Food Allergy
Food allergy is one of the top rampant allergies in the United States today. Although some people who have had food allergies mistook them for food intolerance instead.
Food allergy occurs when the body experiences adverse reaction to the food or the ingredients in the food. The most common type of food allergy is peanut allergy. Some people believe that food allergy can be outgrown, but this is somewhat unlikely.
Since any type of allergy affects the immune system, a true-blue food allergy has its adverse effects on a person¡¯s immune system and not just on the digestive system. Food intolerance usually affects only the digestive system.
When food allergy strikes, the person inflicted produces IgE antibodies to particular epitopes in the allergen. Food allergy symptoms are usually fatal and occur almost immediately after ingesting the food with allergen.
Symptoms
- oropharyngeal prutitus
- angioedema
- cough
- wheezing
- dyphonia
- dyspnea
- stridor
Food allergy cannot be avoided especially if it the first time a parent or a family member discovers a loved one with it. The best way to prevent food allergy is to have the child or the adult treated immediately once the symptoms occurred. The next best thing to do is to have the patient tested in the hospital or clinic to isolate which food/s can likely cause allergic reactions.
Thirdly, the person should avoid the food/s that is/are found to likely cause allergic reactions. If the resistance is there, the person may eat a small portion but with caution.
The most effective food allergy [or any type of allergy for that matter] treatment as of now is epinephrine.
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