Could You Have Oral Allergy Syndrome?
By Julie E. Williamson
If you haven’t heard of oral allergy syndrome, you’re probably not alone. But if you happen to be like me and suffer from both food and environmental allergies), there’s no better time to become schooled on the subject.
As the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) explains, oral allergy syndrome (also known as pollen-food syndrome), is caused by cross-reacting allergens found in both pollen and […]
Allergy Sufferers Could Be at Risk Due to Fraudulent Olive Oil Ingredients
By Julie E. Williamson
By now, we all know the merits of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) – a key ingredient in Mediterranean diets and a heart-healthy, body-benefiting alternative to highly processed and potentially toxic vegetable oils. If you’re like me, you’ve boarded the EVOO bandwagon with both feet, buy the golden liquid in bulk and drizzle it over salads, roasted vegetables, air-popped corn, […]
The Pulse Test: How This Simple, At-Home Test Can Help Pinpoint Allergies
By Julie E. Williamson
My first allergy test came around age six. It was the traditional “scratch test” and I only remember a very long afternoon of testing, which culminated in another of my thumping, nauseating migraines (probably triggered by anxiety) and my allergist shaking his head in disbelief at my results (severely allergic to everything but oranges, dogs and pork) and sending my […]
Wrap Your Head Around This: Research Reveals ‘Brain Allergies’ Are Real
By Julie E. Williamson
Our bodies aren’t all that’s affected by the introduction of food allergens. The brain, too, can be significantly and adversely affected by a food (or other ingested substance) and provoke a host of psychological, emotional and neurological symptoms, research reveals.
Although the concept of so-called brain allergies is nothing new (doctors and researchers first made the connection between food allergies and brain […]
Hope for the Holidays: Surviving the Fanfare with Food Allergies
By Julie E. Williamson
I’m not going to try and glaze over the truth: the holidays can be no treat for food allergy sufferers (and even those with less severe, but still annoying intolerances). There we are, surrounded by toasted seasoned nuts, flaky dinner rolls, fluffy potatoes, buttery cookies (a double-whammy for those of us with dairy and wheat allergies), festive mugs filled with eggnog…and the […]
Why Gluten Free
Isn’t Necessarily Risk Free
By Julie Williamson
Gluten free has taken off like a kite in the wind. A trip to any supermarket yields at least an aisle of gluten-free “goodies” – boxes and bags of confectionary imposters lined up on the shelves like sneaky little soldiers. Sneaky because those goodies (the brownies, cake mixes, cookies, crackers, pastas, flours, and more) typically consist of a lengthy list of potentially dangerous fill-in ingredients. I’ve explained […]