Tag: Food allergies

Does Food Make You Sick?

Do you often suffer from strange symptoms after eating
certain types of foods? Do you get itchy, break out in
hives, swell up or actually vomit? You could be
suffering from a common food allergy.

Its estimated that over 12 million Americans suffer
from food allergies. Most allergic reactions are mild,
but around 30,000 visits to the emergency room are
reported each year because of the reactions. As many
as 200 deaths each year are attributed to food
allergies.

Studies report up to 8 percent of children have an
allergy to some type of food. The numbers are slightly
smaller for adults, only around 4 percent.

Many children will outgrow their food allergies. But
some will carry these allergies into adulthood and
suffer from them their entire lives.

Eating prepackaged foods, out in restaurants or even
friends homes can cause problems. Its often hard to
tell whats added to the foods we eat.

You hate to ask the cook whats in this?, but
sometimes you just have to. Especially when asking can
mean the difference between an enjoyable meal and a
trip to the emergency room.

With the increased cases of peanut allergies, most
packaged foods have started including on the label the
use of peanut oils and even if the processing of nuts
is handled in the same factory.

Theres no cure for food allergies. So the only thing
you can do is avoid the foods that cause the reactions
you cant deal with.

Allergic To Food?

Food allergies are the most common and prevalent type
of allergy. Up to 12 million Americans suffer from
some type of food allergy.

The most common culprits are eggs, fish and shellfish,
peanuts and other tree nuts.

Children are most commonly allergic to the same foods
but with the addition to milk and other dairy
products.

Corn and corn products also commonly cause allergic
reactions in children.

Most allergic symptoms are often only bothersome, but
they can be life threatening.

The most common symptoms are itching of the mouth,
eyes and skin, hives, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea,
often but not always accompanied by stomach cramps and
wheezing, shortness of breath or trouble swallowing.

The more severe symptoms can include swelling. The
swelling tends to focus on the face area causing
swelling of the eyelids, lips, ears and tongue.

Mood swings and depression is another symptom.

The most severe symptoms can result in death. Around
200 deaths each year are reported from both the
initial allergic reaction and secondary complications.

There is currently no cure for food allergies. While
allergy shots have been developed to help with many
different types of allergies, none have been
successfully made for food allergies.

The people with the allergies usually avoid those
foods that cause the allergic reaction. Epinephrine
can relieve the symptoms, and is often carried by
people diagnosed with food allergies to be used in an
emergency.

Some scientists believe genetic engineering may create
vaccines, but thats still years away.

What Is An Allergy?

Theres a lot of talk about allergies. But just what
is an allergy and what causes them? Why do some people
have them while others dont? And why are people with
one allergy more inclined to have many?

The immune system is set up to protect our bodies from
harmful, foreign substances. Like viruses and bacteria
(dirt and germs). Sometimes the immune system doesnt
develop properly or is just oversensitive and doesnt
react right.

In these cases, it reacts to things that arent
harmful and dont usually cause people any problems.
These things are called allergens. The term allergens
is just an easier way to say things that cause
allergies.

When the oversensitive or improperly developed immune
system sees these allergens, it sends out chemicals
like histamine. Its the histamines that cause the
symptoms that are common with allergies.

Symptoms like itching, watery eyes, runny nose,
swelling, hives or rashes. Different people have
different symptoms, but the causes are the same.

The symptoms that are displayed depend on the part of
the body the allergen comes in contact with. Allergens
that are breathed in, like pollen or dust cause
coughing or wheezing, stuffy or runny noses and an
itchy nose and throat.

Plant allergies usually come in contact with the skin,
so they cause rashes.

Food allergies usually result in nausea, vomiting,
stomach pains or in severe cases, life threatening
reactions. Drug allergies tend to involve the entire
body, so they have a variety of symptoms.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 14th, 200

Types Of Allergies

Its estimated that 60 million Americans suffer from
some type of allergy. Thats 1 out of 4. Its the 5th
highest chronic disease in America and the 3rd most
common chronic disease in children.

Many people suffer from more than one allergy type.

Pollen from trees, grass and weeds are in the
indoor/outdoor allergy category. Other common
indoor/outdoor allergy triggers are mold spores, dust
mite and cockroach allergen and cat, dog and rodent
dander.

About 75% of people with allergies have indoor/outdoor
allergies. The most common pet allergy is cat dander.

Skin allergies are another common allergy. The most
common causes of skin allergies are plants like poison
oak, ivy and sumac.

Allergic reactions can also be caused by skin contact
with latex, cockroach and dust mites and even some
foods. Skin allergies are the main allergy for about
7% of allergy sufferers.

While we here a lot about food and drug allergies,
theyre the primary allergy of only about 6% of
allergy sufferers. Food allergies are more common in
children.

Peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish and
shellfish are responsible for 90% of all food
allergies. Food allergies claim over 200 lives yearly.
When it comes to common drug allergies, penicillin is
the winner.

Almost 400 Americans die every year from allergies to
penicillin.

Latex and insect allergies both claim around 4% of
allergy sufferers. Latex allergies result in 10 deaths
a year and nearly 100 deaths a year are the result of
insect allergies.