It is not clear why we often crave foods to which we are sensitive, but several theories have been proposed to help explain why this may occur. Some researchers suggest that our bodies can become addicted to the chemical messengers such as histamine or cortisol which are secreted by immune cells in response to allergens in the body. It is hypothesized that while eating foods to which you are allergic can cause a rash or sneezing, the body also may experiences a soothing response from the presence of the chemical messengers increasing the desire to eat more of that food.
Another theory proposed by a well-known immunologist is based on the science of how antibodies and antigens connect (bind) to each other. Antibodies can bind to more than one site on an allergen in the food, therefore, when there is very little antigen but a large number of antibodies present, the antibodies will become cross-linked and make large complexes. It is theorized that these large complexes can cause an increase in symptoms. In this theory symptoms are related to a large number of antibodies in relation to antigens rather than being caused by the number of antigens. In fact, it is suggested that if you eat more of the antigen, you can decrease the number of antibody complexes by allowing each antibody to bind to an antigen rather than forming the large complexes thereby reducing the number of symptoms. Normal metabolism works to remove the food antigens and as the ratio of antibodies to antigens begins to rise, symptoms will begin to increase. Craving and addiction to food may be the result of the body's attempt to increase the number of antigens present and preventing the formation of the large antibody complexes that are associated with an increased number of symptoms.
(Graphic 2. Antigen excess and antibody excess ' Marinkovich model.)
Succumbing to food cravings to help alleviate symptoms is the beginning of a cycle of short term relief from symptoms and craving of the food as symptoms will increase again. This yo-yo effect is believed by some allergy specialists to be the reason why people who stop eating the foods to which they are allergic (go on elimination or avoidance diets) first go through several days when they feel worse before they start feeling much better. An allergy avoidance diet (also called the Elimination Diet) is instrumental in avoiding allergic reactions to food and is the way to break the cycle of addiction. An allergy avoidance diet allows the body to completely remove the antigen providing no reason for the formation of antibodies which will then also disappear. Clinicians suggest this is why some people can actually go back to eating a food to which they were once allergic after a year or two of avoiding the food.
Occasionally, a person will experience more symptoms for the first several days to a week when first beginning an allergy avoidance diet. While some clinicians believe this is caused by the cross-linking of antibodies as explained in the model above, others believe it is because the body is starting to mobilize toxins that had been store in fat tissue and other storage sites in the body. Whatever the reason, it is important to remain on the allergy avoidance diet even though symptoms may appear to be increasing. After staying on the diet for several weeks, you should begin to feel relief from symptoms and generally feel much better.
FOOD SENSITIVITIES AND AGING
Most scientists agree that food allergies are more common in infants than in adults with 6 to 8% of infants and children experiencing food allergies, however, food intolerance is more prevalent in adults. In general, adults have more compromised digestive function due to stress, the intake of alcohol and the use of drugs like NSAIDS such as aspirin. In addition, the production of digestive enzymes and digestive function becomes more sluggish with age. Lactose intolerance is an example where the production of a digestive enzyme, lactase, commonly slows in people over the age of 40 when they may develop a intolerance to milk products they had not previously experienced.
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