It's a natural human tendency to link ill feelings with whatever you ate last, says Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University.
"It makes you feel better to know you've got something real," Nestle says. "It's awful to just feel awful."
'Huge headache'
It can't hurt to try a diet free of gluten, food dyes or MSG, experts say. The danger is when people eliminate one food after another in an attempt to get rid of symptoms that (perhaps coincidentally) wax and wane with those dietary changes.
Highly restrictive diets can be tough on people and their families. (There is food coloring even in some cheeses, and gluten in soy sauce.) They can also be unhealthy. To avoid malnutrition, fatigue or low bone density, doctors recommends people who start removing ingredients from their diets consult a nutritionist for advice.
"There's nothing magical about a gluten-free diet," Leffler says. "It's actually rigorous and difficult to follow. It's in processed meats, medications, dustings on frozen vegetables. It's everywhere. For people who have to follow a gluten-free diet, it's a huge, huge headache."
As scientists work to unravel the mysteries of the immune system, doctors recommend that people with suspected allergies or intolerances get to a specialist right away. It takes an average of 11 years to get diagnosed for celiac disease. No one should have to wait that long to feel better.
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health@latimes.com
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Find an allergist
If you suspect a food allergy or food intolerance, your best bet is to have it checked out by an expert.
Dr. Hugh Sampson, professor of pediatrics and immunobiology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, recommends seeking a board-certified allergist with an interest in food allergy. These individuals can be identified on the website of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology ( www.aaaai.org).
Tips for finding a good food allergy doctor and navigating the testing quagmire are also to be found in the book "Food Allergies for Dummies," by Robert Wood, a pediatric allergist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
-- Emily Sohn
