Many people have heard of gluten intolerance, but there are other intolerances that exist as well that many are affected by but few know of. In this post I’ll simply be covering Salicylates, but I’ll mention Amines and FODMAPs if you want to start doing external research, and dedicate posts to them soon.
“Salicylates are derivatives of salicylic acid that occur naturally in plants and serve as a natural immune hormone and preservative, protecting the plants against diseases, insects, fungi, and harmful bacteria.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salicylate_sensitivity
Salicylate intolerance will also lead to aspirin sensitivity / intolerance and this is one of the main ways most people find out.
The list of salicylate sensitivity symptoms is huge, but to name a few, skin reactions like dryness, swelling, itching, digestive reactions like diarrhea, gas, bloating, mood disorders, fatigue etc. A more in dept list is available here.
http://salicylatesensitivity.com/info3/
The thing about salicylate sensitivites is sometimes it’s not just when consumed, but also topical contact with them such as through shampoo, tooth paste, and other body cleaning products.
Salicylates are found in many foods and eliminating them entirely is nearly impossible so the goal of treatment is to limit the amount ingested / used on a daily basis. These foods include many things which are considered to be healthy or beneficial for skin and digestive problems such as coconut oil, honey and mint, as well as fruits and vegetables.
Testing for sensitivity at a doctor’s office is possible but not as cut and dry as other allergies / sensitivities and may involve exposing the patient to increasing doses of aspirin to trigger a controlled reaction.
If you believe you have symptoms and you’d like to test yourself, simply look up high and low salicylate foods and cut your diet to a minimum and see if your symptoms are reduced. Use salt and baking soda instead of toothpaste and avoid using soaps and body washes not on this list: http://www.fibrofreerecoverygroup.com/salicylate-free-product-list/
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