1 June 2026
Alpha gal and the lone star tick
In Spring 2020, I was bitten by a lone star tick and developed a meat allergy known as Alpha-gal Syndrome. I reacted to meat, dairy, and gelatin. It was unbelievable how many products contained animal-derived ingredients in some form.
Benadryl is commonly taken to treat allergic reactions, yet it made my symptoms worse because some pressed pills use animal-derived ingredients as binders or fillers. Removing meat from my diet wasn’t enough. I once reacted after eating a plain meal of store-bought pasta. Later I discovered the pasta had vitamin D added, and one form — vitamin D3 — can be made from sheep’s wool.
The nightmare continued when I discovered even the toothpaste I used could trigger reactions. Another concern was “natural flavors,” a common ingredient that can sometimes be derived from beef or pork stock.
For me, a typical reaction involved heavy mucus production and coughing throughout the day and night. On nights when I took Benadryl to sleep, I feared drowning in mucus. The constant coughing often led to bronchitis, and stagnant mucus sometimes became infected.
Western medicine currently has no universally accepted cure for Alpha-gal Syndrome, and at one point I thought my life was over. Thankfully, my wife discovered a treatment route through acupuncture called SAAT (Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment), a specialized ear-acupuncture technique developed by Dr. Nader Soliman around 2003 and built upon the work of French physician Dr. Paul Nogier in the 1960s.
After five months of suffering, I began treatment. I can’t rationally explain the testing process, but three micro-needles were placed in my ear and secured there for three weeks. The needles were about the length of a pinky fingernail and as thin as a human hair.
During the first week, my reactions became worse before gradually calming down. Since then, the symptoms have largely stayed away. After the needles were removed, I waited a week before testing a single ounce of milk. A few days later, I ate half a marshmallow. Eventually, I returned to a normal diet.
About a month ago, some Alpha-gal symptoms began to reappear, and I returned for another treatment. This time, the standard is to leave the needles in place for four weeks.
Life is precious and should never be taken for granted.
And the dragon went to fight with the remnant of her seed, those guarding the commands of Yahuah (𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄) Elohim and possessing the witness of Yahusha (𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏) Rev 12:17
