Studies have shown that eating foods to which we are allergic to can elevate blood sugar in a way that is similar to consuming foods high in sugar. We actually get a sort of “high” from those foods that contribute to our desire to eat them.
Some allergy foods have protein like substances that have opioid properties, meaning they can act like endorphins that make you feel exhilarated. This is the case with both milk & wheat proteins, which can act like opioids, or elevating mood substances. Cheese is a more concentrated form of milk and many find in consuming it, that they crave more & more after having just one chunk of cheese. Milk & wheat opioids can bind with receptor sites in your brain, thereby contributing to a subtle sense of increased wellbeing. This is theorized to create an addictive/ craving relationship with that particular food.
You might have heard some people say that once they start to eat refined carbohydrates like bread or ice cream, they can’t stop. But if you just sit tight and make a through a period of one or two weeks from these foods, the cravings stop. I think the opioid factor is largely responsible for this phenomenon. In this sense, we are actually addicted to certain foods. Thus, our most suspicious foods for allergens are usually those we crave and eat the most often.
As a nutritionist & acupuncturist, I‘ve been teaching clients what cravings their bodies have & what that means, whether they are healthy food cravings or those that lead us astray. The oriental five element system explains food cravings based on cravings to sweetness, bitterness, sour & salt drives. Once you understand what your body’s innate wisdom is seeking in foods it craves, it’s easier to direct it to healthy food options you crave. One simple example of this: If you are craving salty snacks a lot, it indicates your body needs support for your adrenals. The adrenals when overworked & deficient crave salt as a way to bolster its reserves. Foods from the water element that tonify the adrenals & kidneys will appease that salty craving such as bacon, seaweeds, rice, salted popcorn & split pea soup.
In my food allergy practice, I work with clients that have challenges with craving refined sugar or sucrose. For some sugar addicts, it may take 1-3 NAET treatments of sugar desensitizing to be enough to curb their sugar cravings.
Another common addiction for some women is with chocolate, consuming it 5-8 times a day. What is the underlying deficiency? Persistent chocolate cravings are an indication of a magnesium deficiency. Cacao powder, the raw ingredients of chocolate are very high in magnesium. Dark leafy greens are another rich source of magnesium. Once a “chocoholic” gets more of what their body craves, by fulfilling their underlying magnesium deficiencies, the strong addiction to chocolate can be curbed.
