Gillian McKeith's Food Bible (81 page)

Oily fish, which contain the broken-down form of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA. These are great for reducing symptoms of eczema and asthma.

AVOID

Mucus-forming or allergenic foods.

Tea, coffee, and alcohol, which all dehydrate the body.

Sugar, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods. These foods are devoid of nutrients and suppress the immune system.

HERBS AND SUPPLEMENTS

Get some horsetail tincture (do not worry, it is not actually horse’s tail). It is a good source of calcium, which is often low in allergy-prone individuals.

Green superfoods: blue-green algae, spirulina, and sprouted barley grass all contain immune-strengthening nutrients.

Take L-glutamine powder before meals, which may help to lessen reactivity to foods.

Supplement with probiotics. These are the beneficial bacteria that reside in your gut. Go for capsules or powders (often kept in the fridge section of a health-food store) rather than the probiotic drinks, as the drinks may contain sugar, which can worsen allergies.

EXTRA TIPS

Keep a food diary to see if you can track any reactivity to a particular food or beverage.

Take the do-it-yourself pulse test to see where you may be food sensitive:

(a) First thing in the morning, when you wake up, take your radial pulse. Place your pointer finger on the radial pulse (on your wrist). Count the number of beats in a 60-second period. Your reading should be somewhere between 50 and 70 beats per 60 seconds.

(b) After eating a meal, take your radial pulse again. If the pulse reading score has increased by more than 10 beats, then you may have a sensitivity to a particular food you have just eaten. You will then need to separate out the foods to find the one to which you are reacting, using the same method.