Antibiotics: Some docs believe that the rise in food allergies may be linked to a phenomenon known as leaky gut. The theory: The problem occurs when food compounds that your digestive system hasn't adequately broken down pass through your GI tract and into your bloodstream. Our bad habit of overdoing it on antibiotics can kill the good bacteria that keep the GI tract intact. Without those good guys, openings can develop, allowing the food particles to slip out, explains Gary B. Huffnagle, professor of internal medicine, microbiology, and immunology at the University of Michigan Medicine Center and the author of The Probiotics Revolution (Bantam, 2008). These leaked bits put your immune system on edge, and allergic reactions ensue. There's currently no cure for leaky gut, but, Huffnagle says, taking a daily probiotic supplement (like Culturelle) may help.
