FOOD ALLERGIES
FOOD REACTIONS
Type 1: IgE - Immediate Allergies
Type 2: Lectins - Food Allergens
Food Intolerances
Type 3: IgG - Delayed Allergies
Opioid Peptides (Morphins)
Type 4: T-cells - Delayed Allergies
Inflammatory Digestive Diseases
Type 5: IgD - Fever Allergies
Autoimmune Conditions
S-IgA: Protective Secretory Antibodies
Chemical Sensitivities
BIOTYPE DIETS ®
Biotype Diets are diets for your biological type. This is a patented method of predicting potential food allergies for your
blood type, gender, and age. These also relate to specific evolutionary diets. Diets are based on Dr. Power’s 25 years
of original patented and published research. This research statistically correlates ABO blood types (A1, A2, B, AB, O,
Rh-negative) to 3 kinds of food allergies each (IgE antibodies, IgG antibodies, and T-cell responses) and incorporates
lectin reactions. It is unrelated to other diet systems using blood types. See “Biotype Books” for Dr. Power’s research.
FOOD REACTIONS
FOOD INTOLERANCES
A food intolerance is the lack of an enzyme to digest a specific kind of food. Celiac Disease or Gluten Intolerance is a
lack of the enzyme necessary to digest gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, oats, triticale, and spelt. This
causes damage to the "celia" or "villi" in the intestines, impairing proper absorption of foods. Cases range from mild to
fatal malnutrition. The highest incidence of Celiac Disease is among the Irish, Swiss, and blood type O. Lactose
Intolerance is the lack of the enzyme necessary to digest "lactose" (milk sugar), causing diarrhea. Lactose intolerance
is common among most adults in the world. The enzyme disappears at age 2 in Japanese and at puberty in the Danish,
who have the highest dairy tolerance.
OPIOID PEPTIDES (Morphins)
The Morphins are opiod peptides and include: Casomorphins in dairy products, Gliadorphins in gluten grains, and
Soymorphins in soy products. Soy products also contain some casomorphins and gliadorphins. These can be addictive
for certain people, and cause severe behavioral and physical reactions. This occurs when people have poor digestion of
specific proteins plus intestinal permeability. This allows small opioid peptides to bind to opioid receptors in the gut and
brain, slowing gut motility and mimicking the addictive and debilitating effects of opiate drugs like heroin and morphine.
These are common in children with developmental delays. They can be identified by a urine test.
INFLAMMATORY DIGESTIVE DISEASES
Inflammatory digestive diseases can be a progression of food allergies, or can be caused by bacterial or parasite
infections. These include: Irritible Bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohn's Disease, advanced Celiac
Disease, and Colitis of various types.
AUTOIMMUNE CONDITIONS
Food allergies can progress to Inflammatory diseases and finally to autoimmune conditions. These involve an immune
response (antibodies) to a foreign substance, but a response which also inadvertantly attacks one of the patient's
internal organs. These include: Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, diabetes Type I, Crohn’s
Disease, Addison's Disease, Sjorgren's Syndrome, endometriosis, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, and other inflammatory
conditions. Therapies are based on individualized diet and supplement programs.
CHEMICAL SENSITIVITIES
Reactions can occur to many substances in food, including: Food additives, food dyes, sulfites, nitrites, aldehydes,
salicilates, petrochemicals, benzenes, pesticides, other organic compounds, and heavy metals. The most reactive
heavy metal is Nickel, which increases immune hypersensitivities to other substances. It is also one of the most
common forms of contact dermatitis, and is mediated by T-cells. It was voted "Allergen of the Year" (2008) by the
American Contact Dermatitis Society. Nickel reactions usually occur upon contact with foods high in Nickel, or with
jewelry, tools, and orthodontic braces and retainers.
FOOD ALLERGIES
WHAT IS A FOOD ALLERGY?
"Food allergy (hypersensitivity) is an exaggerated immune response to a food, involving glycoprotein components in
foods." Reactions can vary by the person, the food, the symptoms and the type of response - and by biotype. There
are five kinds of exaggerated immune responses that cause food allergies. These can be divided into two general
groups: immediate IgE allergies and delayed non-IgE hypersensitivities. These reactions can cause a wide variety of
physical, mental and emotional symptoms, and some inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The worst reactions are
often to common foods; the top 5 worldwide include: wheat, egg, milk, soy, and peanut. Testing options are discussed
below.
THERAPIES
Therapies for food allergies and other food reactions include: normalization of acidosis, restoration of antioxidants,
substitution of safe foods, and supplements for reducing inflammation and balancing the immune response.
THE 5 KINDS OF ALLERGIES
Based on the 4 Gell-Coombs immune responses plus the new IgD.
For illustrations of Type 1 - Type IV allergy mechanisms visit Dr. Power's Biotype website.
TYPE 1 - IgE
Type 1 allergies are immediate and usually occur within 1 to 60 minutes. They often involve dairy, seafood, nuts, beans,
and aero allergens (ragweed, pollen, etc.). IgE antibodies attach to food allergens on mucus membranes, which then
release histamine and other inflammatory cytokines (cell messengers). They cause classic symptoms, such as:
asthma, rhinitis, (running nose), hives, eczema, flushing, red cheeks and ears, and anaphylactic shock. Type 1 occurs
in only 20% of our patients, but it is the most severe type of allergy, and can be life threatening. Best tests include the
modified RAST–IgE blood test and Immuno Cap-IgE blood test. IgE can also be identified by skin prick tests; but these
are not as sensitive to fat-soluble food antigens, and may provoke allergic reactions in highly sensitive patients.
TYPE 2 - Lectins
Type 2 reactions are delayed and occur within 8 – 72 hours. Many lectins are found in beans, seafood, and vegetables.
In this reaction lectin allergens bind to the digestive lining or to red or white blood cells. In the gut this can cause severe
digestive swelling. In the blood this attracts IgG antibodies and killer cells, which destroy red blood cells, leading to
anemia. About 65 known food lectins attach specifically to A, B or O blood type antigens. Most lectins are destroyed
by cooking and digestion and rarely cause serious problems, but commonly cause chronic digestive problems. They
have been identified by the scientific literature.
TYPE 3 - IgG
Type 3 reactions are delayed and occur within 8 – 72 hours. They often involve milk, eggs, and gluten grains (wheat, rye,
barley, oats). In this reaction IgG antibodies bind to food allergens and neutrophils (white blood cells), which clump
together to form large immune complexes in the blood. These deposit in the organs and tissues, where they cause
inflammation and tissue damage, leading to inflammatory diseases and autoimmune conditions. Only high IgG scores
are considered valid -- but these are seen in 80% of our patients. The best test for this is now the ELISA-IgG. Formerly
it was the mRAST-IgG.
TYPE 4 - T-cells
Type 4 reactions are delayed and occur within 8 – 72 hours. They most often involve dairy, nightshades, sugars, and
chemical sensitivities. In this reaction macrophages (white scavenger cells) engulf food allergens and transfer these to
T-Cells. Both cells release interleukins (cell messengers) that stimulate the immune system, causing tissue damage,
inflammatory diseases and autoimmune conditions. The best test for this is the ELISA/ACT LRA blood test.
TYPE 5 - IgD
Type 5 reactions have only recently been discovered and published in the scientific literature. They have symptoms in
common with both immediate and delayed responses. They involve reactions to specific small molecules, such as:
sulfites, chemical dyes, food additives, iodine, alcohol, and gluten grains. In this reaction IgD antibodies are released in
the blood and in secretions (saliva, digestive juices), and react with small molecules. Symptoms can include both fever
and inflammation, but can also include hives and eczema like IgE, but not consistently to the same foods as IgE. No
commercial tests are available at this time except for total IgD.
NOTE: S-IgA
Secretory IgA antibodies are protective, but not inflammatory. Tests for these do not identify allergies. They identify
needed antibody protection in bodily secretions, such as saliva, tears, nasal mucus, breast milk, vaginal mucus, semen,
digestive juices, etc.
GENERAL REFERENCES for FOOD ALLERGIES
1. Dean Metcalfe MD, Hugh Sampson MD, Ronald Simon MD. Food Allergy: Adverse Reactions to Foods and Food
Additives. 2nd Edition. Blackwell Science, Cambridge, MA. 1997.
2. Janice Joneja, PhD, RDN. Dietary Management of Food Allergies & Intolerances. 2nd Edition. J.A. Hall
Publications, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. 1998.
3. James Breneman MD. Basics of Food Allergy. 2nd Edition. Charles C Thomas Publisher, Springfield, Illinois.
1984.