Healthnotes - Low-Allergen Diet -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 4/1/1993
Last Visited: 11/8/2002
According to James Breneman, M.D., former chairman of the Food Allergy Division of the American Academy of Allergy, unrecognized food allergies are responsible for 60% of all of the symptoms seen by a family physician that are not adequately diagnosed or treated.
Food allergies and intolerance are best treated by avoidance of the offending food for a prescribed period of time, followed by a "rotation" diet, in which problem foods are only eaten every three to four days, instead of daily.Young children can often re-introduce foods after three months of avoidance, whereas adults may require six to twelve months of avoidance.Most hidden allergies are cyclic (i.e., they settle down after long-term avoidance).Fixed allergies (those that cause a reaction, no matter how long a time the food has been avoided) are less common.
Symptoms of food allergy or intolerance may not be triggered immediately after reintroduction of the foods; therefore, a person can get an erroneous impression their allergy or intolerance is cured.