Chemically induced allergy sensitization

by JAR
(Raleigh, NC)

Hi Christa,
I'm sure you know more on this topic than I do, so I will only relate my experience, hoping you find it to be helpful. Phenol is one of many chemicals that are known to flip the allergic reaction switch. In early life, I had no allergies at all. But in 1990, I was working in a chemical research lab. I had a minor accident that left me covered head to toe with a solution containing a high concentration of phenol. Quick shower & I'm back on the job. BUT after that, I seemed to suffer terrible allergies from the first of spring to the first of winter. Not disabling but quite unpleasant.

2015 - I accidentally stumbled onto information about probiotics. Fantastic rubbish, for the most part. Commercial products are worthless. Yogurt and kimchee did nothing for me. Lastly, homemade sauerkraut as the hillbillies made it... Whoa! The initial reaction was not very nice. There could be trillions of bad germs which need to be killed off and they did not treat me kindly on the way out. Frankly, I felt semi-ill for the first month. I do not know for sure if the probiotic change is the cause but have read that this can happen.

I persisted eating a little everyday (1/4 cup) and eventually felt better. (West Nile virus was going thru my city around this time, so who knows if that is the real reason I felt unwell?) ANYHOW, I did not suffer allergies that year. Or 2016. Or, so far in 2017. From 1990 to 2015, I'd get a serious sinus infection at least once/year and required antibiotics to resolve it, every single time. Since beginning to eat this probiotic stew, I have stayed well year around, though 1000 fall on my left and 10000 on my right. I do not know if homemade sauerkraut can help you but since MDs don't have the answers, it may be worth investigating.

Thank you for the recipe. I will try it soon.