In May of 1976, as a result of a dinner party following a mushroom hunting expedition by friends working at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Mt. Albert, Auckland, New Zealand, I found myself with a damaged liver. I ate the one missed mushroom which almost destroyed my liver as a result of the aflotoxins contained in the mushroom. I was fed a predominance of dairy products while recovering and my regenerating liver Kupfer cells, progenitors of tissue macrophages, decided not to like the dairy products. Consequently I developed an allergic response to dairy products which later extended to all mammalian food products. My reaction was eczema of the skin over the elbows and kneecaps. Interestingly these areas are on the San Jiao or Triple Heater Meridian of Acupuncture. Relief was obtained by immersing the affected part in hot water, as I did not have access to moxibustion (as per acupuncture) which also gave relief. I became lactose intolerant as well due to cessation of dairy product consumption. Next in my saga is allergens of plant origin. I started using extra virgin olive oil before it was a fad. After consuming extra virgin olive oil for approximately 3 years, in September of 2000 I developed an allergic reaction to a compound(s) contained within. My allergic reaction was initially itiching of the eyes followed by excessive nasal secretions and eventually swelling of the nasal mucosa. This made breathing difficult if not impossible through the nose. I switched to eating foods prepared with any of the golden oilve oils and had no allergic reaction. I changed my oil consumtion to grapeseed oil and noticed a change in the oils of my skin, they were "heavier". After using up the bottle of grapeseed oil I purchased a bottle of the regular golden oilve oil. When I consumed some of it, I got the allergic response again. When I switched to the grapeseed oil, all came right! Consequently I do not eat foods with olive oil in them. Since I did not eat olive oil for some 6 months, I ate a loaf of Italian Ciabatta made with extra virgin olive oil and was ok, before I read the label to see what was in the bread. My allergic reaction had abated. I still use canola oil and grapeseed oil and I eat sparingly the Ciabatta. More recently, 2005, I have been able to use regular olive oil without any adverse efects. Next in my Saga, during the summer of 2001, I ate many 1.5 pint containers of Boysenberry & Raspberry Sorbet. I developed a sensitivity to these after 3 months of consumption. I had to stop eating the sorbets. Then, I was searching for a chocolate food that did not have milk fat or solids in it for which I would have an intolerance. I made a drink from cocoa, "soy free" vegetable protein powder and natural soy lecithin granules which contained natural fruit flavors. All was OK for a while. During this time I also was consuming Vitamin C tablets with natural berry fruit flavors. The result is that I developed a sensitivity to each in turn. The symptoms are just as described above: watery & itchy eyes, profuse running of the nose and eventual swelling on the nasal mucosa. More recently, 2005, this has also abated to normal. Now I have to be very careful to read all labels and ask what the ingredients of foods are before I eat anything. I have also found that consuming large quantities of food products with added mono- and di-glycerides seems to sensitize me to the foods that I am concurrently eating. Thus I recommend staying away from artificial cream, creamer and the like. Again, after not eating these foods for a time, 6 months, I am able to eat the Sorbets and Vitamin C with no reaction. It helps to have an anti-histamine on hand when my eyes start to itch and I know that I have not been careful enough. Regardless, this in the method that works for me. Food is broken down in the stomach and small intestine. It is absorbed in the small intestine. Thus, I drink a massive amount of fruit juice that does not cause a reaction, in my case apple juice, and take an overdose of Vitamin C so as to cause diarrhea. This flushes the small intestine and washes the allergens out before too many are absorbed into the blood stream and/or lymphatic system. Thus there is a lesser amount of allergen(s) for the body to get rid of and less time afflicted. I have found that taking an Acidophilus/Lactobacillus species tablet/caspsule/liquid helps also. Perhaps for those not lactose intolerant, naturally fermented yogurt would suffice. I assume that the bacteria metabolize the allergens into a form that is not then allergenic. I have also found that some very well aged cheese does not cause a problem or just a minor one. I had not consumed mammalian meat in over 22 years. A friend of mine suggested that I eat some venison to see if I was still sensitized to mammalian meat. I ate roughly 7 ounces and did not have an eczema flare. What did occur was more harrowing. My prostate gland froze up for three days making it very difficult to urinate. I am still on a fish & fowl only diet as a result. I also am not able to eat any canned fish products. Why so I am not able to say. I find that I like to eat at Chinese Buffet Restaurants since I am able to eat whatever I like and there is a wide variety of different kinds of foods, many with plant proteins such as Mung Bean curd and Tofu. When I have consummed some form of mammalian food product (meat, milk, whey, butter, cheese) I noticed that my clearity of mind becomes clouded as if I am in a haze. I also get depressed psychologically. This passes in a few days. My assumption is that the animal fats/oils and remaining hormones are affecting my cellular metabolism adversely. This effect is very similar to the effect that alternating current and electrical equipment gives me, hazy clouding of the mind. I have thought that the effects that oils, ions and Vitamin C have on cellular membranes and cell surface receptors plays a role here. AC is known to fluidize cellular membranes. If you eat exclusively low molecular weight oils, this contributes to cellular membrane fluidity also. Analysis of the oils/fats of animals living in the artic climes shows a graded density of high to low from the body cavity to the feet. This ensures that cellular functioning will be optimal at the low temperatures the feet and extremities are exposed. This is why your hands ache when you go from the warmth of your home to 20 degree F temperatures. The cellular membranes of your nerves in the skin do not function well since they have not been aclimatized to the cold with low density oils/fats. I propose that eating high density oils, such as grapeseed oil, eating lots of foods with high magnesium content or magnesium food supplements (get the chelated type as magnesium oxide[MgO] is hard to digest) and eating lots of Vitamin C foods or supplements will stabilize cellular membranes. Buffer solutions with magnesium substituted for calcium are used in scientific experiments to slow membrane processes. Vitamin C is added to solutions to stabilizd membranes also. Consequently, I propose that this type of diet is ideal for those afflicted with overactive mental process disorders such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), along with taking gamma-amino-butyric-acid (GABA) 500 mg. twice daily. |