Allergies

Yet another “I Told ‘Em!” (30 years ago). This is starting to get embarrassing. You all know my pivotal place in the history of food allergies and bringing them to public attention. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was one of the easiest things to solve. Just stop eating the allergy foods! Now scientists have “discovered” that if you restrict peoples’ diet, the IBS is much better (if they had done it exactly the way I describe in my Diet Wise book, it would have disappeared altogether!) Their plan was to have patients avoid some fancy sugars. It’s called the FODMAP diet (fermentable, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols). These sugars are found in wheat, rye, onion, garlic, leeks, artichokes, mushrooms, cauliflower, snow peas, beans, chickpeas, lentils, milk products except hard cheese, honey, apples, pears, watermelon, mangos, stone fruits, high-fructose corn syrup, sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, and xylitol. And more. 

Yet another “I Told ‘Em!” (30 years ago). This is starting to get embarrassing. You all know my pivotal place in the history of food allergies and bringing them to public attention. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was one of the easiest things to solve. Just stop eating the allergy foods! Now scientists have “discovered” that if you restrict peoples’ diet, the IBS is much better (if they had done it exactly the way I describe in my Diet Wise book, it would have disappeared altogether!) Their plan was to have patients avoid some fancy sugars. It’s called the FODMAP diet (fermentable, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols). These sugars are found in wheat, rye, onion, garlic, leeks, artichokes, mushrooms, cauliflower, snow peas, beans, chickpeas, lentils, milk products except hard cheese, honey, apples, pears, watermelon, mangos, stone fruits, high-fructose corn syrup, sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, and xylitol. And more. 

One of the things I speculated about, with colleagues, back in the 1980s, was whether allergies may protect against cancer. These were the heady days when I was first declared the world’s “Number One Allergy Detective” (Sunday Mail, 1990). We were dealing with a jumpy, overactive immune system, that’s for sure. Allergies are caused when […]

One of the things I speculated about, with colleagues, back in the 1980s, was whether allergies may protect against cancer. These were the heady days when I was first declared the world’s “Number One Allergy Detective” (Sunday Mail, 1990). We were dealing with a jumpy, overactive immune system, that’s for sure. Allergies are caused when […] The post Do Allergies Protect Against Cancer? appeared first on Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby.

Let me back up a bit. I browse a lot of books in thrift stores (Oxfam shops for you Brits!) I get to find wonderful, old, often out-of-print books that I otherwise wouldn’t hear of. Bonus? They cost $1 or $2 at most! I found one only this morning, called “The Dictionary of Misconceptions”. Author Tom Burnam does a good job of dispelling myths and misconceptions. Like for example, that the deepest canyon in the world is NOT the Grand Canyon. It’s a myth that Americans love to believe. But the Copper Canyon in Mexico, is bigger, deeper and longer! Shhhh! Anyway, Burnam points out that, even in the USA, Hell’s Canyon on the Snake River between Idaho and Oregon, is half a mile deeper than the Grand Canyon. Another tourist B*S* myth bites the dust! No, I’m not doing geography today. There is a point…. Which is the Burnam, for all his good work, then messes up badly by stating, categorically: “It is absolutely untrue that different drinks which contain identical amounts of absolute alcohol can have different intoxicating qualities”. 

Let me back up a bit. I browse a lot of books in thrift stores (Oxfam shops for you Brits!) I get to find wonderful, old, often out-of-print books that I otherwise wouldn’t hear of. Bonus? They cost $1 or $2 at most! I found one only this morning, called “The Dictionary of Misconceptions”. Author Tom Burnam does a good job of dispelling myths and misconceptions. Like for example, that the deepest canyon in the world is NOT the Grand Canyon. It’s a myth that Americans love to believe. But the Copper Canyon in Mexico, is bigger, deeper and longer! Shhhh! Anyway, Burnam points out that, even in the USA, Hell’s Canyon on the Snake River between Idaho and Oregon, is half a mile deeper than the Grand Canyon. Another tourist B*S* myth bites the dust! No, I’m not doing geography today. There is a point…. Which is the Burnam, for all his good work, then messes up badly by stating, categorically: “It is absolutely untrue that different drinks which contain identical amounts of absolute alcohol can have different intoxicating qualities”. 

Fortunately, most of my readers are of an age where we never went in for those body piercings: nipple rings, foreskin and all sorts of other unmentionables in polite society. I especially can’t stand the sight of weird metal things in the tongue, lips and over the eyes. For one thing, I’ve never seen anyone […]

Fortunately, most of my readers are of an age where we never went in for those body piercings: nipple rings, foreskin and all sorts of other unmentionables in polite society. I especially can’t stand the sight of weird metal things in the tongue, lips and over the eyes. For one thing, I’ve never seen anyone […] The post nipple rings and breast abscesses appeared first on Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby.

As a dermatologist, I would like your thoughts on such common conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Thanks. Michael P. Tabibian (Michael) Hi Michael, Eczema responds very commonly to the allergy approach. Usually foods. But I’ve even seen house dust do it. Needs a systematic approach though, and often the substances with the strongest type […]

As a dermatologist, I would like your thoughts on such common conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Thanks. Michael P. Tabibian (Michael) Hi Michael, Eczema responds very commonly to the allergy approach. Usually foods. But I’ve even seen house dust do it. Needs a systematic approach though, and often the substances with the strongest type […] The post eczema and psoriasis Q and A appeared first on Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby.

Food colors carmine and cochineal are derived from the cases of the cochineal beetle, a tiny insect which lives on cactus plants, particularly the prickly pear cactus, in Central and South America. Carmine and cochineal are used in dozens of reddish-colored foods and beverages, including fruit drinks, ice creams, yogurts, and candies. If you eat […]

Food colors carmine and cochineal are derived from the cases of the cochineal beetle, a tiny insect which lives on cactus plants, particularly the prickly pear cactus, in Central and South America. Carmine and cochineal are used in dozens of reddish-colored foods and beverages, including fruit drinks, ice creams, yogurts, and candies. If you eat […] The post Would you eat beetles? Maybe you already do appeared first on Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby.