Everything you should know about food allergy
What is a food allergy?
Food allergy is a condition when your body identifies a harmless food item as potentially dangerous and reacts adversely to it. The body then as a protective measure releases chemicals like histamine that leads to inflammation. Even a small exposure to allergic food item can lead to severe reactions.
Symptoms of food allergy
Symptoms and severity of food allergy vary from person to person but it’s is commonly the ones mentioned in the list below.
- Vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
- Swelling of the tongue, mouth or face
- Itchy rash
- Low blood pressure
- Hives
The reactions may take place within 2 to 5 minutes after the consumption of the food item you are allergic to. Though food allergies are very common and the symptoms usually subside within a couple of minutes but if you are very uneasy and the symptoms are very severe then medical intervention may be necessary.
Soy
People allergic to soy are prone to reactions because of the protein content in it. The symptoms vary from runny nose, itching, tingly mouth to breathing difficulties. In the worst cases, it can also cause anaphylaxis. In fact, a very small number of people who are allergic to cows milk are also allergic to soy and its products too.
Tree nuts
Tree nuts include nuts like almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts etc. People with tree nut allergies are advised to completely avoid the nut family as avoiding a specific nut is not avoided so it's better to avoid the whole family. Another reason for avoiding all types of nuts is because people with an allergic reaction to one nut can get an allergy from another type too. People who have tree nut allergy can also have allergic reactions to food products that are made with them, like butter or oil. Tree nut allergies can sometimes be very severe, in fact, around 50% of deaths are caused because of anaphylaxis an allergic reaction to tree nuts. In fact, people allergic to nuts are advised to carry epi-pen at all times, which is a life-saving device, which helps you to inject a shot of adrenaline if they get a severe allergic reaction. The shot of this otherwise naturally occurring, hormone helps the body to stimulate the fight or flight response under extremely stressful episodes of severe allergic reactions and save the life of the concerned person.
Cows milk
Cows milk or any other dairy product may cause an allergic reaction. If you experience abnormal body reactions or above symptoms all the time after consuming dairy products or milk specifically then chances are, that you have lactose intolerance. Though this allergy is common only in infants or young kids, adults may too get this allergy if they are too sensitive to dairy products.
Eggs
Eggs are also very common food item that causes allergic reactions, they can cause Skin reactions, such as hives or a rash, Respiratory problems, Digestive distress, such as a stomach ache or even
Anaphylaxis which is quite rare. Also, usually most of the people who have allergic reactions to egg are mostly only allergic to one part of it, that is, either they are allergic to the yolk or the egg white. Since most of the proteins that trigger allergy are found in the egg white, an allergic reaction to egg whites is very common.
Peanuts
Just like tree nut allergy, allergy to peanuts is very common and fatal. The reason why peanut allergy is caused is unknown but it is found that peanut allergy is often inherited. So if someone in your family is allergic to peanuts then you too might be at the risk to get it.
Prevention
There is a big difference between food intolerance and food allergy. Food intolerance is just sensitivity to different types of food items. Food allergy, as we explained earlier, is when your immune system identifies a harmless food item as potentially dangerous and reacts to it.