Brimstone Demons and Legal Notice
Allow me to introduce the Brimstone Demons. Their ancestors swam in
hell’s
lakes of fire and brimstone. Today, they live around the corner and
just
down the street from your house and mine. When they moved from hell to
America,
they updated their wardrobe and changed their ancient family name from
Brimstone
to Sulfur. Their modern names are sodium sulfite, bisulfite,
metabisulfite
and sulfur dioxide. Collectively, they are the sulfur food additives
that
help preserve the foods that you and your children eat every single
day.
Unfortunately,
like millions other Americans, I am sensitive to sulfites and sulfur
dioxide.
The most commonly reported reactions to sulfite preservatives are
breathing
problems that lead to asthma attacks. In fact, it is generally reported
that
5% of all asthma sufferers are quite sensitive to sulfites, althouth
this
percentage may be much higher. Other allergic reactions commonly
include
hives, rosacea, facial swelling, throat constriction, muscle cramps,
digestive
upsets, headache and allergic shock. In addition to asthma, many
diseases
are complicated by sulfites including chronic fatigue syndrome,
fibromyalgia,
arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, G6PD deficiency, heart arrhythmia,
irregular
blood pressure, thyroid and liver problems, lichen planus, Marfan
syndrome
and Behcet's vasculitis. If a reaction occurs many hours after
eating
a food containing sulfites, the body’s allergic system is usually not
involved and one is said to be "intolerant" or "sensitive" to sulfites.
If
the reaction is more immediate and allergic antibodies are formed, one
is
said to be "allergic" to sulfites. As with most food disorders, it is
much
more common to be sensitive than allergic to sulfites.
If you are old enough, you may remember that
restaurant salad bars used to
spray lettuce and fruit with sulfite preservatives to maintain color
and
prevent that wilted look. But because of a rash of highly publicized
deaths
due to sulfite anaphylactic shock (an allergic failure of multiple
organs),
the Food and Drug Administration banned the use of sulfites on fresh
foods
in 1986. Today, salad bars are no more a problem than any other food
form.
In fact, the lettuce from a salad bar is quite clean of all sulfites in
my
experience. Of course, the rest of the salad bar (dressings, soups and
other
goodies) can still be loaded with any number of preservatives and food
additives.
My personal problem with sulfites is headaches, less
dramatic than dropping
dead but still very troublesome. These headaches begin about 12 hours
after
I eat a problem food and last 24 more hours. During that time, it is
difficult
to do anything, even sleep. Common headache pain medications do little
more
than upset my stomach and the only complete remedy is avoidance. Now,
avoiding
sulfur preservatives is what doctors recommend but it is almost
impossible
to do. The Sulfur Demons are everywhere. They hide in over half of the
packaged
foods in a typical supermarket. If you find that hard to believe, keep
on
reading.
Headaches, Asthma, Fries and a Cola is
the copyrighted property
of Rybett Controls, Inc. This internet version may be freely copied and
distributed as long as the chapter, "Brimstone Demons and Legal
Notice",
is included. The book is based on the personal experiences of
the
author. The research was funded to protect the author, an employee of
Rybett
Controls, Inc., from headaches caused by sulfur preservatives. To the
extent
that other people with similar problems may benefit from this research,
the
information was condensed into book form. This book is strictly for
general
information and is not meant as a replacement for the proper medical
care
of headaches, asthma, allergy, food intolerance or any other disease or
condition. The conclusions of this book are not meant to substitute for
medical
advice or replace medical counseling. However, I do hope that you will
find
the information helpful.
No amount of information, advice or data can
completely eliminate the threat
of food intolerance. Sulfite and other sensitivities should be
considered
dangerous and you should seek competent medical treatment for such
conditions.
If your sensitivity warrants, you should always be prepared for an
emergency
and carry an antidote. If you are sensitive or allergic to sulfur
preservatives,
this book should add to your store of knowledge and reduce your risk of
exposure.
However, neither Rybett Controls, Inc. nor the author assumes any
responsibility
for your medical condition. We are not responsible for any illness or
injury
related to the interpretation or misinterpretation of information
presented
in this book.
All numbers
given and estimates made for sulfur dioxide and sulfite levels are
theoretical
approximations or mathematical averages. There is absolutely no
guarantee
that the estimates are correct. It is entirely possible that a
particular
food estimated to be free of sulfites may actually contain sulfur
preservatives.
If your sensitivity is dangerous, all foods should be treated as
potentially
dangerous. The charts and databases of this book are best utilized for
determining your relative risks and controlling your averaged exposure
to
troublesome ingredients.
From the last few paragraphs, you might conclude
that I am overly cautious
and ridiculously fearful of our legal system. You might even surmise
that
I consider litigious attorneys more of a danger to society than food
allergy.
You might be right.
I refer to sulfites as Brimstone Demons because it’s
a cute name and
it conjures a colorful image. Of course, there is nothing evil about
sulfites.
They are just chemicals. And, there is nothing sinister about the
companies
that produce or use sulfites. They are just trying to make the best
products
they can. For most of America, they do a great job. For people like me
with
an abnormal metabolism, it’s just tough luck. I must be wise enough
to know what to avoid, carry a remedy if possible and not get overly
upset
about it. If you have questions or comments about sulfites, I am happy
to
answer email from "nosulfites@aol.com".