Food Allergy

Many people die annually from food allergy and other allergies, that can cause anaphylaxis.  Thousands get vital treatment for food-induced anaphylaxis, in emergency departments.  Considering allergies in total, food allergy is one of the most common, and about 11 million people in the USA are sufferers.

Food allergy occurs when the body’s immune system malfunctions, and misinterprets harmless food proteins as harmful substances.

Food Allergy Symptoms

Symptoms associated with food allergy range from being mildly uncomfortable, to a complete collapse, resulting from a condition known as anaphylaxis.  Numerous people have died, due to severe reactions to particular foods causing anaphylaxis, but many more have been saved by prompt treatment in emergency departments

Some symptoms of food allergy are:

Hives
Drop in blood pressure
Tingling sensation in the mouth
Breathing difficulties
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Stomach aches
Swelling of the tongue and throat
Loss of consciousness
Anaphylaxis (can be fatal)

The symptoms generally appear, either within minutes, or up to two hours after eating the food responsible for the allergic reaction. When considering treatment for food allergy, prevention is better than cure.  If you know you are allergic to particular foods, they should be absolutely, and totally avoided.  Food allergies are largely symptomatic, meaning that whatever treatments or medications are used, they are aimed at preventing the onset of, or for treating the symptoms.  Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is the preferred medicine for controlling severe allergic reactions.

Food Allergy – Causes

If you experience an allergic response, after eating particular kinds of food, it indicates that your immune system is reacting to a substance perceived to be harmful.  Large quantities of antibodies are produced, binding with both the allergens and mast cells.  When the antibodies come into contact with the mast cells, they change the structure of their membranes which causes different chemicals to leak out.  Histamine is one of these chemicals and is a significant cause of inflammation in surrounding tissue.

There are many foods that can cause allergies, but it should be noted that 90% of all food allergy reactions are caused by:

Milk
Egg
Shellfish
Peanuts
Tree nuts
Wheat
Fish
Soy

Peanut allergy is a well known, serious, and sometimes fatal food allergy.  A survey, undertaken by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, showed that the incidence of peanut allergy, in children and adults, has doubled over a relatively short period.  Although peanuts are legumes, it is not generally considered necessary to avoid other legumes, unless there is reason to believe they could harm you, or your doctor instructs you to avoid them.

Food allergy relating to eggs is often mild, but there have been a few cases when eggs have triggered anaphylaxis.  Therefore, those who are allergic to eggs should carefully examine food labels for products containing eggs, or albumen.  Well-cooked eggs, such as those contained in cakes are considered to be fairly safe, but raw, or undercooked eggs may cause allergic reactions and should be avoided by susceptible people.

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