I joined FishMama's book club this year, and I have to say that I'm not off to a very good start. My first book of the year is FOOD Allergies: The Complete Guide to Understanding and Relieving Your Food Allergies by William E. Walsh, M.D. It was due on February 11, and I am just finishing it now.
This isn't a new book by any means. My mom found it at a thrift store and gave it to me for Christmas. It was not what I expected from an allergy book, but it opened my eyes to a completely new opinion of the cause of food allergies.
Dr. Walsh gives an extensive primer on the causes, symptoms, and reasons for misdiagnoses of food allergies, which I found quite interesting. The symptoms of food allergies are as varied as the individuals who suffer from them, so while Anaphylaxis is a rare food reaction, food allergies in general are quite common. This gives me comfort and has caused me to consider if some of my own uncomfortable symptoms may be caused by food. I'm confident that I don't suffer from traditional food protein allergies the way my son does, but Dr. Walsh describes a second kind of allergy--allergies to chemicals in food such as MSG, refined sugar, and the acids found in many fruits, vegetables, and low-calorie sweeteners.
Navigating the waters of food allergy can be challenging enough, then add the effect of environmental allergies into the mix and you have enough to drive a mommy batty. This is the first book about food allergies that I've read since beginning this journey a year and a half ago. It has been helpful in many ways, but also added to they confusion in other ways.
I will be following Dr. Walsh's Elimination Diet for a couple weeks to see if it helps my focus and energy. If it does, will I conclude that I have allergies or that avoiding MSG, refined sugar, and low-calorie sweeteners is simply a healthier choice? That's the way I live.
