Symptoms of food allergies and sensitivities range from rashes, hives, swelling or itching to respiratory difficulty, digestion challenges, heavy body syndrome, headaches, dark circles under the eyes, runny nose, mood swings and fatigue. Common foods associated with allergic reactions include nuts, eggs, shellfish, dairy, wheat, soy, corn and chocolate. Conventional medicine will often prescribe anti-histamines to prevent or quell an allergic reaction which can become a common dependency. Integrative Med Solutions (IMS) approaches food allergies and sensitivities using acupuncture and naturopathic medicine. The goal is allowing the body to re-adjust its deficient or sluggish energy as well as affected blood flow to attempt to re-set the adverse autoimmune response.
Acupuncture: Food Allergy Therapy
An abstract presented at the International Medical Acupuncture Symposium by Dr. med. Jana Wankatova and Vera Dolejsova of the Czech Republic stated, “It appears that the EAV [electroacupuncture according to Voll] method represents a great contribution also for the diagnostics of food allergies. It has practically no limitations, does not burden the patient, is cheap, reliable, and makes a timely diagnosis of food allergies possible as early as in the infants, which also makes a timely solution of the whole problem possible.” Licensed acupuncturist, Dr. Lisanti will test your blood for specific IgE and IgG4 markers to determine your particular food allergy or sensitivity. In conjunction with naturopathic medicine, acupuncture points are targeted to begin ‘opening’ the system to holistic healing. Classical Chinese Medicine considers food allergies to be a symptom of a deficient spleen channel which leads to dampness. Some points that may be worked include: Spleen – SP6 just above the inner ankle; Liver – LV3 located on the top of the middle of the foot between the big toe and the second toe; and Large Intestine – LI4 in the web between the thumb and index finger
Detoxification: Purge the System
It may be recommended that you follow a 3 week detoxification and elimination diet under the guidance of Dr. Lisanti. The goal here would be to purge the body of as many allergens and toxins to be able to then treat the system as a ‘clean slate’ approach determining the best healing protocol IMS can offer.
Botanical Medicine: Herbs and More for Food Allergies
Using carefully chosen evidence based herbs and other plant materials Dr. Lisanti concentrates on safely strengthening the system to avoid food allergies and sensitivities build up. Using the bioflavanoid quercetin can help block histamines and reduce inflammation in the gut; the amino acid glutamine to protect the gut lining; milk thistle to protect and restore liver function; and inulin, a vegetable fiber that promotes good bacteria growth.
Many more approaches may be administered by IMS to create an optimal healing protocol for your individual symptoms. These include nutraceutical supplementation, environmental medicine and clinical nutrition. At Integrative Med Solutions, we will design an acupuncture and naturopathic treatment program that works for you. In many cases, insurance covers portions of the acupuncture treatment. Allow us to support you to achieve optimal health. To make an appointment or find out more about how acupuncture and naturopathic medicine can benefit you, please call our office at 914.337.2980 or click here to schedule an online appointment.
*Please CLICK HERE to see a current list of Insurance Companies that commonly carry acupuncture benefits for its members. Please call 914.337.2980 or securely email info@intmedsolutions.com to verify your specific benefits. If you are emailing, please include your full name, date of birth and insurance identification card number.