Salicylates, at some level are in EVERYTHING and are very tricky to diagnose.
Sometimes the foods that are good for you turn rogue and overnight become the enemy. It seems to come out of nowhere; food you have loved and eaten all your life starts making you want to scratch your skin bloody and raw. Weird lumps and bumps appear out of nowhere and there are days you feel like you have been hit by a mack truck. Your nerves are shot, and you are at your wits end wondering WTF is happening to your body and canvassing the possibility you could die.
I’d like to introduce you to Salicylates – they'll be hanging out with you for a while!
Salicylates, also known as salicylic acid, is a natural occurring chemical produced by some plants to provide a natural defence against environmental stresses, like pests, bacteria and disease (and, apparently, people).
Salicylic acid in its natural form, is also used to form the basis of a synthetic version which is then commonly added to a variety of products and medications. Aspirin contains salicylates, as do some fragrances, cosmetics, toothpastes and cleaning products.
Here are a couple of examples of how salicylic acid is added to products other than food.
When added to a skin cleanser it helps to dissolve skin debris that clog your pours and cause pimples. Sounds gross I know, but it is very effective at clearing up blackheads and whiteheads.
Toothpaste is another product that contains salicylates, through the strong mint/menthol flavours. Even though you do not tend to swallow toothpaste, salicylates are absorbed through the membranes lining your mouth. I know what you are thinking - toothpaste? For me it was the last thing on earth I would have expected could affect my food intolerance's.
If you are intolerant, you may feel as if you consistently have the flu or hay fever. Symptoms of a salicylate intolerance can mirror allergies, which makes them quite difficult to accurately diagnose.
Some of the common signs of salicylate intolerance are -
Headache or migraines Itchy skin / eczema IBS Symptoms
Nausea / vomiting Bloating / wind Diarrhoea / constipation
Asthma / hay-fever Sleep disturbances Anxiety / depression
Joint pain / inflammation Panic attacks Heart palpitations
Salicylates, at some level, are in EVERYTHING. Anything that is an edible plant contains a varying degree of salicylic acid. All fruit, vegetables, herbs, spices and nuts are your natural sources and as mentioned, it can be made synthetically and added to products or food items.
It appears in a concentrated form when herbs, spices, fruit and vegetables are dried and powdered. Most pre-packaged processed food and supplements like turmeric tablets will have concentrated levels of salicylates. Check your labels, if you see garlic, onion or some form of herb, spice or vegetable powder in the ingredients list then you can guarantee that the salicylates will be SUPER concentrated.
Here is a list of a few herbs, spices, nuts, fruit and vegetables that contain very high levels of salicylates.
All Dried Fruit All Dried Herbs All Dried Spices
All Fresh Herbs All Fresh Spices Almond meal
Broad beans Canned Legumes Capsicum
Cherries Dates Eggplant
Grapefruit Grapes Hazelnut meal
Kiwifruit Lemons Limes
Mandarins Marzipan Mushrooms
Nut paste Olives Onions
Oranges Passion fruit Peanut Butter
Pickled Vegetables Pineapple Plums
Roasted Nuts Sauerkraut Seaweed/Nori
Spinach Strawberries Tangelos
Tomato Vegetable Juice Vegetable Soups
Vegetable Stocks
Discovering if you are salicylate intolerant can be quite tricky, it is not something you should work out for yourself. The only effective way to find out if you are intolerant is to participate in an elimination diet, supervised by a professional. If you suspect that you have an intolerance, please seek help from either your GP, or if you prefer the non-medical approach - a qualified naturopath or dietitian. I do not encourage anyone to self-diagnose and urge you to put down that self-help book and make an appointment with a professional.
Just because salicylates are in EVERYTHING, does not mean you can never eat again! Your level of intolerance will be unique to you. For example, I am salicylate intolerant and I cannot eat most herbs – fresh or dried. However, I can have salt, pepper, parsley, ginger, garlic and coriander. Another great example is the humble tomato. I cannot eat red or green tomatoes – due to their high levels of salicylate and natural MSG. But I can eat orange and yellow tomatoes because they have lower levels of salicylic acid and my body can process them more effectively.
Food intolerance's are a bit weird like that. They are as individual as the person who is experiencing them.
If you suspect you may be salicylate intolerant, there are testing options out there. There are a lot of places and health clinics that advertise food intolerance testing which can become quite expensive. The choice is always yours on how you wish to manage your health. I believe the best place to start is with the basics.
Consult a professional. Food intolerance is not something you should self-diagnose. When you start to eliminate food or food groups from your diet you run the risk of doing more harm than good to your health. A professional must supervise an elimination diet and it’s best not to do it on your own.
Keep a food diary. Creating a food diary is essential to figuring out what foods you may need to avoid. It is important to be honest with what you are eating – go ahead and eat whatever you like, you are not counting calories. It is essential that you record everything and include your emotions – for example if you are feeling anxious or agitated. As for any physical symptoms you may be experiencing, an accurate record will be a gold mine of information when you speak with a professional.
Monitor your stress levels. Some experts only focus on the physical side of food intolerance and do not take into consideration the emotional. Keeping calm and positive throughout the elimination diet and diagnosis process will help ease your symptoms. Food intolerance affects your nervous system, when you feel anxious, frustrated or afraid it will amplify your symptoms making you to feel worse.
There is a plethora of information out there on food intolerance's, especially regarding salicylate. I spent months researching what my food intolerance's were and how they affect my body which is why I am writing Eating with the Enemy (due to be published early next year). I cannot emphasis enough how important it is to your health to seek professional advice; it will save you a hell of a lot of money, pain and suffering. For me it was a turning point. You will get to the bottom of your food intolerance much faster and the results will be accurate.
I want you to know that no matter how bad it may seem right now; it will get better.
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