Ask Dr. Popper: Allergies

Dear Dr. Pam: Do people develop allergies by eating too much of some things like soy and wheat?

Not generally, although even people who consume a healthy diet tend to eat repetitively and would benefit from more variety in the foods they choose.

Some people are born with an allergy to a food, which generally shows itself in childhood. Some people outgrow these allergies, while others have to continue to restrict a food or two throughout their lifetime.

Others develop allergies due to poor intestinal health, which allows for whole food particles to enter the bloodstream. The body produces antibodies in response, which results in an allergic reaction to these foods when they are consumed. This is best resolved by adopting a program of dietary excellence and repairing the GI tract, after which many of the foods can be tolerated again.

There is a tendency, particularly among natural health care providers, to over-diagnose food allergies, particularly to wheat and soy. Although these allergies do occur, they do so considerably less frequently than these practitioners lead people to believe. The diagnosis, in my opinion, is based on lack of knowledge about the impact of diet on health, lack of a proper understanding of what constitutes dietary excellence, and poor diagnostic skills.

Dr. Pam Popper is an excellent resource. You may visit her website at www.wellnessforum.com