Food allergy is the response of a our immune system to a food product that it mistakenly believes is harmful for the body. The immune system releases antibodies and histamines (a mediator for allergic reactions) in order to drive away the intruder and save the body from its damaging effects. If that food is consumed for a second time, the immune system triggers a cascade of allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, digestive system, skin, or cardiovascular system.
Once the immune system decides that a specific food is inappropriate, further reactions can be avoided by excluding these food products from the diet. What is interesting is the fact that food allergies are found to run in families. So, if one of the parents is allergic to eggs, then it is very likely for the son or daughter to exhibit similar allergic reactions on consuming eggs. In a way, knowledge of hereditary food allergies helps to keep the offspring away from those allergens and avoids possible allergic reaction.
Did you know that nearly 11 million Americans suffer from food allergies every year? And most of the food substances that cause allergies are common food products and are a part of our everyday diet. Some of these are -
Symptoms of food allergies don’t spring up when a person has a particular food variety for the first time. He develops allergic reactions if exposed to this food for the second time as his body has now produced specific antibodies against that food product. As soon as this antibody recognizes the food, it gets attached to the mast cells of the body, which releases the histamine that triggers an allergic reaction.
The result of an allergic reaction could be as mild as a simple rash to a serious emergency like anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal. Below we have listed for you the most common systems affected during a food allergy and the symptoms they exhibit -
Food allergy symptoms in the skin –
Hives or rash due to allergy - these appear as raised, red, itchy bumps of different shapes and sizes, with defined red margins and pale centers.
Eczema due to allergy - intensely itchy and fluid filled blisters.
Food allergy symptoms in the respiratory system –
Runny nose
Wheezing
or difficult breathing.
These food allergy symptoms arise due to over secretion of mucus by the sinuses. Like in Sinus this breathing difficulty is caused due to swelling of the upper respiratory tract (croup) that can be fatal as they block the airway and cause extreme suffocation.
Food allergy symptoms in the alimentary canal –
One of the first symptons of such an allergic reaction is the a tingling sensation of lips. It also causes a swelling of the lips and tongue.
An allergic reaction to food also exhibits signs of abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhea.
Apart from these symptoms, a person with food allergy can also face a drop in blood pressure, which leads to dizziness and increased heartbeat and can faint, enter a state of coma or even die within 2 hours of ingestion of allergic food.
There are many easy methods of diagnosing food allergies done by qualified doctors in specialized clinics. The most common allergy tests done are –
Food allergies are predominantly diagnosed by performing skin tests. In case a person is highly reactive to an allergen, it is recommended to undergo a blood test. These two tests can indicate towards a specific allergy trigger, but the definitive way is the elimination and food challenge test. Though time consuming, it helps detect the specific food that causes the allergy and helps take care that it isn't ingested accidentally.
Avoiding the food you are allergic to is the best way of treating food allergies. But if a person just cannot avoid allergens, then here is a range of food allergy treatment options that one can choose from –
Traditional methods of food allergy treatment – These include allopathic medications that reduce symptoms and sustain essential body functions like breathing and blood circulation. The common allopathic medications are
These methods are often referred to as Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatments for allergies. They have a holistic approach for allergy treatments and are rapidly gaining popularity because of their simple techniques and minimal side effects. One can choose from any of the following means of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) allergy treatments –
We have an article on allergy treatment where all these traditional and many more nontraditional methods of allergy treatment have been discussed.