In a message dated 96-05-13 09:47:10 EDT, you copy what Dr. Borowitz wrote:

>There is much evidence to suggest that foreign antigen
>exposure prior to weaning is important in development of
>tolerance to foreign antigens, and in fact, atopic disease may
>be a break in tolerance! IgA may be important in presenting
>foreign dietary antigens to intestinal lymphoid tissue in a way
>that induces tolerance rather than an immune response . . .
>tolerance is a very active process whereby the immune
>system actively recognizes foreign proteins and then
>selectively doesn't respond to them . .


From many of the research articles I've read in the past four years I'd have
to agree with this Dr. Borowitz.   Having two children who showed signs of
food sensitivities to things in my milk has made me very curious about this.
 Notice that he says that IgA [and I'm assuming he means secretory sIgA]
 presents the foreign proteins in a way that the immune system doesn't
respond to them - the infant's body develops tolerance of these substances  -
which is what we want to happen with food.

We have to remember  that not all breastfeeding mothers have the same amount
of antibodies and that our IgA  or our ability to produce IgA is influenced
by not only genetics [individual variation]  but also things such as stress
and diet.  So, as much as I am loathe to admit it, I think my body was
stressed in some way and that I had  a lesser ability to produce IgA and
therefore my children were not 'presented' these foreign substances [food
particles in my milk] in the proper manner to produce tolerance.


This is a question I've been asking for sixteen years and now scientists are
finally looking at atopy [allergy] and breastfeeding and starting to come up
with some answers.

Mardrey Swenson, DC, IBCLC