Food Allergies

Food allergy is an abnormal response to a food triggered by your body’s immune system. An estimated 3.9% of children under the age of 18 and 2% of adults have food allergies. Allergic reactions to food can sometimes cause serious illness and death. Tree nuts and peanuts are the leading causes of deadly allergic reactions called anaphylaxis.

Though reasons for this are poorly understood, the prevalence of food allergies and associated anaphylaxis appears to be on the rise. Risk factors associated with food allergy include: family history of asthma and allergies, genetic predisposition to allergic disease, elevated allergen-specific serum immunoglobulin levels, and being younger than 3 years of age.

A food allergy is a specific type of adverse food reaction involving the immune system. The body produces what is called an allergic, antibody to a food. Once a specific food is ingested and binds with the IgE antibody, an allergic response ensues.

There are eight foods that account for 90% of all food-allergy reactions
*  Cow’s milk,
*  Egg,
*  Peanut,
*  Tree nuts,  such as almonds, walnuts, and pecans
*  Fish,
*  Shellfish, such as crab, lobster, and shrimp
*  Soybeans,
*  Wheat.

Sometimes a reaction to food is not an allergy. It is often a reaction called “food intolerance”. Your immune system does not cause the symptoms of food intolerance. However, these symptoms can look and feel like those of a food allergy.

Symptoms of Food Allergy
Symptoms of a food allergy usually develop within about an hour after eating the offending food. The most common signs and symptoms of a food allergy include:
*  Hives, itching, or skin rash
*  Tingling in the mouth
*  Swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat, or other parts of the body
*  Wheezing, nasal congestion, or trouble breathing
*  Difficulty breathing
*  Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting
*  Eczema or rash
*  Coughing or wheezing
*  Loss of consciousness
*  Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting

Health Conditions