Question: Dr. T, thanks for writing my college a letter explaining my special health needs arising from my chemical sensitivities and food sensitivities and my related dietary requirements. As you know, my nutritional demands depart radically from the School Lunch program, which derives its inspiration from the SAD- Standard American Diet. I received some resistance from the school officials, who wrote me the following paragraphs: 'Your doctor states you came in "to address food and environmental/chemical sensitivities" though he doesn't state you have these conditions. However, he does say you need to stay on a "regimented diet" of "organic unprocessed plant foods (no baked or refined foods). If your doctor Has indeed determined that you do have "food and environmental/chemical sensitivities," it would be helpful for you to get an updated letter specifying what the sensitivities are and how they were determined.' Since I had not done any tests with you for allergies or sensitivities to foods or chemicals, what should I tell them? Please help me!
Answer: You can tell them that you sought my advice regarding what you thought were food and environmental sensitivities, because you experienced the symptoms of such sensitivities (congestion, running nose, fatigue, drowsiness, headaches, with some seasonal and locational variations). I agreed with you that you have the symptoms of sensitivities and/or allergies, but since you had no funds to engage in laboratory testing of specific allergens / sensitizing agents, I offered you a low-cost alternative: Change the diet by eliminating commonly offensive or allergenic foods and food toxins (see article elsewhere in our site) in order to improve your nutritional and overall health status, promote immune system stability, reduce inflammation, accelerate metabolism, enhance detoxification, support liver functions, and increase gastrointestinal health (maintaining gut ecology and immunity). These improvements, achieved by eating organic, minimally-processed or totally-unprocessed (raw) wholesome plant foods - vegetables (especially green leaves, stems, fleshy fruits, roots, bulbs, and cruciferous flowers), fruits (including avocados and tropical fruits), a variety of nuts and seeds, and sprouted legumes and grains - can effectively reduce the reactivity of the immune system, often eliminating the symptoms of sensitivities and allergies altogether! Many scientific studies have proven the benefit of food elimination and provocation accompanied by a rotation diet. A rotation diet helps us avoid frequent ingestion of potential offenders such as complex foods (animal foods, legumes, grains, and nuts) that are especially prevalent in processed foods and restaurant foods, which almost always contain cheap soy derivatives and oils, corn derivatives, gluten, yeast, eggs, and dairy (also coffee beans and occasionally some popular nuts). No wonder so many Americans are developing sensitivities and allergies to these foods! Elimination and rotation has consistently improved the health and behavior of numerous children and adults.
Stress reduction and unpolluted environment in general are also important to stabilize the immune system and reduce its sensitivity/reactivity, so it is essential that your school officials avoid stressing you out, by empathizing with your concerns, by cleaning the school environment (including the kitchen!), or at least by supporting your dietary efforts...
If you had the budget to undergo laboratory testing, we would do the ALCAT test (which I offer to patients across the entire USA, they can have the blood test administered in their own homes) to diagnose specific sensitivities to 110 or more foods, to common environmental chemicals (pollutants), and to common molds. In the absence of such test, I can only diagnose the presence of an allergy or allergies / sensitivities based on medical history, examination, and/or symptoms, without being specific as to the names of the offending allergens or immune - sensitizing agents (unless we employ the assistance of an elimination-provocation process) Good luck to you and all school-goers who try to avoid paying for a compulsory junk-food lunch program (if any of our other readers needs a supportive letter from me in this regard, just email us and I'll be happy to assist you!).
Stress reduction and unpolluted environment in general are also important to stabilize the immune system and reduce its sensitivity/reactivity, so it is essential that your school officials avoid stressing you out, by empathizing with your concerns, by cleaning the school environment (including the kitchen!), or at least by supporting your dietary efforts...
If you had the budget to undergo laboratory testing, we would do the ALCAT test (which I offer to patients across the entire USA, they can have the blood test administered in their own homes) to diagnose specific sensitivities to 110 or more foods, to common environmental chemicals (pollutants), and to common molds. In the absence of such test, I can only diagnose the presence of an allergy or allergies / sensitivities based on medical history, examination, and/or symptoms, without being specific as to the names of the offending allergens or immune - sensitizing agents (unless we employ the assistance of an elimination-provocation process) Good luck to you and all school-goers who try to avoid paying for a compulsory junk-food lunch program (if any of our other readers needs a supportive letter from me in this regard, just email us and I'll be happy to assist you!).
