Results of studies from the Mayo Clinic shows that around 2% of the adult population in the USA suffer from some type of allergic reaction to food. Additionally, food allergies in children account for another six percent. While those numbers might look small,  with a total population of over 300 million in the United States that translates to 6 million and 18 million individuals, respectively.

Much the same as other allergic reactions, food allergies result from an over reaction to an allergen by the immune system. In this case, the allergens are typically milk, eggs, peanuts, shellfish and several other foods.

Because the body views the ingestion of any of these foods as a foreign invader instead of nutrition, it releases an antibody called Immunoglobulin E or IgE for short ready to fight the perceived invader. The antibodies stimulate the release of histamine, prostaglandins and several other compounds which bring about the symptoms.

Common food allergy symptoms tend to be more comprehensive than those that mark other allergies. These include the possibility of watery eyes and congestion of the nasal passages. However, they are typically accompanied with or even overtaken by such things as swelling of the lips, pharynx or tongue, urticaria or skin hives (itchy red bumps that form on the surface of the skin), sickness, wheezing and even abdominal pain.

Anaphylactic shock can happen in more severe cases. Anaphylaxis is a systemic (overall body) allergic reaction. It involves some serious symptoms such as lightheadedness, constricted airways resulting in breathing difficulities and a dramatic decrease in blood pressure. It comes on quickly and if left untreated, can sometimes cause death. As many as two hundred deaths per year in America are as a result of anaphylaxis.

In some cases, allergic reactions to food are localized. For example, some folks will experience a tingling sensation in their mouth after eating fresh fruit or vegetables. The cause is thought to be proteins much the same as those found in ragweed pollen.

Professional diagnosis by an allergist is the only way to find out if a person suffers from food intolerance or a food allergy.

An allergy skin test can frequently determine whether or not a person really has an allergy to certain foods. This procedure involves taking a tiny extract of the suspected substance and inserting it just under the surface of the persons skin. The skin is monitored for about thirty minutes to note any swelling or itching in response to the extract.

In certain circumstances, a blood test might be warranted. This measures the amount of IgE produced in response to consuming the suspect food. However, this test it is not always conclusive.

Lactose intolerance, for example, is stimulated by the genetically induced lack of the digestive enzyme required to safely process cow’s milk. The symptoms may be alike, but this is not an allergy.

The best line of defense for anybody with a food allergy is to get rid of the problematic food from their diet and environment. For instance, folks with an known allergy to eggs should simply not eat eggs or egg based products. Others that are sensitive to peanuts and peanut dust can generally avoid coming into contact with it.

Because there is no known cure for food allergies, avoidance is the best medication. However, it is not always possible to avoid some substances, in spite of your best efforts and in that situation, symptom relief is available in the form of antihistamines. it is also good to have available an EpiPen or similar device that allows allergy sufferers to inject a small amount of ephinephrine during an emergency. A serious attack of anaphylaxis can be fended off until professional medical assistance can be found.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Related Experiences:

  1. Purchasing Healthy Food At Organic Food Markets
  2. Purchasing Healthy Food At Organic Food Markets
  3. How Air Purifiers Can Help With Your Allergies
  4. Pairing Wine With Food
  5. Who Else Desires Insider Guide To Food Neophobia?

Tagged with: • • • • •

Filed under: Experiences

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!