So, as I promised, let's first dive into the allergies word...
The first issue that I decided to write about here is Salicylate Sensitivity.

Lately, more and more cases of intolerances to different kinds of food are showing up to be prevalent among people. Some of the common conditions include lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, intolerance to sulfite, salicylates, and amines, to name a few.

What is Food Intolerance?

Food intolerance is the inability of the digestive system to handle some types of food. The intolerance is usually exhibited in the form of some allergic reactions, such as bloating, diarrhea, rashes, itching on the skin, swelling of body parts, nausea, stomach cramps and pains and headaches.

Is food intolerance a serious condition?

The seriousness of the condition varies from person to person. For some people, popping a simple anti-histamine works while for others, accidental consumption of food they are intolerant to can be life threatening.

There is no hard and fast rule about how serious a condition can get, but, each person has to learn to manage the allergic reaction based on their previous history.

How to manage food intolerance?

The easiest way to manage a food intolerance is to simply avoid the food that causes an allergic reaction. However, this may not always be possible, especially if you are going to eat out.

A lot of restaurants and eateries are now sensitive to food tolerance issues, and they are usually able to accommodate requests for food without the triggers when requested to do so.

However, it is always best to be equipped, and carry written details about the food your allergic to, and the details of medical procedures to be carried out in case there is an accidental exposure. If the allergy is mild enough to be settled with an anti-histamine, then carrying the medication around can help to manage the condition effectively.

What is Salicylates?

Salicylates are chemical compounds that can occur naturally in various foods and can be synthetically produced and added as a food preservative as well.

Why does Salicylate cause allergy?

In people with salicylate intolerance symptoms, consumption of salicylates can trigger an overproduction of naturally occurring compounds in the body, called as leukotrienes. These compounds cause an inflammatory action in the body and can cause a variety of symptoms.

What are the symptoms of Salicylate allergy?

Salicylate sensitivity symptoms can range from mild to extremely serious. Some of the salicylate intolerance symptoms in adults and children include-

• Nausea
• Bleeding in stomach and gastrointestinal tract (digestive system)
• Rashes and other reactions on the skin, such as hives.
• Toxicity in the liver
• Dizziness
• Kidney function issues
• Headaches
• Pain in the stomach
• Ringing in the ears
• Swelling of limbs or face
• Asthma attacks

How to diagnose Salicylate intolerance?

There are no tests that can diagnose or confirm salicylate intolerance. When there is an allergic reaction to certain food, a doctor should usually be able to detect that the trigger is a salicylate, especially if the reaction occurs after eating foods high in salicylates. For most people, severe reactions can occur after taking medication that has salicylate compounds in it.

What are the foods high in salicylate?

Salicylate allergy food list include the following –

• Vegetables like green capsicum, red chilies, avocados, mushrooms, olives, radish, tomatoes, zucchini.
• Nuts like pine nuts, macadamia, pistachio, almonds, peanuts
• Herbs and spices like cayenne, cinnamon, dill, fenugreek, turmeric, thyme and many more.
• All kinds of tea, fruit juices, champagnes, wines, cordials
• Medication like Aspirin.

There are higher chances of having an intolerance to the salicylates in medicines like aspirin, than from the food that we consume. This is because the concentration of salicylates in food is much lower than medications.

Is there a way to treat salicylate allergy?

The most common way to minimise symptoms is by avoiding foods that can trigger the symptoms of salicylate intolerance.

In addition to food, It is important to avoid salicylate containing cosmetics and other products that are applied over the skin, as it can get absorbed through the skin as well.

Salicylate intolerance can be successfully treated, but unfortunately most people aren't aware of the technique that is used to minimise and or completely eliminate all associated symptoms.

The most effective technique is a combination of IPEC (Integrated Physical Emotional Clearing) and NAET (Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Techniques). Dr Tomaya Weiser (TCM) combines both in her Allergy Field clinic and online treatments.