--- In FailsafeNT@yahoogroups.com, "tarinya2" <tarinya2@...> wrote:

> She technically has intolerances and not allergies. I've determined
> them by elimination diets. They are definitely food intolerances and
> not food chemical sensitivites as she has a different pattern of
> reactions to amines and salicylates.

I regularly have different patterns of reactions to the same chemical.
It usually relates to the amount of chemical, but sometimes I simply
have no idea why my body has chosen to react differently. I react
differently to additives than I do to salicylates. In plant foods,
there are a wide range of polyphenols which have similar effects to
salicylates, but which could cause you to react in a particularly
unique way. For example, the chemicals in grapes and wine have a
particular violent effect on my digestive system. :)


I wasn't aware that wheat had
> any food chemicals at all, and she reacted to coconut and tree nuts in
> the same way as she did to wheat.

Were these digestive, physical, or behavioural reactions? I can see
why all three would cause digestive reactions.

Something RPAH/food intolerance network haven't really clarified is
that reactons to wheat/gluten, oats, and dairy products can be caused
by "opiod-like" chemicals (these are known to affect autistics/PDD).
They do not have to be immune system mediated. Grains, beans and nuts
also contain a range of chemicals called lectins that some people are
sensitive to - they tend to cause arthritis, autoimmune disorders, and
upset digestion.


> I do understand that she was more likely to develop allergies since
> she is food chemical sensitive, but I don't understand why she reacted
> to something new (chickpeas) after we'd been on Failsafe for a few
months.

Chickpeas have some different plant chemicals in them that can disrupt
hormones, and they're also pretty sulphurous. I don't tolerate
chickpeas well. I would be interested to know specifically what the
reaction was, and more information on the type and preparation of the
chickpeas. Canned? Dried? Soaking conditions?


> I just don't see how food allergies/intolerances can be genetic since
> they were pretty much unheard of just a few generations ago.


That is not true at all. This is a persistent claim of WAPF and
orthomolecular nutrition types, but it is baseless. There is a lot of
genetic evidence out there, you just have to look for the studies.
I've even found anecdotal evidence going back centuries, and in native
cultures. For example:

- An innuit woman described by Stefansson who suffered heart
palpatations and felt ill when she ate meat.
- In the diary of Samuel Pepys in the 1660s, describing how he was
covered in hives after eating pickled gherkins, and had to "sweat" the
reaction out.
- In 1860, Mrs Beeton wrote a long piece of child rearing advice in
her book of household management describing how lactating mothers
should avoid rich/tasty foods to prevent their babies from crying and
coming out in rashes. She said a mother should eat "light" foods and
her diet should be very low in vegetables and fruit and she should not
have any stocks or broths. She even blames episodes of thrush in
babies on the mother's rich diet. The confidence of her writing
suggests this was common knowledge.

There is a genetic dopamine receptor polymorphism, DRD4, that has been
strongly linked with ADHD, and this gene actually appeared in the
population about 10,000 years ago.

An important amine-detox enzyme, monoamine oxidase (MAO) has several
mutations that have been strongly linked to emotional responses. When
you suppress MAO in people, they experience classic amining symptoms,
including heart palpatations etc and have to avoid foods containing
tyramine. People with the MAO variants seem to feel emotions stronger
and for longer than other people, and because of this more likely to
harbour grudges, need therapy etc. When they are subjected to a bad
upbringing, they are more likely to be violent and criminal than
regular MAO carriers. In other words, they're inherently more likely
to get amined than other people.