How Do Food Allergies Develop

Dr.Kedar Karki

According to data from the Mayo Clinic, approximately two percent of adults
and six percent of minors suffer some form of food allergy. When you take into
account that the population of the US is more than three hundred million,
these seemingly small percentages equate to some six million grownups and
eighteen million minors.

Much the same as any other allergy, food allergies result from an over reaction
to an allergen by the immune system. Common food allergens include, but are
not limited to, dairy products such as milk, seafood and shellfish, peanuts and
eggs.

Because the body sees the ingestion of any of these foods as a foreign invader
instead of nutrition, it releases an antibody called Immunoglobulin E, or IgE for
short, ready to fight the perceived invader. The allergy symptoms are produced
by the release of histamine, prostaglandins and various other compounds,
which are stimulated by the antibodies.

Food allergy symptoms tend to be more comprehensive than those that mark
some other allergies. These include the possibility of watery eyes and nasal
congestion. However, they are typically accompanied with or even
overwhelmed by such things as swelling up of the lips, throat or tongue,
urticaria or skin hives (itchy red bumps that form on the surface of the skin),
nausea, wheezing and even pain in the abdomen.

In severe cases, anaphylactic shock can happen. This is a whole body or

systemic allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. It involves some serious
symptoms such as light-headedness, constricted airways resulting in breathing
difficulties and a dramatic drop in blood pressure. It comes on very quickly and
if not treated immediately, can sometimes result in the death of the person. In
the US, some two hundred people a year die as a result of anaphylactic shock.

Allergic reactions to food are sometimes localized in some people. For

example, some folks will experience a tingling sensation in their mouth after
eating fresh fruit or vegetables. It is believed that certain proteins similar to
those that are found in ragweed pollen cause this type of response.
Differentiating between food intolerance and a food allergy necessitates a
professional diagnosis by an allergist.

To ascertain if a person has an allergy to particular foods, the allergist will

carry out one or many skin prick tests. This procedure involves taking a small
extract of the suspected substance and inserting it just under the surface of
the patients skin. The area of skin is then monitored for approximately thirty
minutes to determine if any itchiness or swelling occurs as a result of any
response to the suspect substance.

In some cases, a blood test may be justified. This measures the quantity of IgE
produced in response to consuming the suspicious food. However, it is not
always definitive.

An example of where the symptoms are similar but not the same as an allergy
is lactose intolerance. This is caused by the genetic deficiency of a digestive
enzyme that is needed by the body to process cows milk safely.

The best line of defense for anybody with a food allergy is to get rid of the
problem food from their diet and environment. Those with an allergy to eggs
simply should not ingest eggs or products that are made with them. Those
sensitive to peanuts and peanut dust can by and large avoid coming into
contact with them.

In the absence of any known cure for allergies, avoidance is the best medicine
for the moment. However, it is not always possible to avoid some substances,
despite your best efforts and in that scenario, symptom relief is available.
Antihistamines are advisable. It is also good to have available an EpiPen or
similar device that lets allergy sufferers inject a small quantity of ephinephrine
during an emergency. A serious attack of anaphylaxis can be kept at bay until
professional medical assistance can be given.