Food Allergies, Symptoms of Food Allergies and Prevention

Quite a number of people suffer from allergic reactions. There are countless of possible allergens and they can bring about the onset of symptoms when one develops a reaction. one of the conditions in which many people suffer from is food allergies. with food allergies, one has a hypersensitivity to food, or one of its components.

An allergy is a severe reaction of the body’s immune system. The immune system goes into overdrive when there is a perceived threat to the body. In this case, the body perceives an ingredient in the food, like protein, as potentially harmful and goes all out to attack this ingredient and you, in the process.

When it comes to symptoms of food allergy, different people may have different set of symptoms. However, most of them will feel a swelling of tongue and throat along with having a tingling sensation in the mouth. Difficult in breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, drop in blood pressure and abdominal cramps may also be experienced by some people. Here, it is essential to mention that severe allergic reactions can cause death because they can affect cardiovascular system as well.

Food allergies happen when a person’s immune system believes that something he or she ate is harmful to the body. In an attempt to protect the body, the immune system produces antibodies, called immunoglobulin E (IgE), to that food. Those antibodies then cause mast cells (allergy cells in the body) to release chemicals, one of which is histamine, into the bloodstream.

An allergic reaction can be manifested in different ways and in varying intensities in different people. some allergies may show obvious symptoms while others may not. some people may react immediately once exposed to the allergen while in other people, it may take several hours for the symptoms to be manifested.

There seems to be about eight food allergies found. These foods include peanuts, milk, eggs, tree nuts, soy, wheat, and fish and shell fish. Each of these food allergies can be life threatening if not treated immediately. In addition, there are also people with allergies to fruits, vegetables and even seeds. some of these common food allergies are seen most often in children.

So what is a food allergy sufferer to do? The first course of action is to educate themselves on labeling practices. Knowing where to look in a label for allergen information is a good first step. Avoiding foods that are labeled with the allergen is the primary method of treatment, since there is no cure for food allergy. Next, the food allergy sufferer must learn about ingredients that could contain allergens. for example, milk protein can appear under many labels and milk protein allergy can be caused by casein and whey.

Food allergies often result in food cravings. This seems to be a controversial statement but it is a fact accepted by medical establishment. This kind of allergy is called type B allergy and means food intolerance. Such intolerance can lead to weight gain, bloating, fatigue, water retention, etc. some foods we crave will not necessarily make us fat, but others can be major contributors to weight gain.

Time: Thursday, April 21st, 2011 at 3:10 pm