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FOOD ALLERGYWHAT DOES IT MEAN? WHAT'S CAUSING IT? WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Written by John Immel,
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Written by John Immel,
Are you prone to a problem with 'Food allergy'?
The most common allergens tend to be foods that are difficult to digest, such as peanuts, wheat and dairy. Few people are allergic to easily digested foods. However, there are some exceptions to this rule with notable examples including shellfish and oranges. Difficult to digest foods strain the digestive organs and tend to sit stagnant in the gut. The longer a food lays stagnant in the digestive tract, the more the body starts to perceive it as a foreign invader. Stagnant food also ferments in the intestines, leading to gas, bloating and the formation of metabolic wastes (ama). The spongy small intestine absorbs these wastes into the bloodstream where they circulate and effect all organs, particularly the liver. The liver struggles to process the influx of toxins, and the immune system may be activated to assist the liver in cleanup. A high volume of these metabolic toxins overwhelms the liver and stresses the immune system, making a person highly reactive and likely to develop an allergy. Allergies may also develop after an episode of severe indigestion which compromises your digestive function. Gut inflammation and leaky gut syndrome bring your immune system into close contact with the food you've eaten, creating an opportunity for an allergy to develop. A history of viral infections can overstimulate the immune system and leave your body predisposed to allergic reactions. Certain viral infections, such as mono, remain in the body for life, usually in a latent or inactive state. The immune system never completely gets a chance to relax after that. Stress and other autoimmune disorders can overstimulate the immune system as well. Many allergies can actually become addictive, making the offending food incredibly difficult to omit from the diet. A simple way to begin to work with food allergies is to try an elimination diet. Observe this diet of easy to digest meals with five or less ingredients for one week. Avoid eating any processed foods. Slowly begin to add the difficult foods back in one by one. Give each one a full 48 hours in your system before introducing the next. Keep a food journal during this time and make note of all digestive symptoms and troublesome foods. A kitchari cleanse can scrub the digestive tract of lingering wastes and reduce high ama levels that are likely irritating the liver and immune system. Avipattikar churna strengthens digestion and reduce ama formation without creating excess heat or provoking an already inflamed GI. Herbs such as shatavari, licorice root or Joyful Belly's Food Allergy Healing Tea may be appropriate to reduce long standing inflammation in the digestive tract and soothe the liver. For healing and rejuvenating the intestines following food allergies, amalaki is Ayurveda's top choice. For long term management of allergies, generally a Pitta pacifying diet of easy to digest foods and 10 habits for healthy digestion. Disclaimer: 'Food allergy' could be serious and should be checked by a medical doctor. STAGE OF DISEASE 3 - ATTACKING TISSUEIf you have symptoms in this category it means that your imbalances are becoming stronger and weakening your body's resistance. Most people have a weakness in one or more organs. These areas of weakness are the 'weak link in the chain.' They are first to succumb when an imbalance reaches a tipping point. Repairing imbalances in this category often represent your last opportunity to prevent disease. At any moment, these imbalances could overwhelm weakened tissue and develop into a disease. You may feel pain or discomfort in the weakened area. At this stage you will need to support the weakened tissue with specialized foods and herbs for the weakened tissue.ARE YOU NEW TO AYURVEDA?Are you wondering what Ayurveda is and how to use it for 'Food allergy' and health in general? LEARN MOREREBALANCE YOUR BODY WITH DIET, LIFESTYLE & HERBS HAVING THESE QUALITIESEverything you eat has an effect on your body, which Ayurveda categorizes in a simple and easy way, using gunas. Gunas are qualities (like cold and hot) that describe the effect a food or herb has on your body. Cooling foods like cucumber, decrease metabolism. Heating foods like chili pepper, stimulate your body and increase metabolism. For 'Food allergy', you should select foods with the following qualities (gunas). Individual results will vary, based on your body type and the root cause of your imbalance. For best results, get a one on one consultation.QUALITIES THAT MAY CORRECT IMBALANCES RELATED TO FOOD ALLERGY
To learn more about the symbols above, click on them. FAVOR HERBS WITH THESE MEDICINAL PROPERTIESIngredient and herbs each have unique effects on the various organs of your body. Herbalists study these effects and categorize them, so it is easy to identify which foods and herbs are most helpful for your unique body type. Click on the medicinal properties below to learn more about them, and to figure out which recipes, ingredients and products will be a good match for you. Individual results will vary depending upon the root cause of your imbalance. The following medicinal properties are useful for a general case of 'Food allergy'. You must independently verify whether these medicinal properties address the root causes of your case of Food allergy.Digestion: Digestive DIGESTIVEHerbs that encourage healthy digestive.Heart & Circulation: Alterative , ALTERATIVELiterally, an herb that restores the proper function of the body. In practice, alteratives are usually blood cleansers and blood chemistry balancers. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.Styptic STYPTICA herb that contracts tissue or blood vessels. Generally styptics are astringent. They are often used to stop bleeding.Immune System: Anti Inflammatory , ANTI-INFLAMMATORYReduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems.Antihistamine ANTIHISTAMINEHerbs that interrupt an allergic reaction or calm the immune system.Liver & Gall Bladder: Hepatoprotective , HEPATOPROTECTIVEAn herb that is capable of preventing liver damage.Livotonic LIVOTONICAn herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias.Lung and Sinus: Demulcent DEMULCENTHerbs that coat or form a soothing film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane.Bowel-Poop-Elimination: General Laxative GENERAL-LAXATIVEPromotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives...Click here for general Digestion Tips
DISCLAIMER: The pathogenesis of each person's condition is unique, and so the diet must be fit to the individual and the unique root causes of the condition in your body. The best way to do this is with a one on one consultation. DIET REMEDIES FOR 'FOOD ALLERGY'PRODUCTS REMEDIES FOR 'FOOD ALLERGY'1. EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR FOOD ALLERGY2. SPECIALITY FORMULAS FOR FOOD ALLERGYLOOKING FOR DIGESTION RELATED PRODUCTS?
See our herbs & products in these categories:
REMOVE THE CAUSES OF YOUR IMBALANCEFOOD ALLERGY USUALLY MEANS THESE |
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| GUNA | DO YOU HAVE THIS IMBALANCE? |
|---|---|
TOXIC
A substance that causes toxicity in the body, or that harms the body.
|
 Status UnknownTake these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Toxic' guna |
HOT
Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.
|
Status UnknownTake these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Hot' guna |
PUNGENT
Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper.
|
Status UnknownTake these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Pungent' taste |
To learn more about the symbols above, click on them.
Are you prone to a problem with 'Food allergy'?
Find your imbalances and create a diet for your Digestion by taking the
free digestion quiz.
RELATED SYMPTOMS & HABITS
The following symptoms & habits may be related to 'Food allergy'. See your quiz results for a computerized assessment of your body type. Please click on the symptoms below to learn more about them.WHAT'S NEXT?
DO YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR UNIQUE BODY?
HOW AYURVEDA WORKS
ARE YOU WONDERING HOW AYURVEDA CAN HELP YOU?WHY IS AYURVEDA THE RIGHT SOLUTION?
Ayurveda strengthens the body, in addition to addressing the disorder. It take a holistic, systemic approach, instead of myopically focusing on the disorder in question. Ayurveda shows a person how to interpret signs and symptoms of imbalance, and how to address them using materials from home, so they can optimize their health on a continual basis. You can't take the doctor home with you, but you can take Ayurveda home with you. Ayurveda is the most advanced and easy to use home system for self healing with an exceptional focus on digestion.HOW DOES AYURVEDA WORK?
Ayurveda starts by identifying your body type, which identifies certain tendencies in your body to get sick (as well as identifying your strengths). It uses body type to determine the likely root causes of your disorders. Next, Ayurveda analyzes the nature of your disorder. It fits all your signs and symptoms into a pattern, expressed as a combination of gunas / qualities. For example, you may have a heat disorder, a cold disorder, or an oily disorder, etc. This simple categorical approach shows you how to correct systemic imbalances and strengthen your body as a whole.On Joyful Belly, we've created an extensive categorization of food so you can easily match food to your imbalances (gunas). By eating an optimal diet that balances your gunas, your whole body is strengthened and the conditions that created the disorder are removed. Once the root causes of the disease are removed, the disease lessens in strength or disappears altogether. Additional remedies - such as herbs and lifestyle practices - focused on the specific disorder, can greatly enhance your healing.
Want to learn more about Ayurveda and its step-by-step approach to healing? Click below.
LEARN MOREGET STARTED
To get started on your Ayurvedic journey, we first recommend that your find your body type by taking our free quiz. In Ayurveda, every solution is based on your unique body type, so by taking this quiz, you’ll get the best results.5 WAYS TO HEAL YOUR BODY
WITH AYURVEDA - FREE REPORT!
About the Author
John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda exudes a certain ease, which many find enjoyable and insightful. His online course Balance Your Ayurvedic Diet in a Week provides tools for gracefully healing with Ayurveda to thousands. John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda , which specializes in digestive tract pathology & Ayurvedic nutrition. John and his wife Natalie recently published Explore Your Hunger: A Guide to Hunger, Appetite & Food.John's interest in Ayurveda and digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, including his public service work in South Asia. John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion. John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing. In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University.
John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots, and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church. Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick. That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well.
Comments & Personal Experiences
How does 'food allergy' affect your quality of life? What aggravates it? What has helped you? Is there something you'd like to know about 'food allergy'?13 likes
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