Living With A Food Allergy
Chances are you know at least one person that has a food allergy. Food allergies have become increasingly common in recent years and luckily awareness has increased as well. Anyone with a food allergy knows what a serious topic this is as it can send a sufferer to the emergency room or even cause a fatality.
Many people suffer from a food intolerance, which shouldn't be confused with a food allergy. They are two distinct and different conditions that result in different consequences.
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.
The job of the immune system is to protect the body by watching for foreign substances that appear to be potentially harmful. When someone has a food allergy it means the body has labeled that allergen as potentially harmful and when it detects signs of this substance it will trigger a defense response. This defense response includes the release of chemicals in the body that can cause an allergic reaction.
Symptoms of an allergy reaction can show within seconds or take up to an hour. These symptoms can include swelling or tingling of the mouth, lips, throat or tongue; wheezing or difficulty breathing; diarrhea, vomiting or abdominal pain; or hives. If the reaction progresses it can result in anaphylactic shock which can involve a drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness and in some cases death.
Food allergies seem to be more prevalent every day but the majority of allergies are caused by just eight foods -- eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, shellfish, wheat and soy. In the United States these eight are responsible for over ninety percent of food allergies. While allergens may vary to some degree from country to country these eight are generally the most common.
Of course the most effective way to treat allergies is to avoid the allergen. With airborne allergies this is difficult, but you might think it would be easy with a food allergy -- that's not always the case. Processed foods can often contain hidden allergens. To help with this problem the United States has required that companies label foods containing any of 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.
Those who suffer from food allergies need to fully understand food labels and they need to read them carefully. They will also need to know the other possible names of ingredients that can contain specific allergens. For example those with a milk protein allergy will also need to avoid casein because it is a form of milk protein.
It's important for allergy sufferers to know the signs of an allergic reaction, and to know how to treat themselves. A common treatment method is the use of an EpiPen. It's also a good idea to carry a medical alert bracelet or card noting the allergy. - 17274
Many people suffer from a food intolerance, which shouldn't be confused with a food allergy. They are two distinct and different conditions that result in different consequences.
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.
The job of the immune system is to protect the body by watching for foreign substances that appear to be potentially harmful. When someone has a food allergy it means the body has labeled that allergen as potentially harmful and when it detects signs of this substance it will trigger a defense response. This defense response includes the release of chemicals in the body that can cause an allergic reaction.
Symptoms of an allergy reaction can show within seconds or take up to an hour. These symptoms can include swelling or tingling of the mouth, lips, throat or tongue; wheezing or difficulty breathing; diarrhea, vomiting or abdominal pain; or hives. If the reaction progresses it can result in anaphylactic shock which can involve a drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness and in some cases death.
Food allergies seem to be more prevalent every day but the majority of allergies are caused by just eight foods -- eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, shellfish, wheat and soy. In the United States these eight are responsible for over ninety percent of food allergies. While allergens may vary to some degree from country to country these eight are generally the most common.
Of course the most effective way to treat allergies is to avoid the allergen. With airborne allergies this is difficult, but you might think it would be easy with a food allergy -- that's not always the case. Processed foods can often contain hidden allergens. To help with this problem the United States has required that companies label foods containing any of 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.
Those who suffer from food allergies need to fully understand food labels and they need to read them carefully. They will also need to know the other possible names of ingredients that can contain specific allergens. For example those with a milk protein allergy will also need to avoid casein because it is a form of milk protein.
It's important for allergy sufferers to know the signs of an allergic reaction, and to know how to treat themselves. A common treatment method is the use of an EpiPen. It's also a good idea to carry a medical alert bracelet or card noting the allergy. - 17274
About the Author:
Learn more about gluten allergies with our new site on symptoms of gluten allergies. You'll learn about associated phenomenon such as depression and celiac disease as well as specific troublesome symptoms like celiac constipation.
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