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Knowing Food Allergies by Lori Cachia
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Knowing Food Allergies |
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Health
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A food allergy must not be confused with food intolerance. A food allergy develops when the immune system of an individual misinterprets a food ingredient to be harmful and develops an immune response against the food. As a result, the body's immune system produces antibodies to fight the food allergen, the substance present in the food that triggers the allergy. Let me illustrate this with a simple example. Consider an individual allergic to peanuts but unknown about the same. What would happen if this person consumes peanut butter laden sandwich? Antibodies to proteins present in the peanuts would cause mast cells, a type of immune system cell in the body, to release chemicals into the bloodstream for welf-protection. One of these chemicals is histamine. The histamine then causes symptoms that affect the person. Some of the first signs that a person may be having an allergic reaction could be a runny nose, an itchy skin rash such as hives, or a tingling in the tongue or lips. Most allergies to foods begin in the first or second year of life. While some of these reactions such as allergies to cow's milk or eggs may resolve over time, other food allergies such as allergies to nuts or shellfish acquired in infancy usually persist throughout life. There are eight common allergens which account for nearly all of the allergic reactions. These include milk, eggs, peanuts, soy, wheat, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. If an individual is suspected to have a food allergy then in order to diagnose an allergy, certain procedures need to be followed. This involves enquiry about the child's symptoms, the frequency of occurrence of reactions, the time interval between ingestion of a particular food and the commencement of the first symptoms and presence of allergies or conditions like eczema and asthma in family members. The doctor may look for any other conditions that could mimic the symptoms of food allergies. Upon suspecting an allergy, the child may be referred to an allergy specialist. Thereafter, the child will be asked more questions, subjected to physical exam and tests to help make a diagnosis. A skin test and a test called RASTs are diagnostic tests for an allergy. The only effective approach for the treatment of food allergy is dietary avoidance. Food allergies can’t be cured by any medication. So, treatment usually means management of the condition. One needs to familiarize self with the labels of packed food products so that the allergen can be avoided. Doctors advise people with food allergies to consume only those food products which are labelled with ingredients. People who are allergic to foods also must avoid foods which may contain even traces of nuts. That usually happens through cross-contamination. Special diets are the most often used treatment for food allergies. If the patient is allergic to only one or two foods, elimination of these foods may be the only treatment. Although there's no cure for food allergies, medications can treat both minor and severe symptoms. Food allergies must not be taken casually. Parents must look out for the initial symptoms of allergies and take pre-emptive steps in managing kids’ food allergies.
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