{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/69c1494f3bbfcfe8db5c89b2/6a948825cbb5391397cce530?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Alpha-Gal Syndrome, the tick-borne “Red Meat Allergy” ","description":"<p>878. A tick bite you may not even remember getting can leave you unable to eat a hamburger, a slice of pizza, or a bowl of ice cream. That's alpha-gal syndrome, and it's turning up far outside its original range.</p><p>Alpha-gal is a sugar molecule found in the cells of most mammals but not in humans. When a lone star tick injects it under the skin, the immune system can start treating it as a threat. After that, beef, pork, lamb, venison, and sometimes dairy or gelatin can trigger a reaction three to six hours later, which is a big part of why this food allergy goes undiagnosed for years.</p><p>Today, Monica breaks down what the research actually shows:</p><ul><li>Why the lone star tick's range is expanding into the Midwest, the Northeast, and eastern Canada</li><li>How alpha-gal syndrome differs from Lyme disease, and why they get confused</li><li>What the CDC's estimate of 450,000 cases means, and why the \"1 in 4\" figure circulating on social media isn't measuring the same thing</li><li>What a diagnosis means for your diet, including collagen, gelatin, organ meats, and why tolerance varies so much from person to person</li><li>Why symptoms can be worse on some days than others</li><li>Whether the condition is permanent, and what happens to antibody levels over time</li><li>How to lower your risk of tick bites, per the CDC</li><li>Where gene-edited GalSafe pigs fit into the picture</li></ul><p><br></p><p>New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special <a href=\"https://open.spotify.com/playlist/59vwhJqu3bTvSCRsXmbqY6\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Spotify playlist</a> for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself!&nbsp;</p><p>Follow Nutrition Diva on <a href=\"https://facebook.com/qdtnutrition\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook</a> and <a href=\"https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/nutrition-diva-newsletter\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">subscribe to the newsletter</a> for more diet and nutrition tips.&nbsp;</p><p>Find out about Monica's keynotes and other programs at <a href=\"https://wellnessworkshere.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">WellnessWorksHere.com</a></p><p>Nutrition Diva is a part of the<a href=\"https://quickanddirtytips.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> Quick and Dirty Tips</a> podcast network.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p><strong>References</strong></p><p><a href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/alpha-gal-syndrome/about/index.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">About Alpha-gal Syndrome | Alpha-gal Syndrome | CDC</a>&nbsp;</p><p><a href=\"https://globalhealth.unc.edu/2026/07/new-study-finds-nearly-one-in-four-adults-in-high-risk-states-have-alpha-gal-antibodies-linked-to-tick-borne-meat-allergy/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Nearly One in Four Adults in High-Risk States Have Alpha-gal Antibodies Linked to Tick-Borne Meat Allergy&nbsp;| Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases</a>&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Join us for a live show taping on September 17 in New York City. Details at wellnessworkshere.com/live.</p>","author_name":"QuickAndDirtyTips.com, Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN"}