The New York Times recently interviewed Robyn O'Brien on her view that the alarming increase in childhood food allergies stems from a profit-driven global conspiracy.

(O'Brien has also been interviewed by CNN, CBS, and our own Allergy Consumer Report.)

O'Brien has a daughter with a severe food allergy, manages allergykids.com, and has designed a universal symbol for child food allergies.

After much research, O'Brien thinks that the food supply is being manipulated with additives, genetic modification, hormones, and herbicides, causing increases in allergies, autism, and other childhood disorders. Her theory, however, is not supported by leading researchers in major allergy advocacy groups.

O'Brien encourages people to throw out nonorganic processed food and avoid anything that's genetically modified, artificially created, or raised with hormones.

"Don't eat food with ingredients you can't pronounce," she advises.

"It was absolutely terrifying to unearth this story," says O'Brien. "These big food companies have an intimate relationship with every household in America, and they are making our children sick. I was rocked. You don’t want to hear that this has actually happened."

For more about food allergies, see The Food Allergy Solution Guide.