Food Allergies: Coincidence or Toxic Overload?

There was an interesting article last week in The New York Times about the misdiagnosis of food allergies, especially in children.

As we are all aware, there has been an explosion in food allergies recently. According to the article, over “11 million Americans, including 3 million children, are estimated to have food allergies, most commonly to milk, eggs, peanuts and soy. The prevalence among children has risen 18 percent in the past decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

Not mentioned in the article is a pressing question: Why have human beings, after thousands of years on the planet, suddenly developed allergies to certain foods?

When I was growing up in the late-70's and early-80's, one kid in my town was allergic to peanuts. Now, you cannot bring peanut butter sandwiches into school. I am neither an allergist nor immunologist, but I find it hard to believe this is just coincidence.

Many—myself included—believe that the proliferation of food allergies has been caused by the increased presence of hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, synthetic dyes, additives and other toxins in our food, water and air.

In his book, “The Hundred-Year Lie,” Randall Fitzgerald offers a theory of toxicity that, from a common sense point of view, makes complete sense.

Everyone has a personal toxicity level, based on several factors (diet, exercise, environment, immune system, etc.). When our bodies are overwhelmed and can’t eliminate toxins properly, we get sick. The resulting illnesses and diseases (i.e. food allergies) now manifesting themselves are a by-product of our increasingly toxic world.