About Nutrition & Skin Health

Allergies and Skin Conditions

Uncovering food allergies and intolerances can be daunting, but necessary, especially if you are or a loved one suffers with skin problems. Determining allergy health can improve your quality of life dramatically!  That is why it’s so important to consult your doctor and schedule allergy testing, which will help determine what is going on inside you. It some cases it can literally be the difference between life and death.

Your doctor or health care professional can determine if you are suffering from food allergies, intolerances or sensitivities, and yes, there is a difference between all of these. Eliminating foods that are specifically bad for your body and introducing good, healthy foods can change your life for the better, in ways you can’t imagine!

In addition to food allergies, it is also imperative to discover if you are allergic to any medications, and if those medications clash with any of the foods you currently eat. Knowledge is power and in this case it can save your life and your skin.

Other Food Reactions

Aside from skin conditions, do you suffer from other health issues such as headaches, acne, asthma, joint pain, sinus congestion, fatigue, depression, or anxiety? Maybe you tend to experience constipation, diarrhea, hyperactive disorders, insomnia, ear infections, cognitive dysfunction, fuzzy thinking, or memory loss. It could be a food reaction! That is why it’s imperative to see your doctor or health care professional for assistance. He or she can help get to the bottom of your health problems, so you can get them under control once and for all.

FACT: There are literally HUNDREDS of symptoms associated with gluten intolerance alone, not to mention allergies or intolerances to certain foods!

Allergy Testing

There are a number of tests an allergist can perform to help diagnose your allergies and your health such as a skin-prick test, puncture test or scratch test, intradermal test or patch test. They may also decide to run blood tests. These are panels your allergist will most like conduct on your forearm to determine what you’re allergic to – food, pet dander, environment (trees or plants), pollen, molds, bee stings, fragrances, dyes, materials, etc.  The findings will determine what course of action your doctor takes, such as immunotherapy or medications.

Elimination Diet

An elimination diet removes the most common food allergens and problematic foods, then methodically reintroduces those foods one by one back into the diet. This is the best way to uncover what is going on. An elimination diet can run as little as 10 days or as long as several months, depending on your own personal health issues and needs.  Your doctor will look most likely look for reactions to food items such as:

• Gluten in bread.
• Casein in milk and dairy products.
• Monosodium Glutamate (known as MSG).
• Artificial sweeteners, preservatives, artificial flavors, and artificial food colorings.
• Alcohol – beer, wine, hard alcohol.
• Certain medications or chemical compounds.
• Fruits / Citrus fruits – oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, limes, lemons, etc.
• Fish:  Mainly shellfish – lobster, crab, mussels, clams, scallops, etc.
• Nuts: Tree nuts – pecans, walnuts, pistachios, etc. Cashews (actually considered a fruit). Groundnuts (peanuts are the worst for many).
• Corn or corn products – corn oil, corn chips, popcorn corn starch, etc.

Other problem foods might consist of high-fructose corn syrup, vegetable oil, soy, eggs, certain grains, even sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, white sugar, brown sugar, fructose, dextrose, or maltose might cause problems for some.

Now, don’t freak out! The likelihood of being allergic to all of this stuff is slim to none! It’s just a guideline to be aware of.

Food Cravings Test

Another way to uncover a food allergies or intolerances is to study your cravings. Strange as it may seem, we tend to crave foods we are allergic to. Your doctor or health care provider will help assist you in this area. Seems silly or even weird, but it can be very accurate and very telling as to what’s going on inside your body.

The best way to reintroduce a food is to test one food at a time, waiting to see if there are any reactions. A reaction can take the form of any sort of symptom, ranging from sinus drainage to excess gas, diarrhea, headaches, a return of a skin condition, or a more extreme allergic reaction. Typically, you choose the food you are most craving at the time for reintroduction, then eat one portion of it, wait about 3-4 days, and observe. There is work involved and you might need to repeat this whole process one or more times, as your food allergies and intolerances will change, especially as you become healthier.

You Are Worth the Work!

An elimination diet can be a little challenging, but it’s worth the investment of time, labor and doctor visits. Once you get to the bottom of what’s “eating you” (pun intended), you will feel fantastic! Maybe better than ever before.

As a fingerprint is individual to a person, you are a unique human being with your own set of personal issues, good and bad. In fact, even twins can be very different from one another, which many people find surprising. You have your own unique set of genes, conditions and circumstances different from anyone else. That is what makes you… YOU!

Whatever personal issues are going on with you and your body, never go it alone, especially with regard to your health. Your skin is the largest organ of your entire body. It’s telling you something, so listen to the messages it’s sending you. There is hope and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Keep the faith, stay the course, do the work, and invest in YOU. We think you’ll be very glad you did.