What Should I Do If I Have a Severe Food Allergy?

For severe allergies, of course epinephrine is a life-saver.

But if you want to prevent severe food allergies in the future and address them in a more holistic way, it's important to take a closer look at what's going on with your digestive health.

Allergies often stem from long-term digestive issues. A poor diet—one high in refined flour, trans fats (like those in fried foods), and low in fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds—along with prolonged use of drug medications such as antibiotics and antacids, can all contribute to digestive dysfunction. This can lead to an imbalance in the microbiome and immune system disruption, including the destruction of GALT (gut-associated lymphoid tissue), which results in a leaky gut.

A poor diet and long-term drug medication use can harm beneficial bacteria in the intestinal lining, causing a leaky gut. When this occurs, undigested food particles and macromolecules can pass through the compromised gut barrier and enter the bloodstream. The body then recognizes these as foreign invaders, triggering an immune response and the release of antibodies.

Chronic use of antacids can also reduce stomach acid, encouraging bacterial overgrowth and increasing susceptibility to infections.

If you're dealing with food allergies, it’s important to address the underlying digestive issues. Look into factors like infections, toxins, low stomach acid, leaky gut, and poor immune function. For infections, a stool test can help determine if you have conditions like SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth). Supplements like emulsified oregano oil, olive leaf extract, and astragalus can help combat infections.

To heal your gut lining, focus on foods rich in glutamine, like cabbage juice, or consider an L-glutamine supplement. Also, aloe vera and slippery elm can help maintain the integrity of the intestinal lining and address leaky gut. You can also use Betaine HCl to increase stomach acid and digestive enzymes to improve food digestion. Vitamin B and zinc support digestion and stomach acid production. For immune function and to manage food allergies, botanical antihistamines like quercetin can be beneficial. Finally, repopulate your gut with probiotics to restore healthy bacteria.