Nancy wrote:
 
> I'm interested in locating scientifically-based information about the
> relationship between stress and food allergies.  My limited understanding
> is that we can have low-level food allergies that don't "bug" us for a
> long while until something sets them off.  In my case, I believe it was
> job-related stress that triggered mine by overloading my
> immune system.
 
You say they didn't bug you, but I guess that you did have bad
health, you just didn't relate it to food allergies. That was the
case with me, anyway. I have spent all my adult life knocking on
doctors doors, trying alternative healing, herbs, everything. They
all said there was nothing they could find, and I kept saying - then
why do I feel so terrible? I had back problems, tiredness,
irritability, eye troubles, ear troubles, relationship problems,
anxiety, etc. etc. etc. So was it job-related stress, or food-related
stress? The allergens put an enormous burden on the immune system,
and at the same time the whole digestive system is having to overwork
to deal with all the undigested food. The whole system in the end
just collapses under the stress. But this is all theoretical. I
too would like to see the scientific work being done in this field -
if there is any.
 
>  For example, I haven't drunk milk for years with
> very few problems with yogurt and cheese (or so I thought).  Now I
> find out that I am intolerant to: milk (3000 on a scale of 1 to 3000),
> eggs, corn gluten (and therefore corn), gluten in general, soy,
> sunflower seeds, kidney & lima beans, almonds, avocados, garlic,
> and summer squash.  (Doesn't give me a lot of food alternatives!)
>
This is a familiar list of food allergies for me! My RAST test showed
a problem with eggs, kidney beans, sunflower seeds, sesame, peanut.
I can't tolerate milk, gluten, corn, soy although the RAST test
didn't show these up. I wonder what the connection is with these
foods?
 
> Since the allergy testing, I've radically altered my diet and am slowly
> improving.  (The "fog" has lifted from my brain and I'm a lot more
> productive.)
 
Likewise. Maybe we can compare diets - I'm improving mine all the
time.
 
> Any books by physicians or articles published in medical journals
> about this connection would be very helpful.  I know who will be
> evaluating my claim, and I want to send a very comprehensive package
> that gives me as much of chance as possible at getting some compensation.
> In return, I'll also make a commitment to type out some of this information
> and provide it to all list subscribers.
>
Thanks - I look forward to reading any replies.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Nancy
> Recovering in Silicon Valley, CA/USA
>
>
Max
(Recovering on the North Sea coast of Holland)