Living With A Food Allergy
You may be hearing more and more about food allergies in recent years. That's no surprise considering an estimated 12 million Americans suffer from these types of allergies, and the number seems to be rising. Because of the prevalence and possible severity of this condition luckily awareness has increased as well.
Some people experience food intolerance instead of a food allergy which can cause confusion; they are different conditions that can cause different reactions.
Many people have an intolerance of certain foods or additives, but this is very different than having a food allergy. An allergy can show within minutes of eating the trigger food, while an intolerance will result in a belated reaction to the food. An allergy is an immune response while an intolerance is more related to improper digestion.
A food allergy is called an immune response because the allergy reaction is caused by a response from the immune system. The immune system is constantly working to take care of the body and shield it from harm. It views this allergen as a potentially damaging substance so it starts working to defend the body. To help the body defend itself the system releases specific protective chemicals, one of these being histamine which triggers the allergy symptoms.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction can include tingling in the mouth, swelling of the lips, tongue, throat or eyelids, labored breathing, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea or hives. In more severe cases it can include a drop in blood pressure, loosing consciousness, and in extreme cases sometimes death -- these symptoms are signs of anaphylactic shock.
A small number of foods are responsible for the vast majority of food allergies in the U.S. The eight foods that most commonly cause allergies are dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, shellfish, soy and wheat. Allergens can vary a bit from country to country, but these eight are typically the most common in all countries.
The best treatment for allergies is to avoid the allergen. This may sound simple enough with a food allergy (vs and airborne allergy), but unfortunately it isn't always that easy. Often times these allergens may be hidden in processed foods. To help with this the U.S. requires that food labels list the eight common allergens.
While this has been quite helpful it doesn't guarantee the foods are pure and completely safe for allergy sufferers. The other problem is the possibility of cross-contamination. This happens when a machine that processes a food that contains a common allergen is also used for foods that don't contain an allergen. Even though the machines are cleaned, traces of the allergen can remain.
Luckily most labels now have an allergy section where they list what other types of foods are processed in the same facility, but there are other things food allergy sufferers will need to look for as well. Ingredients that contain allergens can be listed under different names, for example casein and whey are forms of milk protein. Those with a dairy allergy will need to avoid these ingredients.
Anyone with allergies should know the signs of an allergy reaction so they can tell if they may have come in contact with the allergen. They should also know how to treat themselves; this usually includes using an epinephrine injector. - 17269
Some people experience food intolerance instead of a food allergy which can cause confusion; they are different conditions that can cause different reactions.
Many people have an intolerance of certain foods or additives, but this is very different than having a food allergy. An allergy can show within minutes of eating the trigger food, while an intolerance will result in a belated reaction to the food. An allergy is an immune response while an intolerance is more related to improper digestion.
A food allergy is called an immune response because the allergy reaction is caused by a response from the immune system. The immune system is constantly working to take care of the body and shield it from harm. It views this allergen as a potentially damaging substance so it starts working to defend the body. To help the body defend itself the system releases specific protective chemicals, one of these being histamine which triggers the allergy symptoms.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction can include tingling in the mouth, swelling of the lips, tongue, throat or eyelids, labored breathing, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea or hives. In more severe cases it can include a drop in blood pressure, loosing consciousness, and in extreme cases sometimes death -- these symptoms are signs of anaphylactic shock.
A small number of foods are responsible for the vast majority of food allergies in the U.S. The eight foods that most commonly cause allergies are dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, shellfish, soy and wheat. Allergens can vary a bit from country to country, but these eight are typically the most common in all countries.
The best treatment for allergies is to avoid the allergen. This may sound simple enough with a food allergy (vs and airborne allergy), but unfortunately it isn't always that easy. Often times these allergens may be hidden in processed foods. To help with this the U.S. requires that food labels list the eight common allergens.
While this has been quite helpful it doesn't guarantee the foods are pure and completely safe for allergy sufferers. The other problem is the possibility of cross-contamination. This happens when a machine that processes a food that contains a common allergen is also used for foods that don't contain an allergen. Even though the machines are cleaned, traces of the allergen can remain.
Luckily most labels now have an allergy section where they list what other types of foods are processed in the same facility, but there are other things food allergy sufferers will need to look for as well. Ingredients that contain allergens can be listed under different names, for example casein and whey are forms of milk protein. Those with a dairy allergy will need to avoid these ingredients.
Anyone with allergies should know the signs of an allergy reaction so they can tell if they may have come in contact with the allergen. They should also know how to treat themselves; this usually includes using an epinephrine injector. - 17269
About the Author:
Learn more about gluten allergies with our new site on gluten intolerance symptoms. You'll learn about associated phenomenon such as celiac depression as well as specific troublesome symptoms like constipation from celiac disease.
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