Richard Geller wrote:
> Food allergy tests are notoriously wrong. Food breaks down in the digestive
> system, obviously, and so it is very difficult to test using standard skin
> tests... the digestive intermediary chemistry is not> taken into account. Lots
of false positives make these tests often > worthless.

I agree completely.  I've heard people say, "I tested allergic to.... bla,
bla, bla, but I was not allergic to sugar."  So, the person thinks he or she
can eat sugar without any ill effects.  Since we don't digest food through
our skin, testing for allergies in this way can lead to very erroneous
conclusions.  People need to look at the food as nourishing or not, first
and foremost, then look at quality, quantity, and context.

People may be tested for a food, but they never test for multiple
variations, for example, there are many types of meat (breeds, diets given
to animals, etc.).  There are many varieties of each kind of fruit or
vegetable as well.  Reactions to a food in terms of the quality of the food,
the quantity eaten, and the context (the overall meal and diet).   Grass fed
beef, lamb, and pork can have very different effects on the consumers.  For
example, if I eat grain fattened lamb (including the fat surrounding it)
three or four, days in a row I can easily end up with a bad acne break out.
However, if I eat 100% gassfed lamb thte same number of days---this meat is
far leaner and the ratio of fatty acids is VERY different--I do not have the
same problem.  The grain fed meat has more total fat (which can aggravate my
liver), and far more omega 6 PUFAs (which can cause inflammation).

> the same reaction. Perhaps this is more the cause of meat "allergies."

I think that many "allergies" to natural foods may be the result of the
quality or poor quality of the food, and/or the context in which they are
eaten.  Also, a person may have a weak digestive system, which can lead to a
low tolerance to many otherwise nourishing foods.  Some people may need
digestive support, e.g., enzymes, HCL, or liver support (artichoke extract
and/or milk thistle) to get the most from the natural foods they eat.

Regards,
Rachel