Food Allergy and Its Medications

January 9, 2010 by mbelcher · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS 
With a food allergy, the body reacts as though that particular food product is harmful. As a result, the body’s immune system (which fights infection and disease) creates antibodies to fight the food allergen, the substance in the food that triggers the allergy. The next time a person comes in contact with that food by touching or eating it or inhaling its particles, the body releases chemicals, including one called histamine, to “protect” itself. These chemicals trigger allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, or cardiovascular system.

What Is Food Intolerance?

Food intolerance is a digestive system response rather than an immune system response. It occurs when something in a food irritates a person’s digestive system or when a person is unable to properly digest or breakdown, the food. Intolerance to lactose, which is found in milk and other dairy products, is the most common food intolerance.

Common Symptoms of an Allergic Reaction to Food

· Symptoms typically appear within minutes to two hours after a person has eaten the food to which he or she is allergic.

· Tingling sensation in the mouth

· Swelling of the tongue and throat

· Difficulty breathing

· Hives

· Vomiting

· Abdominal cramps

· Diarrhea

· Drop in blood pressure

· Loss of consciousness, and death.

Who’s at risk?

A lot of people avoid eating certain foods because they mistakenly believe they are allergic to them.

Actual food allergy is very rare and tends to run in families. Only 3 in 100 infants and 1 in 100 adults have a food allergy.

You are more at risk if you or any family members have other allergic diseases such as eczema, asthma and hay fever.

If you suspect that you are allergic to a type of food, you should get a diagnosis from your doctor or a qualified specialist in allergic diseases before making substantial changes to your diet.

Diagnosis

An allergist/immunologist is the best qualified professional to diagnose food allergy. Diagnosis requires a carefully organized and detailed assessment of the problem. First, the allergist/immunologist will take a thorough medical history, followed by a physical examination. The allergist will inquire about detailed contents of the foods, the frequency, seasonality, severity and nature of the symptoms, and will ask about the amount of time that elapses between eating a food and any reaction.

Medications for Treating Food Allergies

Antihistamines can treat isolated symptoms such as hives, runny nose, or abdominal pain associated with an allergic reaction.

If you have wheezing or asthma flares (also called attacks) as the result of a food allergy, a doctor will probably recommend that you take a bronchodilator such as albuterol right away. This medication is inhaled from a handheld pump device.

Food Allergies: Just the Facts

Myth Number 1: Food allergy is very common.

Myth Number 2: Most people who have food allergies are allergic to strawberries and tomatoes.

Myth Number 3: Some people are allergic to sugar.

Myth Number 4: Milk allergy is very common in adults.

Myth Number 5: People who have food allergies are allergic to many foods.

Myth Number 6: Food allergy makes people hyperactive.



By: james sameul

About the Author:

Read about home remedies Also Read about 300 guides and Home Remedies for Acne



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Histame And The Battle Against Food Sensitivity

January 7, 2010 by mbelcher · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS 
As the saying goes, “you are what you eat,” so effectively people should eat only what is good for them. But, is the quality of food intake and the knowledge of what is proper for the body enough? Food intolerance is a reality that must be addressed.

Unfortunately, food sensitivity is often mistaken for some other problem, which can prove costly and in some instances, even deadly. All of that is addressed through the use of Histame, the answer to food intolerance.

Everybody is aware of the discomfort caused by digestive problems. Most people have experienced it, and it might even have caused embarrassment. Whenever people experience digestive discomfort, they usually point to the usual culprits: peptic ulcers, diarrhea, and constipation, when often the discomfort is linked to food sensitivity.

Food sensitivity is rooted in the high levels of histamine in the food consumed. Histamine is usually found in processed foods, another example of the negative effects of heavily processed food. Heeding the calls to cut down on these types of foods is well worth considering.

Masquerading as a food allergy is one of the properties of food sensitivity. A high number of food allergy symptoms are easily mistaken for food intolerance symptoms. The role of Histame in combating these signs is essential to the proper understanding of the difference between them and its successful reduction of histamine levels easily separates it from the many antihistamine products available on the market. It is definitely the treatment to take for food sensitivity.

Whether the discomfort is excruciating or negligible, the list of food intolerance symptoms is all too common and definitely worrisome, though far too often people do not connect these prominent signs to food intolerance.

When people experience headaches or dizziness, they do not connect these reactions to food sensitivity, though they are a message from the body that histamine levels are beyond the safe level. The same goes for some skin problems and the tired, weak feeling people sometimes get, all of which may actually be symptoms connected to food sensitivity.

The use of Histame should be decided by health professionals for it to be most effective. The distinction between food allergy and food sensitivity is for doctors to determine – whether that uncomfortable feeling after a large dinner is one of the many food intolerance symptoms. Let’s eat to that.



By: Daniel Marcus Manson

About the Author:

Michael Cotton is a freelance writer and lives in California. His topics usually cover health issues with respect to food and its effects. His articles on food sensitivity and food intolerance symptoms attracted national attention after appearing in several national dailies. He writes as one who has had experience with the symptoms.



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Food Intolerance and Food Allergies

November 21, 2009 by mbelcher · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS 
Food intolerance occurs when the body is unable to dealt with a certain type of food. This is usually because the body does not produce enough of particular chemical that’s needed for digestion of food, Some people are born with intolerances to certain foods, and others may develop intolerances much later in life. Symptoms of food intolerance vary greatly, and can be mistaken for the symptoms of an allergy

Most common food intolerance types : Diary intolerance – Cow’s milk contains lactose and many people have a shortage of enzyme lactase – as a result the body can not break down milk sugar and this causes symptoms similar to irritable bowel syndrome. Alcohol intolerance – deficiency of an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase can cause alcohol intolerance which will make people feel unwell. Gluten intolerance may result in damage to villi in the small intestine, which makes it difficult for the body to absorb water and nutrients from foods. There are other types of food intolerance, e.g. some people have intolerance to various chemical preservatives and food additives. Food intolerance in the body may lead to build up of toxic byproducts and histamine, which then mimic the symptoms of an allergy.

In food intolerance it can be difficult to determine the offending food causing an intolerance because if the immune system is involved, the response is likely to be IgG mediated and takes place over a prolonged period of time

Food allergy can be a complex disorder, further complicated by food intolerance, which can mimic the symptoms of an allergy. A food allergy is an adverse response to a food protein. Some of the first signs of a person suffering from a food allergy can be a runny nose, hives, itchy skin, tingling lips or tongue. Other signs can include tightness in the throat, hoarse voice, coughing, wheezing, stomach pain, diarrhea, and nausea or vomiting. True allergies are associated with fast-acting immunoglobulin IgE responses The most common food allergies in adults are Milk allergy shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds, fish, and eggs, and the most common food allergies present in children are milk, eggs, and peanuts. Unfortunately, At present there is no cure for food allergy(ies). Treatment often involves adjusted diet, where the allergic person avoids specific foods.



By: Predrag Iljic

About the Author:

Predrag Iljic has been suffering from different allergies for as long as he can remember. If you think allergies could be contributing to any health problems that you may experience please visit Predrag`s web site – Advice for food allergy and intolerance causes, symptoms, treatment



food intolerance

A Look at the Cause of Food Allergy

October 24, 2009 by mbelcher · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diseases And Conditions 
An allergy takes place when the immune system suddenly has an abnormal response to a certain material that is usually not detrimental to most individuals except those who have allergies. When an allergy is triggered by a substance or allergen, a person’s body recognizes this as a trespasser and subsequently releases chemicals to fight off the “trespasser” causing symptoms that can range from a simple irritation to a fatal reaction that may even lead to death.

Food allergy is a reaction made by the immune system in which antibodies are produced by the body as a result of a negative effect to some foods. Though there are many individuals who claim that they have food allergies, there are only a few who really have certain allergic reactions to food. Most people confuse food allergy with food intolerance. Food intolerance and food allergy are both sensitivity reactions to food, but intolerance to certain types of food does not affect the immune system and isn’t really a life threatening incident.

As of the present time, the medical world still has not found any cure for food allergies. Allergy management only involves the prevention of intake of food allergens and some diet modifications.

Looking closely, during an allergic reaction, the body’s immune system releases antibodies, specifically immunoglobulin E. It subsequently causes the production of chemicals like histamine in the process of “protecting” the body. Now, these chemicals are the root cause of symptoms which may include an irritation in the eyes, skin, throat, lungs, and the gastrointestinal organs. These takes place whenever the individual is exposed to the allergen.

Although any type of food can cause allergic reactions to different types of individuals, there are eight major foods out there that are often the main culprits of an allergic reaction. These eight major allergy-causing foods are: fish, soy, milk, wheat, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish.

By and large, individuals afflicted with allergies react only to some allergy-causing foods. Sometimes, allergy to a certain type of food may also cause allergic reaction to foods that may be related with the allergen food. This incidence is known as cross-reaction. For instance, an allergic reaction to wheat may also cause a reaction to rye. Allergy to pollens subsequently causes an allergy to green apples, hazelnuts, almonds, and peaches. A reaction to goat’s milk may also be associated with an allergy to cow’s milk. And the list goes on and on.

Moreover, individuals who have been afflicted with asthma and/or eczema may also be at risk of developing a food allergy. With bad luck, they would probably have a reaction that is more severe than those people who only have food allergy to worry about. This is due to the fact that when an allergy takes place the person will be under stress which then may lead to triggering their asthma and/or eczema which will aggravate the situation.

But the intensity of the reaction will depend on some circumstances like the individual’s sensitivity threshold to the food allergen, amount of eaten food, and the exposure scale the person has to the food.

Although, there is no cure to allergies, self-discipline and vigilance will help you, the allergy-sufferer, overcome these food problems. There may be some medications out there that alleviate the symptoms but a consultation to the physician will give you a better understanding to your allergy problems as well as treatment recommendations.



By: Jack Sands

About the Author:

Find tips about strawberry allergy and soy allergy at the Common Food Allergies site.



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Ease the Struggle With Allergies

October 22, 2009 by mbelcher · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptoms 
Lots of people get affected by allergies everyday. For many people out there, allergies cause a major change in ones life, not to mention, it causes many illnesses in people and can be very life threatening to some others. Learning about allergies can help to live a normal life.

Allergies tend to be caused by having too much immunity; your body produces antibodies that serve the purpose of fight against infections. So what happens is someone who has an allergy is their body creates an allergy antibody and that releases a histamine that makes the symptoms of the allergy. The histamine can be released anywhere in the body. It can be released in the skin and this makes hives or itching, the nose has the symptoms of a runny or stuffy nose with sneezing, the lungs creates asthma, or throughout the entire body would even cause death if an immediate treatment wasn’t administered.

There are so many different kinds of allergies out there. Some of the more common allergies are food related, molds, mildew, pet allergies, dust mites, and pollen in the air. Food allergies are caused by eating something some include peanuts and shellfish. Mold and mildew allergies can be caused airborne or by physical contact. Pet allergies tend to be created by dander or skin scales. Dust mites are breathed in. They are every where, in your mattresses, carpets, and furniture. Pollen is caused by flowers and trees germinating.

Hay fever is another major allergy. The blowing wind sweeps up pollen from trees and grass and creates this airborne allergy. People who have hay fever can be affected at different times of the year. This is because there are plants that release pollen at different time of the year, so varying on what plants your hay fever is triggered by it could affect you in the fall, summer, or in the spring. Some of the plants that most give people problems are tumbleweed, sorrel, pigweed, goldenrod and ragweed. To help cope with hay fever, lots of local news programs show what the pollen count is in the area, make a judgment of if it’s high enough to bother some for you and take an antihistamine.

Food allergies don’t affect very many people, but they tend to be the worst allergies out of them all. Symptoms of a food allergy are things like tingling on the lips and mouth, hives, with itching, and throat swelling. If the throat swelling gets really bad it can cause constriction of the air passages, this chokes the allergy victim and can cause seizures ensuing circulatory collapse, heart failure and or death. A reaction to a food protein can happen instantaneously or around four hours later after some digestion.

The best way to prevent an allergy is to avoid the cause all together, but sometimes that’s just not the case. Sometimes they cant be avoided and in that case here are some things that can help. To help against mold allergies keep the house dry, use a dehumidifier. Clean the bathroom often with bleach and have the air ducts cleaned too.

To help with hay fever drive with your windows up in the car, keep the windows in the house closed and stay inside during the morning because that’s when pollen levels are highest. Wash your clothes and shower after being outside. And cleaning air purifier filters should help out a lot.

If you have pet allergies you should try to avoid them all together if possible. Washing your hands after contact will prevent itching or cross contaminating danders in your eyes, nose and mouth. Keep up on vacuuming. Try to make sure pets stay off of dander catching surfaces like furniture and carpets. Keep them out of the bedroom too. Another major part is not grooming and bathing your pet enough. If this is to much to handle with allergies take them to a groomers. Also keep and long haired animals trimmed shorter.

Some treatments for allergy relief include acupuncture, used to treat allergic rhinitis. It involves placing needles into the skin at exact points which help restore balance to vital flows. Allergy shots reduce your sensitivity to certain things. It is recommended for allergy sufferers who suffer more than three months out of the year and have really severe allergies. It works best for stringing insects, pet, dust, and pollen allergies. Vitamin C in large amounts can help with stabilizing the mucous membrane in the nasal passages. Various herbal treatments have used to treat allergies as well. Alternative Health Supplements offers a few different types of herbal relief. There are also some other ways to treat allergies, prescription medications and nasal sprays, and asthma inhalers are effective too.



By: Steven A Johnson

About the Author:
“>Steven Johnson is interested in maintaining a vital and healthy lifestyle. For more information on various health products and other life-enhancing nutrients please visit his website Alternative Health Supplements



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