The Real Reason for Our Allergies and Food Reactions

We remember that there is a difference between an allergic reaction (requiring an antigen that causes anaphylaxis) and an adverse reaction to foods (causing us specific discomfort after ingesting the offending food).  Interestingly enough, discounting some genetic-mediated factors, the reason for both problems is virtually the same....dysbiosis.

 A few blogs back, I introduced the concept of dysbiosis, but not the causes.  I thought I'd discuss a bit about the etiology of this wide-spread problem.

Our intestines contain both native and acquired microbiota.  We inherit our native bacteria from our mothers....except if we are delivered via C-section.  Then, our flora becomes skin, rather than bowel-based.  We also are able to re-populate our native flora by eating specific foods....soluable fiber and fermented foods.  Without these two food groups, our native flora will diminish to the point of allowing "bad bacteria" overgrowth.  Add antibiotics to the mixture and our native bacteria don't stand a chance.

When the wrong type of bacteria overgrow our intestines, a cascade of imbalances occur to:  our anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic responses, the absorption of minerals, including iron, our population of potassium, vitamins B 5,7,9, and 12, our production of neurochemicals such as GABA, dopamine, norepinephrine, progesterone, histamine, serotonin and acetlycholine, the pH of our colon, bile acid metabolism and further small intestine bacterial overgrowth, to name a few.  The microbiota of our large intestine are trophic (synergistic to the function) to the heart, brain and pancreas...an imbalance to these areas contributes to heart disease, diabetes and cognitive dysfunction aka Alzheimer's.

Our "great American white trash food" diet, along with our propensity to take medications, especially antibiotics, for every little problem has lead us to this epidemic of dysbiosis.  Look at the increase in serious nut allergic reactions in the past 25 years, alone.  Dysbiosis has been shown to contribute to the rash of autoimmune diseases...via a phenomenon known as, "cross reactive immune response."  It is the cause of our inability to digest and assimilate foods...indicated by bloating, gas, heart burn, anemia, and the rash of bowel discomforts and diseases (most of which are caused by a corrupted autoimmune response).

The health of our native microbiota is directly related to the balanced function and health of our entire body.  Our diets are at the forefront of both the cause of and the solution to dysbiosis.  I wonder how many people are surprised to learn just how important our healthy bacteria are to us....

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