Common Food allergies or food intolerance affects nearly everyone at some point. When people have an unpleasant reaction to something they ate, they often think that they have an allergy to the food. In fact, one out of three people say that some member of their family has an allergy to food that has necessitated a change in their diet. Actually, however, only about 1% of adults and 3% of children have clinically proven allergic reactions to food.
The allergens in food are those components that are responsible for an allergic reaction. They are proteins that usually resist the heat of cooking, the acid in the stomach, and the intestinal digestive enzymes. As a result, the allergens survive to cross the gastrointestinal lining, enter the bloodstream, and go to target organs, causing allergic reactions throughout the body. The mechanism of food allergy involves the immune system and heredity.
Causes
An allergic reaction occurs when the body’s immune system overreacts to an allergen, in this case a food protein. The white blood cells produce an antibody to this allergen, called immunoglobulin E or IgE. When this antibody comes in contact with the particular food protein, it promotes production and release of certain chemicals called “mediators.” Histamine is an example of a mediator. These mediators act on various parts of the body, mainly the skin, throat, airways, intestines, and heart.
A food allergy frequently starts in childhood, but it can begin at any age. Fortunately, many children will outgrow their allergy to milk, egg, wheat, and soy by the time they are 5 years old if they avoid the offending foods when they are young. Allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish tend to be lifelong.
Allergens are usually proteins, and there are generally several kinds of allergen in each food. It is not fully understood why some foods can cause allergies and others do not, but a theory is that it is probably that some proteins in foods mimic very closely proteins present in viruses and bacteria. Hence, in some persons, ususally this is genetically predisposed, their immune system is not able to distinguish the food protein from the virus or bacteria one, hence it attacks.
Elimination diets
Under the supervision of an allergy specialist, you remove the suspected allergy food from your diet and replace it with another food. For example, if your doctor suspects an egg allergy, you would replace egg with a different food. If the allergy symptoms go away, a diagnosis can usually be made. To confirm this diagnosis, you may be asked to reintroduce the allergy food back into your diet. However, this is not safe if you’ve had severe food allergies symptoms in the past, except under medical supervision at hospital. The only proven treatment for a food allergy is to avoid the food. If you suspect you or your child has a food allergy, consult an allergy specialist.
Food Allergies Symptoms
If you have symptoms on only one area of the body (for example, a hive on the chin after eating the specific food), you may not need any treatment. The symptoms will likely go away in a brief time. Antihistamines may relieve the discomfort. Soothing skin creams may provide some relief. Consult your doctor if you think you have had an allergic reaction to food, even if it is only a local reaction.
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