Where to start

[kaleidoscope]

Hi Shelley!

I haven't been here in a long time, but I'm still having some problems and hoping you can help.

Basically, I have acne and eczema, but I can control these quite well IF I stay on a very strict diet. The problem is that I seem to react to more and more foods all the time. I cannot eat gluten grains, any dairy whatsoever, eggs, soy, any nuts, peanuts, citrus (at least oranges and grapefruits), shellfish, and of course sugar. I also cannot eat too much fruit in general.

Some of these foods, I never used to have a problem with (even just a year ago), like citrus and nuts. I have always had problems with milk, but now my reaction to it is more severe; now I actually get hives if I have any dairy, whereas before I would just get mucous in my throat. I used to be able to tolerate goat milk products just fine, but not anymore.

Does this sound like Candida and/or Leaky Gut??

I believe that I have some degree of adrenal fatigue, due to a lot of stress as well as a lack of sleep (I have had insomnia for many years). I think this has caused a hormonal imbalance (estrogen dominance/progesterone deficiency), and that would explain why I developed hirsutism about a year ago. I also have many other symptoms of adrenal fatigue. So I also have to deal with this issue.

Could this adrenal/hormone issue have anything to do with food allergies? I have read that it can cause allergies in general, but I don't know if that just means environmental allergies, or what.

Also, I have 1 mercury filling (have had that for about 6 years) and I wonder if I should have that removed and do mercury chelation. I have heard of people getting rid of allergies by dealing with mercury.

Well, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Thanks!

[shelley]

Hi sweetie! Nice to hear from you.

One filling does not a heavy metals issue make! Forget about dental work, that will be a lot of money spent for no gain. People who have allergies have it tough, but here are some things you can do:

Support your body and keep it from over-reacting constantly. Adaptogenic herbs like ginseng, astralagus, gotu kola and licorice are highly recommended for adrenals and will help with allergies too.

Nettle tea is especially recommended if you have allergies, as it helps the body to not put out so many chemicals in reaction to stimuli.

Are you taking calcium at all? I highly recommend regular doses of cal-mag fizz, especially when suffering from insomnia. A must when you can't do dairy.

What it sounds like most is weak digestion overall, and yes allergies almost always cause leaky gut, and that is almost always caused by candida altho if you had allergies as a kid you may not have candida. Allergies alone will cause the leaky gut cycle.

I'd say you're low in stomach acids, probiotics, bile and digestive enzymes. It's the only way you could have gotten into this mess. So take the stomach acid test, start taking digestive enzymes with every meal, some safe probiotics, add Taurine and lecithin to your diet, and see if the protocol for leaky gut helps you out. Hopefully in about 3 months you can start putting fruit back into your diet.

[kaleidoscope]

Thanks Shelley!

I'm pretty sure my stomach acid is fine unless I overeat. And I've been taking probiotics and digestive enzymes regularly for a long time, and taurine occasionally.

I still can't help but worry about mercury. My mom had a mouth full of mercury fillings, AND actually had one put in, when she was pregnant with me! That can't be good! She says that I had allergy symptoms practically from the day I was born, so I really wonder if there's a link there.

Apparently mercury inhibits the enzymes that we need to digest casein and gluten. I had a casein allergy as a kid, and then it disappeared at some point. Then I developed it again maybe 5 years ago... not too long after I had that mercury filling put in.

So I think I will get my filling out, to be safe. It may not help at all, but at least I won't always have to wonder about it.

[shelley]

Okay, but try the nettle tea.