tibbyl Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Qualifier: I am not educated on the topic of food allergies. Does anything think it is possible or probable that food allergies are a byproduct not only of additives and processing but of living during agricultural boon times? For instance, say we had been diagnosed with wheat sensitivity. A natural disaster of mega proportions dramatically reduces the world's food supply. When our bodies are in starvation mode, will we continue to suffer sensitivity to wheat, even if it is only nourishment available, or will our physiology readjust itself to our circumstances? It is interesting to ponder the prevalence of food sensitivities during prehistoric hunter gatherer times when humans had a diet of organic lean meat, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Allegedly the development of agriculture, particularly growing of corn, coincided with declining health of humans in comparison to the skeletons of hunter gatherer societies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yslek Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Interesting thoughts. I so think that abundance does have something to do with food allergies/sensitivities. For example, my mother grew up on an apple orchard. All of her siblings (& my mother) have various apple sensitivities. None of them are completely allergic. One of them can have apples, but not juice. Another is the reverse. One of them can have apple products, but not in the evenings. Really bizarre. Factor into that the fact that many of our staples are genetically modified and added into almost all of our processed foods, and the problem only explodes. Gluten/wheat is in almost everything, it seems. (One interesting story on that one: I have a friend from the UK who cannot eat US wheat, but can eat wheat/wheat products in the UK. She said that it has to do with the hybridized wheat grown here. She can eat spelt.) I didn't realize until recently (when we figured out that my dd is sensitive to corn/corn-derived ingredients) how much stuff contains corn. Nearly everything! It's really well hidden, too. Maltodextrin, fructose, vanillin...the list of corn ingredients goes on. :glare: Soy is just as common as corn. I would not be surprised at all if we witnessed increased soy & corn allergies in the coming years. As for your sudden famine scenario...I have no idea. It's certainly something interesting to think about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen sn Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 We are so advanced we're making ourselves sick. I think when you eat any food every day, all day long, and process it to an unrecognizable form - it will make you sick. Think of how much sugar, wheat, and corn we eat. All processed. And corn is processed into things we don't even know......and added to everything. One reason I just can't bring myself to give my new baby (5 months) any commercial formula is that I think it will make him susceptable to food allergies and allergies in general. I want his gut to close completely before I bombard him with crap. I think if you are mildly allergic to a food and give your body a break from it - you eventually can eat it in small doses. Have you ever heard of Dr. Dorris Rapp? http://www.drrapp.com/about.htm Google hidden corn or corn derivatives.... http://www.scribd.com/doc/2345091/Corn-Derivatives http://www.deliciousorganics.com/controversies/corn.htm Things that CAN contain corn but may not always: http://www.cornallergens.com/list/corn-allergen-list.php This was bizzare: http://www.cornallergens.com/list/avoid-corn-products.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen sn Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 (edited) Interesting thoughts. I so think that abundance does have something to do with food allergies/sensitivities. For example, my mother grew up on an apple orchard. All of her siblings (& my mother) have various apple sensitivities. None of them are completely allergic. One of them can have apples, but not juice. Another is the reverse. One of them can have apple products, but not in the evenings. Really bizarre. Factor into that the fact that many of our staples are genetically modified and added into almost all of our processed foods, and the problem only explodes. Gluten/wheat is in almost everything, it seems. (One interesting story on that one: I have a friend from the UK who cannot eat US wheat, but can eat wheat/wheat products in the UK. She said that it has to do with the hybridized wheat grown here. She can eat spelt.) I didn't realize until recently (when we figured out that my dd is sensitive to corn/corn-derived ingredients) how much stuff contains corn. Nearly everything! It's really well hidden, too. Maltodextrin, fructose, vanillin...the list of corn ingredients goes on. :glare: Soy is just as common as corn. I would not be surprised at all if we witnessed increased soy & corn allergies in the coming years. As for your sudden famine scenario...I have no idea. It's certainly something interesting to think about! About vanillin - I just read that the stuff they make it out of - is the same stuff they use on chicken lice. Edited February 2, 2009 by Karen sn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 It is interesting to ponder the prevalence of food sensitivities during prehistoric hunter gatherer times when humans had a diet of organic lean meat, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Allegedly the development of agriculture, particularly growing of corn, coincided with declining health of humans in comparison to the skeletons of hunter gatherer societies. it's been my understanding that lifespans have increased quite a bit over the centuries. I'm aware that "health" and "lifespan" aren't necessarily directly proportional, but I'd be willing to bet that there's a lot we CAN't tell from skeletons..... and just because those items [organic lean meat, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds] were prevalent doesn't mean they ate the right things in the right proportions. There's plenty of 'natural junk food' too, and i doubt human nature to indulge has changed much. ;) I find it interesting to ponder the case of food allergies too tho. Our family has been blessed w/ disgustingly excellent health and iron guts, so it's threads like these that keep me realizing that there ARE kids out there that can't eat certain things we take for granted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 We are so advanced we're making ourselves sick.I think when you eat any food every day, all day long, and process it to an unrecognizable form - it will make you sick. Think of how much sugar, wheat, and corn we eat. All processed. And corn is processed into things we don't even know......and added to everything. One reason I just can't bring myself to give my new baby (5 months) any commercial formula is that I think it will make him susceptable to food allergies and allergies in general. I want his gut to close completely before I bombard him with crap. I think if you are mildly allergic to a food and give your body a break from it - you eventually can eat it in small doses. Have you ever heard of Dr. Dorris Rapp? http://www.drrapp.com/about.htm Google hidden corn or corn derivatives.... http://www.scribd.com/doc/2345091/Corn-Derivatives http://www.deliciousorganics.com/controversies/corn.htm Things that CAN contain corn but may not always: http://www.cornallergens.com/list/corn-allergen-list.php This was bizzare: http://www.cornallergens.com/list/avoid-corn-products.php Tibbyl, I've asked myself (and my poor dh!) those same questions. My ds popped positive for corn allergy...that last link sure looks grim. Also, not only are these foods over-processed and in everything, but think of the chemicals that are on them in almost every stage of growth. We're in the process of becoming an organic, self-sufficient ranch/farm just for our family, but it's difficult and expensive to bring in all organic feed for the animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I think it stems from a lack of variety in one's diet. As someone else said, corn derivatives are in so many pre-packaged foods. The same could be said for soy, wheat, dairy... From my reading, it seems our bodies can only produce so much of the enzymes required to break down certain foods and if you that amount or less, you're ok. If you eat too much and the enzymes run out, well, you get a belly ache. We found ourselves becoming a bit sensitive to bread wheat (not durum wheat though) and started a grain rotation, eating a different grain for dinner each night. Funnily enough, the problems ceased. The other benefit is it forced us to cook differently, using a greater variety of veggies (and therefore nutrients) than we otherwise would have. You can't slop pasta sauce over boiled rye! :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Our family has been blessed w/ disgustingly excellent health and iron guts, so it's threads like these that keep me realizing that there ARE kids out there that can't eat certain things we take for granted. Same here. We're lucky. When I say I'm allergic to chicken, it's just because I can't stand the taste. ;) I really can't imagine being allergic to foods like wheat, corn, eggs, nuts... they're in everything. I don't know what I'd eat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 We're in the process of becoming an organic, self-sufficient ranch/farm just for our family, but it's difficult and expensive to bring in all organic feed for the animals. That could be a lot cheaper if you're eventually able to raise your feed as well. Organic seed is way cheaper than organic feed. And if you're thinking of raising beef (which I highly recommend!) don't underestimate to power of grazing. Plus, hay fields are incredibly cheap and easy to manage. Get a baler and go at it. You'll have winter hay for next to nothing. Grass fed beef is so much tastier than that craptacular corn-fed beef so prevalent in the US. I never cared for beef one way or the other until I got a taste of good old-fashioned pastured beef. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tibbyl Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 We're fortunate too not to have any food allergies although several of our friends are not as lucky. One friend told me that the "anti-caking agent" in plain frozen vegetables is usually flour or cornstarch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 What I wonder is if in pre-modern times the infant mortality rate was so much higher that the "weaker" babes, the sensitive ones, wouldn't have lived long enough to develop allergies or sensitivities. Only us toughies would have survived...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 My daughter is allergic (seriously) to peanuts...as well as many other true/ tree nuts. She's also supposedly allergic to shellfish... I am allergic to many fruits...and carrots...and allergic, although not seriously...to raw almonds, raw pecans and hazelnuts....and walnuts... Urgh.....not fun! Supposedly, according to Kaizer Insurance...it's because I'm allergic to pollens... Hmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I think if you are mildly allergic to a food and give your body a break from it - you eventually can eat it in small doses. I find this completely true! I have developed a chicken sensitivity - it took a lot of narrowing down and elimination to work it out, but it's definitely chicken, and even eating organic/free-range/local doesn't help. However, if I go a month or two without any, I can eat a meal or two just fine. I just can't overdo it. As for the OP, it's an interesting theory. I hope it's never tested, but I certainly wouldn't be surprised if it were in the next few decades. Time to simplify, for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 My personal suspicion is that all the chemicals we've dumped into the environment--with almost no real knowledge of their effects--may have something to do with it. Also, I do think that diagnosis is just better now; before, a child would just fail to thrive or have constant illnesses. In our case, the doctor thinks there's a clear genetic component, since my husband and I are both mildly allergic to a couple of things and my brother has Crohn's. Our allergy-ridden daughter started showing signs of allergies almost at the beginning, with eczema before she was weaned or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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