Q: My daughter is 3 years old. She is has an anaphylactic allergy to nuts, she is mildly allergic to milk, and she has developed alopecia within the past five months. Someone suggested that I start giving her 200 mg/day of Omega-3 fatty acids. They also suggested that the alopecia and food allergies might be related. Any advice?
Heather
Dear Heather,
A: The food allergies are due to an overactive immune system. The omega-3 fatty acids would help to reduce that over-activity. I would suggest at least 5 grams of EPA and DHA per day. Relative to the milk allergy, consider using lactose-free milk or avoiding milk products completely. You might also consider testing for celiac disease that sometimes gives symptoms similar to lactose intolerance. Finally, the alopecia is often associated with hyper-insulinemia. Using the Zone Diet would normalize insulin levels and hopefully address the problem.