Anti-allergy foods

Bryan Hubbard — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:15:00 GMT

There are allergies, and there are sensitivities. Allergists insist that an allergy can only be diagnosed by specific tests, and that people who say they’re “allergic to” some food or other environmental element are often not technically allergic. Basically, it doesn’t matter what you call it: if the food or element specifically affects you in a negative way, we have a problem and it’s worth attending to.

Foods most commonly considered allergenic include milk and milk products, eggs, soy, nuts, corn, peanuts, tomatoes, and shellfish. Different individuals may react to others as well. In addition, pollen, cats, dander, and the like may also cause unpleasant symptoms. Avoiding whatever it is you’re allergic to is, obviously, step number one.

Step number two: In my experience, eliminating milk products from one’s diet can help diminish the symptoms of other allergies. It’s worth a try, as so many people respond positively. And don’t worry about the calcium issue – just eat plenty of leafy greens, just like the cows, and you’ll have that covered!

Enhancing the gut flora may be helpful as well. Consuming naturally fermented vegetables (no vinegar), such as sauerkraut, brine pickles, and unpasteurized miso (in soups and salad dressings), will provide some pro-biotic elements. I would suggest two tablespoons of sauerkraut per day – see recipe below.

For cat allergies, my friend Carol Ellis, who is an MD and herbalist, recommends tincture of mullein. When I used to have cats, and an allergic person came to visit, I used to give them a glass of water with two droppersful of mullein, and their symptoms would abate as long as they sipped their water throughout the evening. I refilled the glass whenever necessary.

Natural sauerkraut recipe: Cut a small cabbage in quarters, top to bottom, and cut out the core. Slice the quarters into thin strips, and spread out over your cutting board or table. Sprinkle good seasalt all over it, trying to visualize a thin film of salt only one grain thick all over the cabbage. You’re better off using a little too much rather than too little. Gather it all and put in a crock or non-metal pot (porcelain or glass is fine). Put a plate on top with some weights, to press down. Place in a dark and cool spot. Next day, take a look: enough water should have been released to cover the cabbage. If not, add some warmed water, with one teaspoon of seasalt per cup, stir well, and pour in as much as needed to cover the cabbage by one inch. Let sit about a week; remove anything that is sitting on top of the water. Pour into a clean glass jar with the water and keep covered in the fridge. Enjoy in lieu of salad!

Annemarie Colbin, Ph.D.

Super-immune kids: four tips for the new school year

Annemarie Colbin — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 09:21:00 GMT

Here are my four top tips for helping your children to stay healthy and avoid illnesses in the new school year.

The foods that make kids the sickest are sugar and dairy.

1. Avoid dairy

If you can possibly raise them without milk products, you will prevent the most common mucus conditions, especially colds and ear infections. Milk is a great mucus producer; bacteria love living in it, and casein, the protein in milk, is commonly used in laboratories to set up bacterial cultures. Cheese is just as much of a problem, and yogurt is little better. And it’s not because of the fat – in fact, butter does not bring on infections, according to my observations – it is the protein and the calcium, which in cow’s milk are intended to help baby cows become big cows (or steer), and are excessive for humans.

2. Don’t reward them with sugar

If you can avoid giving your kids sugared foods – including sugared breakfast cereals, cookies, cake, candy, and ice cream – you will allow their immune systems to do a better job of keeping them healthy. Sugar is known to depress the immune system, and what is worse, it is really addictive. According to a recent study at the University of Bordeaux, France, it appears to be more addictive than cocaine. I know that we tend to reward the children with sweet goodies, but that habit is perhaps best reconsidered – crayons, balloons, comic books or nuts and raisins might be a better idea for rewards.

3. Give them lots of protein

To keep the kids healthy, they also need to eat sufficient protein (some in each meal, such as fish, chicken, meats, or beans and legumes), with lots of vegetables both cooked and raw, as well as good quality fats (extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, organic butter). See my post on protein breakfasts for more advice.

4. Make sure they get plenty of rest

Most importantly, they need enough sleep and rest, which will allow their bodies and their brains to recuperate and restore, as well as grow. Lack of sleep is one of the major causes of stress and illness.

So there you have it: feed them well, keep them off the ice cream and sweets, and make sure they sleep enough, and they will avoid many illnesses.

Annemarie Colbin, Ph.D.

ANNEMARIE COLBIN, Ph.D., CHES, is an award-winning leader in the field of natural health She founded Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts (TM) in New York City in 1977, and is adjunct professor of nutrition at the city’s Empire State College. She is the author of four books, including The Book of Whole Meals (Autumn Press, 1979; Ballantine Books, 1983), The Natural Gourmet (Ballantine Books, 1989, 1991), and Food and Healing (Ballantine Books, 1986, 1996). Her website is: www.foodandhealing.com

Food and Healing : dairy

Anti-allergy foods

Super-immune kids: four tips for the new school year