Tom Stockdale reflects on the intimate
relationship between what we eat and our wellbeing.

For every problem there is a solution if only it can be found, although this may be no small task. My purpose in writing for Foods Matter is to do my best to provide basic information relating to nutrition and health, which will assist readers to look after their own well being and thus avoid allergies and intolerances.

Because 60 years ago it was unusual for anyone to suffer from an allergy or intolerance we need to analyse what has changed to make these problems more common now than then. Maybe the food we eat and the air we breathe have deteriorated making us more vulnerable to attack by toxic environmental substances.

In order to minimise this risk it is necessary to eat the best food available. Much has been written on this subject. Our food should be varied and consumed as near to its natural state as is practical. It should include ample amounts of fruit, vegetables and sea food. The latter is especially valuable because it is the best source of the iodine and selenium that are poorly supplied by other foods. Without sufficient of these two minerals our ability to transform what we eat into useful energy is decreased and we are vulnerable to diabetes, hyper-cholesterolemia, obesity, allergies and other problems.

When insufficient energy is generated the pancreatic gland becomes unable to produce the bicarbonate that is needed to neutralise the acidic material issuing from the stomach. As a result the diet needs to contain additional salt to make good the abnormal loss of salt in the urine. When insufficient salt is present in the diet the stomach is unable to digest proteins properly. These proteins can be absorbed from within the small intestine and can cause food intolerances.
Another effect of a failure to produce sufficient energy is an

increase in the concentration of calcium within cells. In the case of asthma an inhaled allergen increases the intracellular calcium ion concentration of the blood vessels that supply the lungs. Normally the extra calcium is expelled rapidly but when asthma develops either this does not happen or there is already a surplus of calcium ions present. In either case the blood vessels contract so that less blood enters the lungs and the body is starved of oxygen.

To prevent asthma and allergies it is necessary to improve the supply of iodine and selenium, ensure that there are sufficient vitamins, magnesium and salt in the diet. This supplementation can be done by individuals themselves although it needs to be done with care and if any adverse effects are experienced it should be discontinued.
Most NHS doctors prescribe drugs but seldom recommend the use of minerals or vitamins or enquire about their patients’ diets.

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First Published in 2009

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