It is similarly not easy to separate the effects of sulfur from that of the many other contaminants and chemicals in our food. What is certain is that sulfur is a major chemical contaminant of our food supply. Sulfur can bring on acute mental and physical symptoms. One woman, in a food test with peaches, [...]

These drugs mimic the action of the hormones produced by the outer layer (cortex) of the adrenal glands, a pair of small glands that sit on top of the kidneys. The main hormone produced is hydrocortisone (Cortisol) which has a variety of effects on the body. It controls the amount of sodium and potassium (‘salts’) [...]

This method is less widely practised than provocation-neutralization therapy. It depends on the ability of an enzyme, (3-glucuronidase, to enhance the desensitizing effect of a food antigen. The food extract is applied to a scrape on the skin, along with the enzyme. Because the extract is not injected into the skin, it is safer for [...]

If you smoke, now is the moment to give it up! There is not much point in trying to sort out your health problems while continuing to bombard your body with highly toxic smoke. The Pill is a more difficult issue, for it is, without doubt, the most effective and convenient form of contraception, and [...]

For older infants, who are taking some solid food, try cutting out different foods in turn, but replace them with others that are equally nutritious. Begin with the most common offenders: milk, milk products and chocolate, cutting out beef at the same time as this can sometimes cross-react with milk. If the child is eating [...]

One major group of antigens are the proteins, which are widespread in all living things (see p23). The chemical variety of proteins makes them good antigens – there are plenty of distinctive ‘handles’ for an antibody (itself a protein) to seize on. Some other chemicals found in living things are less distinctive chemically and they [...]

If you go to the hairdresser or barber, make an appointment to go when the place is not busy – first thing on Monday or Tuesday is a good time to go. Avoid using gas and paraffin ovens and fires if you possibly can. If you are very sensitive to fumes, replace them with other [...]

The field of chemical sensitivity is even less researched, and more hotly disputed, than that of food sensitivity. The dividing line between allergy and intolerance or sensitivity to chemicals is even more blurred and less understood. At the heart of the debate lie the issues of what the underlying mechanisms are, what the symptoms are, [...]

The basic approach for working out what your child might be allergic or sensitive to is little different from that required for adults. To do this properly, you need to understand what allergy, intolerance and sensitivity are, the likely symptoms, and the methods of detection, including medical tests You should always consult a doctor if [...]

If your baby appears to react to milk (breast or bottle) and is not yet taking any solid foods, make absolutely sure that there is nothing else he or she is taking or absorbing that might be the cause. What else is your baby ingesting? Think of any juice, drinks, medicines, vitamin drops, toothpaste. What [...]