Food Allergy
What is Food Allergy
Food allergy is the immune system's response to a food that the body mistakenly believes is harmful. When the immune system decides that a particular food is harmful, it creates specific antibodies to deal with it. The next time the individual eats that food, the immune system releases massive amounts of chemicals, including Histamine, in a bid to protect the body. These chemicals trigger a cascade of allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, or cardiovascular system.
Medical opinion says that we can only claim to be allergic to any particular food when this has been tested and diagnosed by a qualified Medical Dietician. This is arranged by a referral through our GP. Until then we can only claim to have a 'food sensitivity'.
What are the common symptoms of a reaction?
Symptoms range from tingling sensations in the mouth, a swelling of the tongue and the throat, difficulty in breathing, hives, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diaorrhea, drop in blood pressure, and loss of consciousness, to death. Symptoms typically appear within minutes and up to to two hours after the person has eaten the food to which they are allergic.
What is the best treatment for food allergy?
Strict avoidance of the allergy-causing food is the only way to avoid a reaction. Reading ingredient labels for all foods is the key to maintaining control over the allergy. If a product doesn't have a label, allergic individuals should not eat that food. If a label contains unfamiliar terms, shoppers must call or eMail the manufacturer and ask for a definition or avoid eating that food.