Food Allergies: The EFA Connection
Peanut-free schools and dairy-free diets–do either of these mandates sound familiar? They most likely will. Cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat are the eight most common allergic foods, accounting for 90 per cent of all food-allergic responses.
A food allergy is the immune system’s response to a food that the body believes is harmful. Once the immune system decides a particular food is harmful, it creates specific antibodies to defend against it. The next time the individual eats that food, the immune system releases massive amounts of chemicals to protect the body. These chemicals trigger a cascade of allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin and cardiovascular system. In Canada, about five per cent of children suffer from food allergies, along with one to two per cent of North American adults suffering from true food allergies. Many people mistake food allergies for food intolerances. A food intolerance or sensitivity is an adverse food-induced reaction that can cause great discomfort but does not trigger the same allergic response cascade.
Food allergies can be cured by correcting an immune system response that has gone awry. Once this has been corrected, the person will no longer react to the substance in the same way, except in the case of anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is the most deadly type of reaction and occurs when the allergen enters the bloodstream, causing respiratory distress, fainting, itching, hives and often shock.
Offending foods, once discovered, should be eliminated from the diet for six months. After allergens are removed from the diet, adding the proper nutrients will help support the body’s healing of the gastrointestinal tract. After a period of time when the immune system abnormality and gut lining have been healed, slowly, the food may be replaced in the diet. Some people may be able to occasionally consume that food without serious response.
Essential fatty acids have potent anti-inflammatory properties that improve many conditions ranging from arthritis to eczema, as well as promote immune system enhancement.
EFAs: Omegas Will Protect
Inflammation is one of the primary responses to a food allergy attack. Minimizing exposure to allergens will help reduce inflammation and support the immune system. Consuming nutrients that help decrease the inflammatory response is also essential to the maintenance and repair of a healthy body. The essential fatty acids (EFAs) of the omega-3 family and gamma linolenic acid of the omega-6 family have potent anti-inflammatory properties that promote immune system enhancement and improve many conditions ranging from arthritis to eczema.
Hemp: A New Source of Omega
Hemp seed oil is one of nature’s best sources of polyunsaturated fats (80 percent) known as linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). It’s also free of unhealthy hydrogenated fats (trans fats), is very low in cholesterol, and contains only 9 percent saturated fat.
Eating hemp seed oil is an easy and delicious way to gain the proper balance of essential fatty acids (EFAs). North Americans typically consume excess omega-6 and inadequate omega-3 in a ratio of between 10 to 1 and 30 to 1. While the average ratio recommended by international experts is 4 to 1, hemp oil offers a 3.75-to-1 ratio, the closest ratio of any natural source.
Hemp seed oil is also one of the few vegetable oils that contain significant quantities of alpha-linolenic acid (20 percent). This omega-3 EFA has consistently been associated with heart health. It is also thought to lower risk of cancers, reduce inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, help prevent diabetes, and prevent or relieve symptoms of depression and hypertension.
Nutritionists generally recommend daily intake of alpha-linolenic acid in the range of 2 to 3.5 g. This can be obtained from 2 Tbsp (30 mL) hemp seed oil used as a salad dressing or added to a smoothie, sauce, or soup. Hemp oil has a low flash point so it should be used only at low cooking temperatures.
A Source of Gamma-Linolenic Acid
Hemp seed oil is a rare plant source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)–a super omega-6 that some studies have shown may help reduce heart disease; enhance effectiveness of cancer treatments; treat problem skin conditions; prevent inflammation-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s, arthritis, and asthma; and modify lipids to reduce triglycerides.
GLA is also believed to help bypass enzymatic blocks in sluggish bodies that have metabolisms compromised by stress, environmental toxicity, or aging to allow proper utilization of omega-6 EFAs.
A combination of Hemp,fish, and borage is recommended for allergy sufferers, as these EFAs will help alleviate allergic inflammation and have immuno-modulatory actions that improve the gastrointestinal tract and promote a healthy immune system.
EFAs Can Help
After removing allergy-causing foods from your diet, supplementing with beneficial EFAs will help give your body the natural defense mechanism it needs. EFAs reduce inflammation and improve your immune response. Don’t let food allergies get you down–essential fats can help!
Karlene Karst holds a BSc in Nutrition from the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Pharmacy and Nutrition and is a registered dietitian. She recently co-authored Healthy Fats for Life, a book that explains EFAs and the research supporting their health benefits.
Source: alive #251, September 2003
