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Monique Speaks on Sulphur Allergies and MSM

Written by Tera on March 21, 2008 – -



Here is the Question:

saladHi Monique! I have an allergy to sulphur, so unfortunately MSM is not an option for me. I drink at least one quart of green smoothies every day (kale or collards with fruit, spirulina, and flax seeds). I am having some of the same symptoms I experience when I ingest sulphur, although more mild, but uncomfortable nonetheless. It makes sense that some whole foods would naturally be higher in sulphur content than others. Which ones should I avoid or eliminate entirely? I love them all, but will do what I have to do. Thanks in advance for your response!

Best Regards,
Julie Keefe

Answer:

Hi Julie,

First I’d like to ask you, what are your symptoms? Also have you seen a doctor to confirm that you have a sulphur allergy and not something else? The reason why I’m asking this is that symptoms can be very similar sometimes, but be caused by different things all together. It sounds like your daily green smoothie might be too much, too often for your body to handle, but remember that sulphur is a constituent of protein and other biomolecules that you obtain from food and are required in trace amounts in your diet to sustain your health.

So, because you need sulfur, as long as you’re getting adequate protein each day, you should be fine. For myself, I have problems with the sulfur in onions if I have too much. When I have small amounts less often, I’m fine.

shoppingThe following is a list of foods that have sulfur, but instead of omitting these foods altogether, try consuming them in smaller amounts. Your body might be able to handle this better, because if you eliminate certain foods, like Kale for example, you will be losing other important nutrients as well. If you decide to eliminate foods, make sure that you’re getting the nutrients that you’ll be missing from other foods.

You will ultimately have to be the judge on what you decide to do. Listen to your body and talk to your doctor.

Remember, a diet adequate in protein commonly contains enough sulphur.

The main sulphur-containing foods are:

raspberries
brussels sprouts
leaf lettuce (all types)
cabbage
onions (leeks-onion family)
carrots
parsley
celery
radishes
dandelion
snap beans
garlic
string beans
horsetail (herb)
wheatgrass
watercress
nuts (almonds, filberts, walnuts)
kale
kelp
alfalfa sprouts
turnips

Important note: sulfa, sulphur, sulfer are all the same substance. Sulfa and sulfer are American spellings and sulphur is apparently British.

If you’re not eating a strictly raw/vegan diet, you will have to check labels and avoid the following: alcohol, and certain medical drugs.

For more information you can check out : www.diagnose-me.com

Hope this helps.

Take Care
Monique



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Posted in Raw Food Health | 6 Comments »

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6 Responses to “Monique Speaks on Sulphur Allergies and MSM”

  1. By Binner on Mar 26, 2008

    Hi,
    I was told by my Doc many years ago that I had a sulfa allergy (I had systemic symptons-hard to breathe, etc…) and have not taken any sulfa based drugs since… that said, I recently learned that I can take MSM as it is chemically different from the sulfa based meds. I have taken MSM now without problems, not to mention I juice most of those foods that you listed above.
    Just an observation from my own experience…
    Great blog and website! I “found” you through Anthony’s Raw Model blog!
    Peace and Veggies,
    binner

    [Reply]

  2. By Tera on Mar 27, 2008

    Hey, Binner!

    Great to have you here, and glad you found us!!

    Thanks for your feedback, cuz that makes us look VERY interesting. ;-)

    Hehe…
    Welcome!
    :-)
    Tera

    [Reply]

  3. By Lisa on Mar 16, 2009

    What about sensitivities to MSM? I am not sensitive to sulfur but seem to experience an unpleasant reaction to MSM whether taken internally or externally. I feel out of sorts, a bit headachy and queasy and weird.

    [Reply]

  4. By Cass on May 15, 2010

    MSM has been great to me so far, controlling my anxiety and regulating my gastrointestinal workings :D

    [Reply]

  5. By angela meyer on Jun 9, 2010

    i have a septra allergy and also have a reaction to walnuts and pecons are these related

    [Reply]

  6. By Milah on Jun 10, 2010

    Hi! I too suffer from severe allergies and noticed a significant improvement while taking MSM. It should be noted, that MSM is NOT in the same class as sulfa (i.e. sulfanimides), and has a toxicity close to that of water. My sister had a terrible sulfa reaction (from accutane) which nearly killed her, and she takes MSM with no problems. Those people who experience “sensitivities” may actually be experiencing a type of detoxification. The way that MSM is believed to work is by fortifying cellular structures, and lowering the internal pressure of cells…which on a larger scale has implications for everything from allergies to the aging process. The first time I took it, I experienced very oily skin, occasional vivid dreams, and when I didn’t drink enough water occasional headaches. By the second month, all those effects were gone (but I did continue to have frequent urination). Anyhow, I say this to say that in the medical community, it is not believed that people can actually be allergic to MSM. Hope this helps.

    [Reply]


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