Allergies are one of the fastest-growing chronic diseases in Australia. Over 20% of people in industrialized countries suffer from food intolerance or food allergies. Symptoms can range from allergic rhinitis, hay fever, and digestive disorders to eczema, asthma, or even life-threatening anaphylaxis.

Allergies occur when the immune system reacts to harmless proteins in the environment, such as dust mites, pets, pollen, insects, molds, and foods. Intolerances, often related to food, are physical reactions that do not show up on traditional allergy tests. Symptoms of food reactions can include gastrointestinal issues, skin complaints, respiratory problems, fatigue, headaches, cognitive deficits, mood imbalances, joint and muscle pain, and endocrine disturbances.

Regardless of the cause, allergies and intolerances can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. Allergic reactions involve a complex interplay between antigens, immune cells (like T cells, IgE, IgG, and IgA antibodies), and effector cells (mast cells, basophils, eosinophils). This results in an inflammatory response with both localized and systemic symptoms, potentially exacerbating other chronic conditions.

Current clinical approaches recommend avoiding allergens and providing symptomatic relief. However, avoiding food allergens can lead to a worse quality of life, eating disorders, and nutritional deficiencies, especially in children. Effective symptomatic relief is crucial to minimize inflammation and its consequences, but addressing the underlying factors that perpetuate allergic responses is also essential.

Humans are constantly exposed to foreign bodies through the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory system, and skin. The immune system’s response can range from no reaction to severe anaphylaxis. Classic allergic reactions begin when allergens bind to mast cells, causing the release of histamine and other inflammatory mediators. Reducing these reactions requires potent mast cell stabilization.

Tolerance to allergens varies among individuals due to differences in immune responses. By addressing factors like the microbiome and gastrointestinal health, and through therapeutic elimination and gradual reintroduction of certain foods, it is possible to decrease the frequency and intensity of allergic reactions. This approach can improve both short- and long-term health and well-being without long-term restrictive diets.

The gastrointestinal tract plays a crucial role in developing allergies and intolerances, as about 70% of the immune system resides there. Damage to the epithelial barrier can lead to inflammation and increased permeability, known as “leaky gut.” This condition is linked to both IgE and non-IgE reactions. Supporting a healthy gut and digestive function is essential in addressing allergies and sensitivities.

Increasing tolerance to environmental and food-borne allergens is key to managing allergic reactions. Current approaches focus on removing allergens and providing symptomatic relief. However, lifelong avoidance is still recommended for serious allergic reactions, like peanut allergies. The goal is to not only relieve symptoms but also correct underlying processes and increase allergen tolerance through therapeutic elimination and gradual reintroduction of certain foods.

The aim is to help individuals develop tolerance to allergens, reduce the frequency of reactions, provide symptomatic relief, and ultimately improve their quality of life. A holistic approach addressing gastrointestinal, immune, and detoxification processes is essential for long-term solutions to allergic conditions.

Rest and Reset

The aim of the program is to help individuals develop oral and environmental tolerance to allergens, reduce the frequency of reactive events, provide symptomatic relief when needed, and ultimately regain their quality of life. This holistic approach addresses the underlying drivers of reactivity, including gastrointestinal, immune, and detoxification processes.

Program Pathways

There are two optional pathways in the program:

1. Rest and Reset (six weeks in duration)
2. Rest and Test (longer duration, depending on the specific diet) - see the Allergy and Reactivity Reduction Program Clinical Guide.

Why Rest is Essential

Resting from identified aggravating food groups is the first step in building immune tolerance. This reduces inflammation affecting the gastrointestinal barrier and underlying immune system reactivity. Along with strategically prescribed herbs, nutrients, and strain-specific probiotics, this approach can help repair gut barrier integrity and reset the immune system, increasing overall tolerance.

Rest and Reset - Core Six Week Program

This six-week core program is suitable for most individuals experiencing symptoms of reactivity. By resting from foods they are sensitive to, the immune system load is reduced. Specialized herbs and nutritionals support gastrointestinal barrier integrity and help regulate immune function. Combined, these factors lead to increased allergen tolerance, providing a long-term solution to reactivity.