I am writing this blog post to call attention to a thought-provoking essay, "Why your grandparents didn’t have food allergies…but you do." I am also highlighting the biblical principle that humans are made from the dust of the ground. This principle is reflected in the scientific fact that every molecule in our bodies comes from the earth. We are what we eat. Our health is affected by our heredity and our environment. Could it be that we were designed to live in harmony with our environment and as our industrialized societies have transitioned from whole foods created by God to convenience foods processed by humans, in an environment laden with toxic chemicals, this transition has contributed to food allergies and other health problems?
The question as to causes of food allergies is a subject of research and debate. A study from the University of Chicago indicates that beneficial bacteria in the intestines may play a crucial role in preventing food allergies. A study presented at the 2013 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology showed a link between antibiotic exposure in infancy and the later development of food allergies. Other research has shown how genetically engineered foods and the use of the agricultural herbicide glyphosate destroys gut bacteria, thereby promoting allergies. Information published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicates that vaccines may contribute to food allergies. See:
- "Link Found Between Food Allergies and Farm Antibiotics"
- "Are Genetically Modified Foods Causing A Rise in Food Allergies?"
- "Genetically Engineered Foods May Cause Rising Food Allergies—Genetically Engineered Soybeans"
- "Direct evidence from the CDC that vaccines cause food allergies"
- "Vaccines and the Peanut Allergy Epidemic"
To help remember the seven points of "Why your grandparents didn’t have food allergies…but you do," I have created the acronym RAH FOOD:
- Real food: Eat seasonal real food (whole foods).
- Additives: Avoid artificial additives and GMOs.
- Home-cooked: Eat home-cooked food made from scratch.
- Fad diets: Avoid fad diets.
- Organ meats: Eat the whole animal, including organ meats and bone broth.
- Outdoors: Spend time outdoors.
- Doctors: Save doctor visits for accidental injuries and life threatening illness.
Rah, rah, for real food that is organically produced and home-cooked from scratch!