Food allergies

More than 90% of the so-called "food allergies" are not caused by the "competition" of two foods to generate new toxins. The essence is that the fluctuation of autoimmune status + the cumulative exposure to allergens just crosses the threshold. The remaining less than 10% of special cases have nothing to do with "combined food allergies". They are caused by the intersection of food ingredients to form a rare compound allergen. Don't keep random lists of food compounds that are incompatible. It is useless.

I have been in the allergy clinic for almost 7 years. Last week, I met a little girl whose mouth was swollen as if she had two small glutinous rice balls in her mouth. When she entered the door, she held up the "Food Compatibility Comparison Chart" on her mobile phone to complain, saying that she had eaten thirteen-flavored crayfish with mango ice, and how could she have been infected? Finally, after checking the allergens, we found out that she was originally hypoallergenic to mangoes, so eating half a piece of it was fine. That day, the chitin in the crayfish first increased the permeability of the intestinal mucosa. To put it bluntly, the intestinal security door leaked, and the allergenic proteins in the mango got directly in. The immune cells that were originally on standby were activated at once, and they attacked "indiscriminately." It's really not the crayfish's fault that it became so swollen.

Regarding the causes of food allergy, the academic community has actually had two different judgment logics. One group insists that a single allergen triggers the allergen, thinking that you are already allergic to a certain food, but you just don't react when your usual intake is low and your immune status is good. When you eat a bunch of it, either the total amount of allergens exceeds the standard, or other foods are "accomplices" - such as high histamine tuna and fermented kimchi. The other group supports the "complex allergy theory" and believes that in rare cases the components of two foods will combine to form new allergens in the gastrointestinal tract. For example, some studies have mentioned that some people who are mildly allergic to milk are fine if they eat milk alone or oranges alone, but when they are eaten together At this time, the macromolecular polymer formed by the combination of casein and fruit acid can be recognized by immune cells and trigger allergies. However, the proportion of such cases is extremely low. I have only encountered one case in so many years of being a doctor. It is not possible to ban all fruits and milk for this small probability event.

Unfortunately, I rarely discuss these academic differences with patients. Instead, I prefer to talk about down-to-earth practical tips. I once met an uncle who had diarrhea every time he ate spicy hot pot with fresh pineapple. I must say that these two are "naturally opposed". Finally, it was found that he was allergic to bromelain. He usually ate pineapple soaked in salt water and was fine. The hot pot burned the mucous membranes of his mouth and esophagus with small wounds. You see, it’s not a matter of matching, it’s all the details that you didn’t notice.

Of course, some people think that checking allergens is too troublesome. Drawing several tubes of blood may not necessarily detect hypoallergenic types. There is a simpler way, especially suitable for people with children at home or people with sensitive constitutions: only try one new food at a time, and if there is no reaction after eating, add another food. Especially for seafood, nuts, and tropical fruits, which are highly allergenic, don't put them all on the table at one meal. The most outrageous case I have ever seen was that someone was allergic to eating instant noodles with ham sausage. It must be said that these two are a "toxic combination". In the end, it was found out that he was allergic to the potassium sorbate in instant noodles. He usually ate a bucket of it without any reaction. The same preservative was added to the ham sausage that day, and the total intake exceeded the threshold. It was really unfair.

To put it bluntly, the immune threshold is like the remaining battery of your mobile phone. It can last for most of a day with normal use. However, if you play games and watch videos with positioning turned on, it will shut down within two hours. If you stayed up late the night before, caught a cold, or even had a weakened immunity during your aunt's period, not to mention eating all kinds of food, even drinking iced milk, which is fine, may give you a stomachache. If you are really afraid of allergies, instead of keeping dozens of "food comparison tables", you should pay more attention to the small reactions of itching, feeling stuffy, and mild diarrhea every time you eat something, and don't put several things in your mouth that you have never eaten at once. It is more reliable than anything else.