigated the nutrient intake of depressed and nondepressed subjects. METHOD: Twenty-nine depressed subjects and a matched group of nondepressed subjects completed a 3-day food record. RESULTS: Results revealed that depressed and nondepressed groups consume similar amounts of all nutrients except protein and carbohydrates. Nondepressed subjects consume more protein and depressed subjects consume more carbohydrates. The increase in carbohydrate consumption comes primarily from an increase in sucrose consumption. DISCUSSION: The increased carbohydrate consumption is consistent with the carbohydrate cravings characteristic of the depressed and may relate to the development or maintenance of depression.
King DS. Can allergic exposure provoke psychological symptoms? A double-blind test. Biol Psychiatry. 1981 Jan;16(1):3-19.
Abstract: Clinical ecologists report that exposure to allergens can induce cognitive and emotional symptoms as well as somatic symptoms in susceptible individuals, but controlled tests are meager. In a test of the hypothesis that sublingual exposure to allergens would produce cognitive-emotional symptoms in allergy patients, double-blind provocative testing was conducted at an allergy clinic; 30 allergy patients complaining of at least one psychological symptom were selected. Self-report, heart-rate, and several mood and psychological performance measures were obtained. MMPI scores indicated a pathological sample. Reported cognitive-emotional symptoms were greater for allergens than for placebos (p = 0.001), while placebo symptoms were equal to base rate. Greater variability of heart rate change was found for allergens than for placebos (p = 0.008). Severe reactions occurred more frequently to allergens (p = 0.008). Severe reactions occurred more frequently to allergens (p = 0.02). Other dependent measures were not affected by the allergens or the placebos. It is concluded that allergens may contribute to psychopathology in some individuals.
King DS. Psychological and behavioral effects of food and chemical exposure in sensitive individuals. Nutr Health. 1984;3(3):137-151. (Review)