[ad_1]
If you are one of the 3% of the population suffering from a food allergy, you will know it. The symptoms are distinctive and often debilitating, including tingling and itching in the mouth and throat, hives and swelling around the eyes, lips or tongue.
An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system overreacts to a trigger of a particular food, such as nuts or shellfish.
Whenever the trigger is eaten, the immune system senses the danger and acts quickly to prevent the culprit from entering the body. The chemicals are released into the body, causing a sometimes extreme reaction.
Allergy sufferers can always take their meals by taking the appropriate precautions.
Many people may complain of bloating, nausea and headaches after eating certain foods – but this should not be confused with an allergy. It is much more likely that these people suffer from intolerance whose symptoms can be painful, even painful, but not life threatening.
Food allergies tend to be common in families and are probably due to genetics. They are more common in children, but most overtake them when they have pbaded the school age.
Referrals to specialized allergy units are difficult to obtain, leaving many displaced people from one pillar to another in search of a diagnosis.
But the diagnosis is essential – the mild symptoms in the first reaction can be severe next time. There is no way of knowing when a more serious or even deadly attack can occur.
My guide below will provide you with the essential information needed to give you the best chance of diagnosis. Then use my safe and science-supported tips to control it, leaving you free to eat in peace.
GET A DIAGNOSIS
First, it is helpful to consider a list of the most common foods that cause allergies. This includes cow's milk, eggs, nuts – such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts and nuts – and peanuts, which are not actually nuts but legumes, belonging to the family of peas. Wheat, soy (including soymilk, tofu and soy in prepared foods and other foods such as beef burgers), fish and shellfish are also the culprits.
Case Study: A boy who takes his own cake – and an EpiPen – at parties
Evenings with friends and discos are not very fun for Jake Heawood, 9 years old.
Born with a catalog of severe allergies, including nuts, eggs and pollen, every social trip is potentially dangerous.
He also suffers from asthma, which also complicates the practice of sports with friends.
Jake Heawood will take an EpiPen and have a snack with him (photo) on leaving
"When he goes somewhere, I always badure him that he has his EpiPen and a snack with him," says his mother Gemma, 29 years old.
The unfortunate situation of Jake is hardly surprising considering the history of his family. Gemma, of Dorset, has suffered the same allergies all her life.
"It was unfortunate enough to grow up," she recalls.
"When I went out with my friends, I had to fend off carrot sticks or just not eat at all."
Today a businesswoman, Gemma says that she is still often confused with a tough eater.
"People think I wear makeup because I do not like certain foods, but I can not risk eating what others are. I am anaphylactic for peanuts and, if I eat eggs, I fall violently ill. "
But, according to Gemma, Jake is lucky enough to grow up at a time when we are more aware than ever of allergies – a stark contrast to his experience.
She says, "It's much better now than when I was growing up. You can order cakes without eggs – this was never an option when I was younger.
"If Jake goes to a party, I'll tell the parents in advance about the food they serve, and if there's a problem, I'll cook him a cupcake without eggs."
As for Gemma, her culinary repertoire has extended well beyond carrot sticks and empty plates.
"I still have problems, but overall – now that restaurants and takeaways are held accountable – I'm more confident trying different dishes.
"I had my first take-out curry two years ago and, thankfully, my local french fries store is now serving a dough without eggs."
If you or a family member experiences similar reactions to those described above, keep a detailed record of all outbreaks: everything that was eaten at that time and what happened physically.
Bring this list to your general practitioner to help him act quickly and organize the most accurate and appropriate tests. If you are referred to a center specializing in the treatment of allergies, doctors are likely to perform two tests.
The first is a skin test. During the test, a nurse or doctor will prick a piece of food with a needle, and then immediately prick it into the skin, usually inside the forearm. After ten minutes, the area is examined for any reaction.
If you are taking allergy medications such as antihistamines or steroids, this test will not work. You should avoid taking them for a week, if possible.
The other method of food allergy testing is to use a blood test to look for specific immune cells, called IgE antibodies, that are produced in response to individual foods.
This test is often called an allergen specific IgE test. Some general practitioners may perform this test before making a referral.
To complicate matters, some private clinics offer another type of blood test called total IgE. But they must be avoided because they are nonspecific and not at all useful.
Some allergy specialists will suggest that you try an elimination diet – eliminating foods that are thought to have caused the allergic reaction before reintroducing them. If the symptoms disappear after the withdrawal of the food but come back once the food is reintroduced, this normally suggests a food allergy or intolerance. This should always be done under the supervision of your doctor.
I've heard of other stranger tests, including the vega test, which claims to detect allergies by measuring changes in your electromagnetic field, and kinesiology tests, which claim to detect food allergies in student your muscular responses and hair badysis. Another test, called leukocytotoxic, is supposed to detect food allergies by checking the "swelling of white blood cells". These are not supported by science, and should be avoided.
HOW TO ADDRESS FOOD ALLERGIES
Food allergies are relatively simple, in a way. You should just avoid eating what you are allergic to.
You may have heard of people allergic to peanuts having a life-threatening reaction after even a microscopic amount, or even having reacted to peanut particles in the air.
All allergies exist on a spectrum, and these are the rarest and most serious cases – and I'll deal with them later.
For the vast majority of people with food allergies, taking care of what you eat will be enough to avoid any discomfort.
1. eat outside, but with caution
Allergy sufferers can always take their meals by taking the appropriate precautions.
Needless to say, food labels should be read carefully and questions asked. According to the Food Standards Agency, food companies in the UK (restaurants, cafes, takeaways and food manufacturers) must tell you if they use common allergens.
However, only 14 of the most common allergens are included in this requirement. Therefore, if your allergy is very common, you will have to ask specific questions.
This list includes celery, cereals, seafood, eggs, fish, milk, mustard, nuts, sesame seeds, soy and compounds called sulphites found in dried fruits and alcohol .
According to the Food Standards Agency, UK food companies must tell you if they use common allergens. But only 14 of the most common allergens (such as eggs) are included in this requirement.
The places where we eat food should provide in writing information about allergens, for example on a menu. However, foods freshly prepared by hand for sale, such as a sandwich, do not have to include a written label with information on allergens.
On prepackaged foods, phrases such as "may contain" warn customers that small amounts of an allergen may be present, but this is not a legal requirement.
You can also sign up to alert e-mails from the Advertising Standards Agency and Allergy UK. They both offer a free newsletter on foods removed or recalled due to a problem of labeling or a risk of food allergy.
Did you know? Food allergens can stay on objects like a cell phone
- Food allergens remain on objects such as a cell phone or keyboard if they are not thoroughly cleaned. Touching will cause a rash.
- Simple breathing exercises can calm the anxiety and stress badociated with allergies, thereby alleviating symptoms.
2. Beware of red wine and sauerkraut
Some people who are very allergic may also have symptoms with foods they are not technically allergic to. In particular, foods rich in a chemical called tyramine.
This is because tyramine is a compound similar to histamine, the chemical released by the body that causes the allergic symptoms. Although it is not technically an allergy, the symptoms can be distressing for people with severe allergies.
These foods include red wine, fish and fermented foods such as sauerkraut. Allergy sufferers also often react to the chemicals found in white, rosé and red wines.
3. Try taking antihistamines
In mild to moderate cases, oral antihistamines may help reduce the effects of a food reaction if you accidentally eat something you are allergic to.
These are available from the pharmacist, with higher doses prescribed by the general practitioner. Some antihistamines, such as alememazine and promethazine, are not suitable for children under two years of age.
If your child is under two years old and needs medication, talk to your doctor about antihistamines that are safe for infants.
Avoid mixing antihistamines with alcohol, especially if you drive, as even people who do not sleep may tire some people.
In case of severe reactions – called anaphylaxis – an injection of a chemical called epinephrine must be administered via EpiPen.
4. You must often wear an EpiPen
For severe reactions – called anaphylaxis -, an injection of a chemical called adrenaline must be administered via an EpiPen or an equivalent pen injector.
Epinephrine works by narrowing the blood vessels to counter the effects of low blood pressure, opening the airways to help relieve breathing difficulties.
5. You are probably not allergic to gluten
Despite what many believe, there is no gluten allergy.
People who have symptoms such as bloating, constipation or generally feeling uncomfortable after eating gluten probably suffer from intolerance. Here, the body is unable to effectively digest gluten, rather than a fault within the immune system as seen in allergies. This is an important distinction to make to ensure people with allergies the diagnosis that allows them to save lives.
However, there is another disease, called celiac disease, that is directly related to gluten.
The immune system is involved here but it is still not an allergy. See the box below for more details on Celiac Disease.
Gluten allergy does not exist: why do so many people go gluten free?
It's almost fashionable to say that you have a "gluten allergy" nowadays.
But gluten, a wheat protein, is not on the list of common food allergies. We see reactions to wheat, but it is not due to gluten.
There is a different disease called celiac disease, diagnosed with a specific set of tests.
In celiac disease – which affects 1% of Britons – the immune system overreacts by using a gluten protein called gliadin. When it is consumed, the protein triggers the release of hormones, called cytokines, which cause lesions of the intestine.
If it is not treated, it can cause holes and increase the risk of cancer of the intestine. But this is not an allergy.
If you have persistent and severe digestive problems after eating wheat, ask your doctor to have you tested for celiac disease.
So why do so many people suddenly avoid gluten?
Some people claim to have unpleasant digestive symptoms, such as bloating, flatulence and constipation, when they consume foods containing gluten.
The experts still have to understand exactly why this happens, but have invented the phenomenon of "non-specific sensitivity to gluten".
However, scientists still do not know if gluten is the culprit. Many foods containing gluten and causing symptoms contain other ingredients known to cause stomach upset.
It is also not an allergy, but most likely a failure of the individual's digestive system.
Source link
