Learning About Food Allergies

By Gray Rollins

Food allergies affect approximately 4 million Americans with symptoms that can include difficulty breathing, an outbreak of hives, asthma, vomiting, and even death. Oftentimes food allergies are confused with an inability to tolerate certain foods. Food intolerance usually brings about an entirely different set of symptoms including a bloated feeling, gas, or other similar type of discomfort.

Food Allergies or Food Intolerance

An easy way to distinguish food allergies from food intolerances is to understand that an allergic reaction actually originates in a person’s immune system. A severe allergic reaction can result in suffocation when the throat or the tongue swells so much that a person cannot breathe. Given the fact that approximately 150 people in the United States die each year from food allergies, this condition is no laughing matter.

Individuals with known food allergies usually inherit this condition from another member of the family. When food allergy patients are studied, it is common to see that conditions such as eczema, hay fever, and asthma affect other family members.

Foods That Cause Allergies

A few different kinds of foods seem to trigger the most allergic reactions. And it seems that adults and children each have a different set of foods that cause problems. The majority of food allergy cases in children involve peanuts, milk, eggs, soy and wheat. In adults, the foods most involved with allergies include shellfish (such as shrimp, crab and lobster), peanuts, walnuts, eggs, other fish and nuts that grow in trees.

Food allergies are so serious in some people that even smelling the food can trigger an allergic reaction. However, food allergies mostly become an issue after a person has eaten a food to which he or she is allergic. Symptoms can begin right at the point of entry with lips that begin to tingle or a tongue that begins to itch. Gastrointestinal trouble follows with cramping, or the need to vomit, or the development of diarrhea. As the troublesome food breaks down and enters the bloodstream, it travels towards the lungs and at that point conditions such as asthma, eczema, shortness of breath, or low blood pressure can all develop.

Dealing with Food Allergies

To protect themselves, people with known allergies to food simply have to avoid coming into contact with these foods. That sounds easy enough, however the reality is that it is not always possible to avoid the foods that cause problems. Processed foods can contain so many ingredients that sometimes the food culprit is buried deep in the fine print. Legislation aimed at improving food labeling as it pertains to food allergies has recently been enacted and hopefully these new labeling requirements will better protect those with food allergies.

Keeping children away from food allergens is difficult unless a parent is vigilant about what goes into the child’s mouth. Parents of children with food allergies must inform everyone from school officials to neighbors about the child’s food allergies and even then, accidents happen. Fortunately for children with food allergies, most will outgrow this condition.

About The Author
Gray Rollins is a featured writer for http://www.withallergies.com. For more information about food allergies, please visit http://www.withallergies.com/a/.

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What are Food Allergies?

By Bill Nadraszky

A food allergy is a reaction by the body's immune system. When a person is sensitive to a food, such as peanuts, the immune system overreacts when the person comes in contact with that food. True food allergies are quite rare, affecting only about 1 % of adults and about 5% of children.

Many people think they have a food allergy, but what they really have is a food intolerance, which is a problem in the digestive tract and does not involve the immune system. In someone with a food intolerance, either the food irritates the digestive tract or the body is unable to digest that food properly.

While the symptoms of food allergies and food intolerances are often similar, there are important differences between them as well. Eating even a tiny amount of a food can trigger an allergic reaction, and the reaction will happen every time the person eats that food. On the other hand, a food intolerance may not cause a reaction unless a large amount of the food is consumed. For example, in someone with lactose intolerance drinking a cup of coffee with a small amount of milk in it may not cause a problem, but that same person might become sick after drinking a whole glass of milk. The foods that most commonly trigger allergies are:

• cow's milk

• eggs

• fish (such as bass, cod, and flounder)

• shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp)

• peanuts

• tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, and walnuts)

• wheat

• soy

Symptoms

Food allergy symptoms usually develop within an hour of eating the food, sometimes within minutes, and they can range from mild and annoying to frightening and life-threatening. People who are especially sensitive may have a reaction from simply touching the food or breathing in particles of it.

Symptoms of a food intolerance may be extremely uncomfortable, but they are typically less serious than the symptoms of a food allergy.

In severe cases of food allergy, the person may suffer from a life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock. This dangerous reaction can cause:

• tightening of the airways, including a swollen throat that causes breathing difficulties

• shock, with a severe drop in blood pressure

• rapid pulse

• dizziness, light headedness, or loss of consciousness.

These are warning signs of a serious problem and require immediate medical attention. There is a medication (epinephrine) that people with serious allergies should carry at all times. It comes in a self-injecting device, and anyone who has food allergies or knows someone who does should know how to use the device. This can, quite literally, be a life saver. Even if the reaction is controlled quickly, immediate medical attention is still necessary. A single injection is not always enough to completely control the reaction.

People with severe allergies should also wear medical identification jewelry. During a severe reaction a person may not be able to speak, and this jewelry can identify the problem for emergency medical personnel so that the proper treatment can be given quickly.

When a child has a food allergy, the parents must take special precautions. Make sure that all caregivers (including family members, teachers, babysitters, and the parents of the child's friends) all know how to use the epinephrine injection device. Older children should learn to use the device themselves.

Parents must also impress on children how important it is not to eat the food they are allergic to. Young children should be instructed never to eat food given to them by anyone other than a family member. Older children should be instructed to ask about any food someone gives them and to make sure the person giving them the food knows about their allergy and how serious it is.

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Causes of Food Allergies or Intolerances

By Dr Jenny Tylee

The primary underlying factors behind a food allergy or intolerance reaction are dietary and lifestyle circumstances that breakdown our immune system and our barrier defenses. The specific causes that are responsible for the development and continuation of allergic and intolerances reactions are outlined below.

• Genetic susceptibility. Research suggests that there are some genetic factors that predispose people to allergies - no specific gene but rather "susceptible genes" that may influence the onset of an allergic condition. However, not everyone with the susceptible gene will develop allergies - something has to provoke it. Similarly some people without the susceptibility gene can develop allergies and intolerances - other factors contribute to the onset of allergic and intolerance conditions.
• Some child rearing practices. Children should be the healthiest age group as they haven't been expose to years of toxins, stress or poor eating habits - so why do they show some of the worst allergic reactions? It seems that the leading contributors to the problem are:

o Prenatal exposure and breast-feeding mistakes - allergic mothers pass onto their infants antigens and their antibodies. This causes the infant to passively develop allergies to some foods that the mother is allergic to. In one study a one month old breast fed infant who suffered from chronic allergy related intestinal problems experienced a full recovery when her mother eliminated dairy products, eggs and pork (all common allergenic foods) from her diet.

o Immunizations. Beginning as early as a few weeks after birth the vast majority of children are vaccinated against numerous illnesses including measles, mumps, whooping cough, polio, diphtheria and tetanus. Most schools actually require immunizations as a part of the admission process. Recent evidence suggests that the routine childhood vaccinations contribute to the emergence of chronic allergic problems such as eczema, ear infections and asthma. While this contention is controversial a growing number of health professionals maintain that most standard vaccinations impair a child's developing immune system - thus setting the stage for intolerance reactions to foods and other common substances.

o The early introduction of solid foods. Babies are not born with adult digestive systems and they cannot handle foods and will not digest them properly until their digestive systems have matured. A healthy balance of intestinal bacteria is needed in the intestines to build strong digestive function. This does not occur until about 4 to 6 months of age. If solid foods are introduced before the digestive system has sufficiently matured then large particles are able to pass into the bloodstream and set up a sensitization process.

• Barrier function default. We have many barriers in our body that protect us from 'outside invaders' and stop us from being sensitized to substances. The barrier for food intolerances is digestion. If we can digest and metabolize our food normally we do not develop food intolerances. Inadequate digestion for any reason may lead to a digestive barrier default. That is, particles that are too large are able to pass into the bloodstream and a sensitization process develops. Candida albicans and other intestinal parasites are also able to interfere with the strength of intestinal digestion and can contribute to the erosion of the intestinal membrane. They are therefore contributors to the development of food intolerances. As well as our digestive system barriers we have barriers in our skin and our lungs. These can also be compromised and can allow substances to pass into the blood stream and to set up a sensitization process.
• Toxic overload can lead to the failure of all barrier functions. Our food and environment has become increasingly polluted with chemicals and our body's mechanism for dealing with these toxins is unable to keep up. All organs involved in detoxification - which includes the allergy barrier system of the intestines, skin and lungs can become overloaded. The overload weakens the systems and can lead to sensitization. The constant circulation of toxins in the body taxes the immune system and it becomes oversensitive and intolerances to food, airborne agents and chemicals develop. The body has a specialized detoxification system to deal with toxins. There are two parts to this defense:

o The prevention of substances entering the body.

o The neutralizing and excretion of poisonous substances once they get through the first line of defense.

When everything is working properly - the body's defenses prevent a toxic overload, the immune system is in balance and the body's tissues are protected from harmful circulating toxins. Key parts of the detoxification system include the:

• membrane lining the intestines,
• liver,
• lymphatic system (which moves wastes form the cells to the major organs for detoxification),
• kidneys and bladder,
• skin - including the sweat and sebaceous glands and
• lungs.

The gastrointestinal system is the first defense against toxins and when it is weakened it is the first place to harbor disease. This is one of the facets of how allergies and intolerances, especially to food, begin. Once the bowel is toxic, the entire body soon follows. Undigested food material, bacteria and fungi, usually contained in the bowel escape into the blood stream and set off the immune system. If the intestines are letting toxins through then the liver, lymph kidneys skin and other organs are involved detoxification become overwhelmed. The liver bears most of the burden as antigens and allergens are sent to the liver to be neutralized and eliminated from the body. When imbalances occur the result can be poor digestion, constipation, bloating and gas, immune dysfunction, reduced liver function and a host of degenerative diseases.

Find out how you can improve your gastrointestinal systems defense against toxins and how to deal with food allergies and intolerances. Get your copy of Safe Colon Cleansing and get on with living!

Dr Jenny Tylee is an experienced health professional who is passionate about health and wellbeing. She believes that health is not just absence of disease and seeks to actively promote vitality and wellness through empowering others. She encourages people to improve their health by quit smoking, cleansing their body, taking essential vitamin and mineral supplement and many other methods, including herbal remedies. Visit Dr Jenny's blog and join her newsletter for more quality information.

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Food Allergies and Fatalities

By Harold Miller

Every year, millions of people worldwide are affected by allergies to particular foods. It is estimated that in America alone, over 11 million people suffer from potentially life threatening food allergies. It is estimated that over 200 people die each year from allergic reactions to food in the United States. Furthermore, there are approximately 30,000 emergency room visits each year that are attributed to food allergies. These numbers are astounding, to say the least.

There has been a lot of talk in the popular press as of late, regarding food allergies. In fact, the White House recently designated a National Anaphylaxis Day to raise public awareness about the dangers of certain types of food. Anaphylaxis is a term used to describe extreme allergic reactions that have the potential to cause death.

The most troubling element of food allergies is that they are next-to-impossible to diagnose. More often than not, an individual does not realize that they have a food allergy until they are having a reaction. At that time, it is too late to consider preventative measures. The scariest part is that there is literally no way to determine how serious the reaction might be, so the utmost care and consideration must be taken when dealing with an allergic reaction.

Some of the most common foods people are allergic to include nuts (peanuts, walnuts, etc.), shellfish (lobster, shrimp, crab, etc.), eggs, and dairy products (milk, cream, etc.). Now take a moment to consider how many prepared foods contain one or more of the above ingredients. For those suffering from intense food allergies, every meal is like playing a game of chance.

There are few ways to protect one self from having an allergic reaction. The best strategy is simply to be prepared for the worst. You certainly have to be aware of what you are eating, but also of the environment in which the food was prepared. In the case of an individual with peanut allergies, mere traces of the nut can cause like-threatening illness. If you are dining out, be sure to inform the restaurant of any allergies you suffer from. In the kitchen, extra care should always be taken to ensure cross-contamination is not taking place.

As mentioned above, there is no way to determine how severe an allergic reaction might be. The frontline tool for defense against allergic reactions to food is a compound known as epinephrine. Epinephrine is absolutely critical for managing allergic reactions, and could mean the difference between life and death. If you or somebody you know is suffering from food allergies, be sure to consult a physician regarding management strategies. Alternately, you can visit our site for more information.

Harold Miller is allergic to shellfish, and carries his Epipen everywhere he goes. He also writes for allergyrelief101.com – an online guide to allergies and allergy treatment with extensive information about hay fever, sinus problems, allergy-free product reviews and more.

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Food Allergies in Adulthood

By Krishan Bakhru

The process of ecological illness, leading to multiple allergies. It has become evident that many people in the Western World are developing chronic illness as a result of too many years on the over-refined Western diet. It appears that, although people who were fed wrongly during infancy are particularly prone to developing this problem, most people, in fact, will develop some form of ecologically-caused food intolerances during the course of their lives. The fact that this problem has not emerged en masse sooner, in our society, is probably because it is only during the past thirty years that manufactured and artificially processed foods have become the bulk of our daily diet.

The process of ecological illness can span years, even decades. That incredible mechanism, the body, can put up a very good fight for a very long time. The individual, being a fighter, keeps plugging along, coping with repetitive ailments, little realizing that he is inexorably developing a condition that will ultimately wreck his health. These days, once a person moves past thirty-five, it seems that a range of repetitive ailments, from backache to indigestion, have to be accepted as part of the ageing process. The fact that the body is becoming increasingly overloaded and is giving out warning signs, does not often appear to be recognized nor understood. These warnings are often the first signs of a weakening immune system, which if unheeded, will lead to complex food and chemical allergies, causing a further breakdown in health.

Dr Allen G. Grant of Charing Cross Hospital, London, reported, in the Lancet, on the study of sixty migraine patients. It was found that 78 per cent were allergic to wheat, 65 per cent to oranges, 40 per cent to tea and coffee, 45 per cent to eggs, 37 per cent to chocolate and milk, 35 per cent to beef, and 33 per cent to corn, cane sugar and yeast. Dr Grant found that, if these foods were eliminated from their diet, 85 per cent became free of headaches and the rest showed significant improvement. This work was supported by research at the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, in London, where it was found that at least two thirds of severe migraine sufferers were allergic to certain foods. When these foods were removed from the diet, the headaches stopped.

Many elderly people, nowadays, are showing signs of ecological illness because their immune systems are less robust than a younger person's and the effects of the past thirty years have hit them first. They are told by their doctors that they must accept their recurring symptoms and their chronic fatigue, simply because they are getting old. They are not advised to examine their diet or eating habits and, accordingly, their later years are unnecessarily burdened with ill health. It has been shown overseas that a clean diet, free from processed and allergenic foods, can rebuild the immune system and, within a dramatically short time, restore elderly people to robust good health. Nathan Pritikin's now famous Longevity Centre, at Santa Monica, California, has been enormously successful in this field.

As time goes on, many younger people are beginning to show signs of the ecological allergy syndrome. Doctors' waiting rooms are evidencing increasing numbers of young people in their twenties and even younger, with recurring symptoms and health problems. Why is the percentage of young patients higher than, say twenty years ago? It seems that a growing intolerance to our artificial Western diet is the answer.

Author's Sites: Health Articles, Home Remedies and Self Help. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Krishan_Bakhru

Treating Food Allergies

By Michael Russell

Do you develop an unexplainable itchy rash after eating shellfish or certain varieties of fish? How about after eating eggs or after gulping down a warm glass of milk? Have you ever experienced that unusual tingling in your mouth after eating a particular food?

If you ever experienced these symptoms, you might be suffering from food allergy.

What is a food allergy?

A food allergy is the body's natural response upon eating certain foods, which his or her body labeled as potentially harmful. Some of the most common food allergens (that which bring about or initiate an allergic reaction) include milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and soy.

Among the first signs of an allergic reaction are coughing and sneezing, a runny nose and red, itchy eyes. Some experience the sudden appearance of an itchy skin rash or hives and a tingling sensation in the mouth, lips and throat.

Other more serious signs of an allergic reaction include dizziness, abdominal pain and diarrhea, vomiting and wheezing. Some people may even experience sudden behavioral changes such as anger, depression and/or lethargy in response to the allergic reaction.

An allergic reaction can be manifested in different ways and in varying intensities in different people. Some allergies may show obvious symptoms while others may not. Some people may react immediately once exposed to the allergen while in other people, it may take several hours for the symptoms to be manifested.

A food allergy should not be taken lightly. Severe allergic reactions are known to result in swelling, shock and death.

How does a food allergy develop?

The human body is protected at all times by the immune system. It is the immune system's primary responsibility to be on a constant lookout for potentially harmful substances or organisms, which may jeopardize the health of an individual.

When a person accidentally ate something, which is harmful to the body, the immune system produces special proteins called IgE antibodies. This prompts the allergy cells (called mast cells) to release certain chemicals in the bloodstream to fortify the body's defenses. One of these chemicals is histamine. Upon its release, histamine acts on the person's eyes, nose, throat, lungs, skin and/or gastrointestinal tract, triggering the manifestation of the symptoms of the allergic reaction.

In the case of food allergies, the most common culprit is the abnormal permeability of the gastrointestinal tract. When this happens, inappropriately large food molecules may be transported into the bloodstream. Since they are abnormally sized, these food molecules might be seen as "intruders" and are therefore attacked by the antibodies.

A food allergy can develop at any age. Some may have it from birth while others develop it as they grow older or as the body is predisposed to the allergens.

How can food allergies be cured?

Probably the best way to treat food allergies is to avoid the eating anything which may trigger an allergic reaction for a period of time (preferably for 2 to 6 months). After this period, the foods can then be gradually reintroduced into your diet. For best results, the foods should be reintroduced on a rotating basis, which means that you consume them only every 4 days or more. This will allow you to eat foods you are allergic to without suffering from the usual symptoms.

There are still some other ways to fight food allergies. Others have tried administering traditional allergy shots, homeopathic treatments, herbal decoctions, high doses of vitamin C and several other treatments with varying degrees of success.

Remember that food allergies tend to run in the family. So, if ever one member of your family has a history of this condition, do take the necessary precautions.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Allergies Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

About Food Allergies

By Laura J Miller

Food allergies is one of the top three allergies most Americans suffer from The one allergy that is not diagnosed properly. A lot will say they suffer from food allergies when they actually are suffering from food intolerance.

Let's discuss what food allergies are first, a person with food allergies produce IgE antibodies that are specific to epitopes in the food allergen. These reactions to the food can be deadly after the food is ingested.

One of most popular food allergies suffered by most is being allergic to peanuts. Most food allergies a person will out grow in time, but having an allergic reaction to peanuts is usually not out grown.

The best way to treat this is to stay away from the food you are allergic to. Have a doctor run special tests on you that will help you determine which foods you are allergic to and which foods you just have an intolerance to.

There are different kinds of symptoms to food. These can include wheezing and having a hard time breathing. Some other symptoms can be itchy skin, hives, rashes, diarrhea, and swelling around the mouth and throat. These types of symptoms can start rather quickly after eating a certain type of food. Some people may even experience nasal symptoms that include runny nose or congestion; these may not be related to the food.

Some more common food allergies are known as having food intolerance to certain food types. One very common reaction found in children in lactose intolerance. This happens when there is a deficiency of the enzyme lactase, which usually breaks down the sugar lactose. Children without this type of enzyme will develop symptoms after digesting food products. This is sometimes misunderstood as a food allergy when it is actually an intolerance to the food.

How a person reacts to eating or drinking certain foods depends on the person and the severity of their allergy to that food product. Some people can react with deadly symptoms while others will have experience mild symptoms. It is important to know and understand if you are suffering from food allergies or food intolerance. If you feel you might have a food allergy contact your doctor right away with your symptoms and have tests run to make sure.

The easiest and best way to avoid having a reaction to certain foods is to stay a way from them totally including foods that might contain the food byproduct you are allergic to.

Laura Miller has always suffered from being lactose intolerant as well as her children, learn more about food allergies and other health issues at her site http://www.factsaboutyourhealth.com

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Food Allergies in Childhood

By Krishan Bakhru

A major study conducted in the United Kingdom and reported in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, examined children suffering from vomiting, diarrhea, colic, abdominal pain, eczema and urticaria (hives). It found that 40 per cent were sensitive to cow's milk, with the remainder being affected by a wide range of other intolerances.

Food allergies can commence during the first six months of life. If children are introduced too early to cow's milk, cereals, orange juice and other substances, such as those contained in manufactured baby food, there is a great danger that they may become intolerant to those foods, and will remain so, for the rest of their lives. This paints a bleak scenario for the child. It will mean that throughout childhood, he will be encouraged by well-meaning parents to eat foods which are semi-poisonous to him. As a result, the child will develop chronic medical symptoms. In some fortunate cases, the symptom or symptoms may be easily linked to a specific food. For example, the child may react quickly, after eating an orange or drinking a glass of milk, with a hay fever attack or vomiting. More often than not, however, the child will exhibit a continuous range of symptoms such as irritability, lethargy, respiratory infections and catarrh, to name but a few.

The well-meaning parents then proceed to consult doctors and specialists throughout the early life of the child. In time, they may be advised to remove a food from the child's diet to see if there is an improvement. Sometimes there is and the problem is solved luckily for the child. However, often it is not so simple. The child, having been exposed to several foreign substances too early in his development, may have developed more than one allergy. The removal of one food may not cause the symptoms to go away, as this allergy is masked by the others. This results in the child being allowed to recommence eating a food, which, amongst others, is making him ill. Eventually, the child is classified, by doctors and parents alike, as 'prone' or 'delicate' and his activities are restricted accordingly.

The problem is further complicated by the child appearing to 'grow out' of the symptoms at some future stage in his development. There could be several reasons for this. Firstly, as the child gets older and stronger his system becomes more robust and, for a while, may overcome the allergenic poisoning being done to him. However, it may be just a matter of time before other illness or injury may overstress the immune system, causing it to break down again. Secondly, he may, through a change of diet and habits simply stop eating the offending food. This can happen when the child has become old enough to assert himself. If addiction to the allergen has not set in, he may be in a position to reject instinctively the food as being bad for him. This rejection would be strengthened in his subconscious by the resultant immediate improvement in health.

Parents should take note of a child's constant rejection of a known allergy-causing food. This is often the first sign that the child has some sensitivity to it. The child, after being forced to eat the food for a while, will most likely overcome his instinctive aversion and, instead, develop an addiction to it. Whilst the parents may think that their child is finally co-operating, he has in actual fact, become 'hooked' and a masked addiction/allergy process, with a range of perplexing symptoms, has begun.

Author's Sites: Health Articles, Home Remedies and Self Help. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Krishan_Bakhru

Food Allergies in Dogs

By Larry Blackwell

For pet owners, food allergies in dogs, can be an important issue. The last thing anyone wants is to see “man’s best friend” uncomfortable. Just like in humans, dogs can develop allergies to a number of different things in their environment. Anywhere from 5-10% of all allergy cases are food related. The first step towards helping the dog is figuring out the problem.

This being said, it is usually very difficult to diagnose any food allergies in dogs. Obviously, they can’t talk, so figuring out their symptoms can be challenging. One of the first signs of food allergies in dogs is itchy red skin. These spots can be located in a number of different places. You might see them on the feet, face, or ears.

When a dog is uncomfortable, one of the first things they do is scratch or bite the affected area. This is why it is important to try and catch the condition as soon as possible. The dog will often times make it worse and cause an infection.

Sometimes it is possible to figure out the food allergy through the process of elimination. However, if you started the dog on a new food and they get sick, don’t immediately change the food. The dog will usually need some time to get used to the new diet. Even if the dog has eaten the same food for years, they can develop an allergy to it.

Food allergies in dogs can be very difficult to diagnose on your own. If the solution is not obvious, you may want to consult a veterinarian. Their expertise can be very helpful in these situations. A veterinarian may suggest an elimination diet. On this diet they will eat a special food that contains carbohydrates and protein. It will be something that the dog has never tasted before. In this way they can determine if it is indeed a food allergy. If the symptoms go away after a few weeks on the diet, it’s obviously something that you’re feeding them. Then you can just find a new food that doesn’t have the same ingredients and try it out. Hopefully this will fix the problem.

Another important note regarding food allergies in dogs relates to the use of “hypoallergenic dog foods.” Just because a food claims to be hypoallergenic does not necessarily mean it is the answer to your problem. The ingredients in these foods are so popular that they have become almost commonplace. Your dog still may be allergic to something in those types of foods. You can always try it and see if it helps. However, if they symptoms don’t go away, you can’t rule out food allergies.

Sometimes it just takes a little trial and error in helping your dog get over their allergy. Hopefully in the meantime it won’t be too unbearable for the dog. Once you get past it, the dog should be fine. While there is no known cure for food allergies in dogs, avoiding the food should do the trick. Your dog can then get back to being your best friend again.

Larry J. is an online marketer, dog lover. To see his other articles on dogs please visit his lens at: http://www.squidoo.com/truedogstories/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Blackwell

Having Food Allergies

By Dick Lin

Many people have to watch out for food allergies. However having true food allergies is not that common as many think. They usually only affect about two percent of children in the world but are more common in children that are younger. Usually most children will grow out of the food allergies that they had when they were born. This gives hope to any parent that is worried that their child will be faced with a lifetime problem ahead of them.

There are different symptoms of food allergies. They can include wheezing and hard time breathing. Sometimes a person will be affected with itchy skin, rashes, hives, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, pain in the stomach and swelling around the mouth and throat. These symptoms are going to develop usually quickly after a person will digest the food that they are allergic to. Sometimes it is minutes while other may take hours to go into effect. There are also many that face nasal symptoms that a person can go through. These can include runny nose or congestion that some may think are caused by the food allergy but may not be in reality.

It will depend on the person and the severity of the food allergy. Some people may have mild or more severe symptoms to deal with. It will also depend on the amount of food that the person has ingested. A severe reaction can include difficulty breathing, swelling of the mouth and throat, decreased blood pressure, shock and sometimes death.

More common food allergies are called intolerances to certain types of food. They can bring on vomiting, diarrhea, spitting up, and even rashes of the skin. There is an example of a reaction that will occur usually in children that have lactose intolerance. This is caused by the deficiency of the enzyme lactase, which will usually break down the sugar lactose. Children without this type of enzyme or who have a decreased amount of enzyme will develop symptoms after drinking lactose containing food products, like cow's mild. Sometimes this is a confusing ordeal because the reaction does not involve the immune system and is not a real food allergy problem.

It is important to know if you are allergic to a certain food. If you think that you are you should not continue to eat it. See a doctor and tell him or her about your symptoms and they will usually run tests to make sure of the problem. You will find that if you do not take the necessary precautions when it comes to food allergies, you can be seriously injured and cause more damage to your body than what you would expect otherwise.

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Food Allergies

By Ken Marlborough

Allergy is a condition in which the body tends to react due to hypersensitivity to some substance such as food, drugs, drinks, pollution, flowers, and others. An allergen can be anything under the sun that might cause a reaction in one’s body if the body disagrees with that substance. Even a common thing such as sunlight and air might cause sever reactions in some if the skin is susceptible to allergies due to the same.

Food allergy occurs when the body does not respond in a proper manner to certain food products. Because of this the body tends to release antibodies to fight that food instead of accepting the same like other foods. Although the food in itself might not be harmful to the body the same can turn out to be harmful once the antibodies are released to fight the same. These anti bodies, one of which is histamine, would result in allergic symptoms causing all sorts of reactions on the body for no obvious cause.

Food allergies affect the immune system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, heart, skin and digestive system. They can be very severe in certain cases and prove deadly to the individual suffering from the same.

Most individuals are allergic to nuts, peanuts in maximum cases. Peanuts cause the most severe and deadly reaction causing even the death of the individual if not treated immediately. All the individuals suffering from this allergic reaction must make sure of every ingredient in the dishes before even trying the same as even the smallest morsel can prove to be poisonous.

Milk based products, chocolate, even breast milk can cause allergic reaction in few individuals. Eggs, seafood such as jellyfish, shellfish, prawns, and fish etc., fish can cause severe reactions in certain individuals. Even the most bland food items such as rice, wheat, soy might prove to be fatal for some individuals.

One of best ways to avoid these allergic reactions is to avoid all the food items causing the adverse reactions. To know what cause reactions, allergy tests can be taken at regular intervals. Avoidance of certain food items can help avoid these reactions completely in most cases. Also keeping the medication on hand in the event an accident occurs might be a good idea to avoid panicking.

When buying processed products, read the ingredients present on the label before adding the item to the cart. Even a bit of neglect can sometimes result in getting hospitalized due to severe reactions. Recipes that do not include milk or eggs or even rice, soy, wheat etc., are available online and can be made use of by those allergic to these.

As a popular saying goes – prevention is better than cure. It is better to avoid certain foods than indulge and suffer the consequences later on. Being a little cautious can result in a healthy and happy life.

Allergies provides detailed information on Allergies, Allergy Relief, Food Allergies, Skin Allergies and more. Allergies is affiliated with Bronchial Asthma.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_Marlborough

Food Allergies

By Linda Harms

This article was written in the hopes of people experiencing similar symptoms may come to know and find out what may be ailing them. This is a subject which most people don’t even want to think about much less have to face in our Cheesy country where mounds of the gooey stuff drip all over morsels of food in any ad we see whether it be television, magazine or newspaper ads. Not only can we taste this delicious goo in our mouths just by looking at the lovely, happy, delectable pictures we see, but the temptation is beyond most of our restraints. We know, we know. And who can do without bacon and eggs in the morning? Or pancakes? O, my goodness.

My husband began experiencing bouts of inexplicable diahhrea and waves of stomach cramps periodically and finally realized he would have to see a Doctor. The Doctor examined him saying he didn’t see anything Wrong with him except to watch his stomach as he had PreUlceric conditions.

How Would Anyone Know?

One day my husband said he was going to do some self tests. He asked himself one day, “What is making me ill some days and not others?“ He set out by testing himself using the process of elimination of foods. He had long been an eater of meat and cheese sandwiches and just decided to eliminate one of them. So while on vacation we brought a big deli array to our son’s house and there the experiments took place. One day, no meat. The symptoms ran rampant, but the next day…all meat sandwiches and no negative reaction. Interesting isn’t it he omitted the meat first. Allergic to cheese, impossible. One day after breakfast of bacon and eggs, similar negative symptoms occurred in the morning and with the omission of eggs we determined the other culprit.

Of his daily foods he came to realize it was the dairy and eggs causing him the stomach problems. Utter relief was the most apt way to describe him from that day forward. No more immediate diahhrea bouts right After eating. No more indescribable, undefined stomach cramps. As hard and as unfashionable as it may be, He had to avoid dairy foods and eggs at all costs. We had eaten plenty of pizza, lasagne and desserts to know he would miss these foods and there is dairy and eggs in most desserts.

Aha, he thought of trying the many dairy allergens on the market. They worked for a period of time, only to find out, as he aged, the lactose became more sensitive and no longer was it any use to take the many varieties of lactose medicines that people can now buy easily over the counter. He knew not only were these Sensitivities happening more and more frequently but other foods he loved as well began to feel irritating, I.e., fried foods and coffee.

As he discovered this ailment in his 30s, he has had many years to live with it. Unfortunately, many co-workers have not learned as much to just sit by and be tolerant--- abhorrent remarks made by insensitive people who have no such problems and say they would “die” if they had to go without it or “you do not want to socialize with us and eat with us“ “you might as well be dead” “surely you are alien if you can’t drink coffee” and a myriad other number of thoughtless remarks people may make. One can understand the feeling of being terrorized by these cruel thoughtless statements.

What Were We To Do Next?

When I found out my husband had these intolerances I thought I shall never bake Again nor could we have the very many foods we were so used to having. My food world had come to A breaking halt and predicament of what can I do about this? I scourged for information high and low. (we didn’t have a computer then) about food allergies and intolerances. When I inquired about this topic it was generally, “Let’s not talk about it”. I appreciate your giving me an opportunity to talk all about it now.

Not only do these food allergies NOT come all by themselves but most likely they will be accompanied by other “sensitivities” as well such as serious affects if eating too late at night, colon irritation accompanied by Cramps and possible diahhrea. Another subject most people do not want to talk about but this is the world Of people who have to watch any type of intake of foods. People with IBS and Celiac Disease and any other stomach ailment associated with Food Allergies and Sensitive Stomachs know this to be true.

Part 2

Scouting for Information

After spending many months looking for some type of help books I bless the day when my son called and said I am sending you some birthday presents and I know you are going to like one of them in a special way. Not having a clue what he was talking about one day his presents arrived and lo and behold “The Lactose-Free Family Cookbook”(l996) arrived with some other gifts; I don’t to this day remember the other gifts, but I do remember this one. Written by Jan Main of Canada. To this day, when I look at this Cookbook it reminds me of the joy of having received it.

As I read this book I felt she was with me every step of the way from disappointment to disillusionment to becoming unquenchable about finding out about knowledge of this illness and most of all….the substitute foods people can use instead of milk, cheese, eggs, etc. if any. Her best friend became lactose intolerant and asked her to write this book and she decided to write it. She is a great empathizer to people who do have LI.

In the first few pages of her book are listed foods for high calcium from nuts to green vegetables and the list goes on and on. She then proceeds to talk about levels of LI from most severe to mild. Some people can have some dairy intolerance but not much whereas people like my husband it has become a poisonous substance in his body in whatever amount. This book is full of recipes for the LI…

However, this book had nothing about Egg Intolerance. My search continued and finally I found a book called , “Special Diet Solutions” by Carol Fenster, Ph.D. (l997) This lovely author takes us on a journey of her discovery of her wheat allergy and how she thought she surely must be dreaming…being married to a big wheat farmer in Nebraska? Her book also entailed Healthy Cooking without dairy, gluten, eggs, yeast or refined sugar. Aha, I finally had the 2 pieces of the puzzle together (egg and dairy free cookbooks) and from here on I even started experimenting with other flours and ways to cook. During this period of time we lived in a small town where there were no such thing as a health food store.

Thanks to moving to a small city in Missouri named Mountain Grove they have/had an excellent Health Store and the owner’s husband was an MD who was dairy intolerant. I received soy butter recipes from his wife along with other tips from her most valued assistant who helped me immensely in knowledge and telling me about various health foods. It was like a haven for me.

With our most recent move to Tallahassee, I became more aware of other foods which could be purchased. The health food stores now have substitute tofu mayonnaise which tastes just like the real mayo and many substitutes already prepared. They also have specialty breads made with soy flour or various other flour mixtures. Tofu and its miraculous consistency can be made to make anything from delicious cheesecake (it tastes just like cheesecake) to mayonnaise. It adapts itself to the surrounding flavors. It is healthy and can be available to be used for numerous substitutes in the dairy free diet. It is also known to be a meat substitute. Some grocery stores are beginning to incorporate lactose free margarine.

What to Substitute Soy, tofu, rice milk, etc. are all substitutes for dairy - I just substituted water as all the milks affected my husband’s body system. Evidently, the food processing had something to do with his body aching as well as the foods. When I would make soy bread or rice flour bread these flours had no negative effect on my husband‘s body system. (This is just an example of how one situation can lead to another situation and we learn more than we expected. )

Did you know all the many substitutes for eggs? Do you want something sticky for ingredients to cohere to each other? How about ground heart healthy flaxseed heated…it is very sticky when heated with water and becomes pasty. It will cohere ingredients just as solidly as eggs. Another binder for egg substitutes is the healthy joint /muscle food called Knox gelatin. Mixed with hot water, this makes a tremendously sticky substance that is needed in cakes, etc. Did you know l/4 cup of tofu can be substituted for 1 egg? Did you know l l/2 cup flaxseed = l cup of butter

Being a big dairy lover myself, a few years ago I had a mound of cottage cheese and yogurt, one of my old time favorite foods. I fell asleep in the afternoon and I awoke gasping for air. I was all alone by myself in the afternoon and wondered if I were dying. I could not breathe and thought I was having an asthma attack though I never had one before. After a few minutes, I appreciatively thanked God I was still alive and later read a few articles about how dairy allows mucous to build up in the lungs. I am sure that is what happened to me that afternoon and have been leery of eating the two ever again.

Living with Allergens

A true life-style change has come about due to this and we have learned to read every label for “hidden” terms for eggs such as “albumen” and many other terms. Buying Prepackaged food has become almost nearly become out of the question most of which contains dairy or cheese or egg in some form or other.

Not only have we come to live and enjoy our way of eating but do not mind it at all. up . Like any other habit, we have deprogrammed ourselves from these foods. I myself only eat them occasionally.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my article and please pass it to anyone who may be interested.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Harms

Food Allergies

By Diana Corso

Food Allergies

The foods that adults or children react to are those foods they eat often

A Food Allergy is defined as an individual's adverse reaction to food. Almost any food can trigger a reaction in a person who is susceptible. Other terms for Food Allergies are "Food Intolerances and Food Sensitivities."

For adults, the common foods that cause allergic reactions include: shellfish such as shrimp, crayfish, lobster, and crab. (Of note; if you are allergic to one of the shell fish, you are probably allergic to others or all of them.); peanuts, a legume ; tree nuts such as walnuts; fish; and eggs. Adults usually do not lose their allergies.

Children are somewhat different. The common food allergens that cause problems in children are eggs, milk, and peanuts. Children can sometimes outgrow them. Children are more likely to outgrow allergies to milk or soy than allergies to peanuts, fish, or shrimp.

These food allergies can cause catastrophic events to happen . Reactions range from rashes, pain, to anaphylactic shock.

When trying to figure out if and what food you have a problem with, it is very important to keep an accurate diary of your daily food and drink intake. You also need to write down in detail the symptoms that you are felling. Without doing this, there is no hope in finding what is ailing you. Keep detailed records!

Can drug allergies affect the way you eat? Absolutely!. For instance, Any of you who has an allergy to penicillin for instance must be careful when buying and eating penned animals such as chicken, turkey, pork, etc. These animals who are kept in tight quarters climb over each other constantly and scratch each other causing skin infections. These animals can not be sold with these infections. Their keepers are known to give these animals penicillin to clear up these infections so that they can be sold.

The quantity of the drug can remain high in some of these animals. Anaphylactic reactions and even death from penicillin allergies have occurred from people eating these animals. Just be careful. Buy the meat from penned animals that has no antibiotics and you will be fine.

I can't believe that I'm allergic to food! Could it be something else? Absolutely! Its a little thing called preservatives. Preservatives are placed in food so they last a longer time so that their financial value will be realized.

Currently, canned foods for instance have a shelf life of 7 years. What does that mean? It means that the can of food can be eaten and therefore sold for that period of time. Years ago, the shelf life for canned foods was 3 years. How did they prolong the time? Preservatives!.

Did you know for instance that a popular brand of peanut butter has over 120 preservatives in it. Doesn't that sound astounding? It does to me. Individuals like you can be allergic to any of these preservatives. Its very difficult to find the one preservative that you are allergic to.

Also, don't forget food colorings. Many individuals are allergic to the different food colorings. Most common is red dye #3

How do you find out if you have an allergy or sensitivity to a food, preservative or food coloring?

The first thing that you have to do is have a suspicion that you have a problem. There is a difference between an overt allergy and a sensitivity. The allergy will cause overt symptoms such as hives, rashes to in some cases anaphylaxis. (Hypersensitivity especially in animals to a substance, such as foreign protein or a drug, that is caused by exposure to a foreign substance after a preliminary exposure.). A food sensitivity will cause subtle discomforts such as a generalized uneasy felling. Maybe an increase in your heart rate, excessive belching or flatulence or stomach distension. You may also feel fatigued.

The next thing that you have to do and maybe its the most important is to read the labels of the foods that you buy. You must become a detective! Most food items use the same preservatives. If after reading the labels you identify a preservative that stands out, by that I mean a preservative that is only in one of the foods that you eat, that preservative may be the culprit. Simply eliminate that food. You will know after 4 days if that is the food and preservative that is causing your problem. Now to discern if you are sensitive to the food or the preservative, eat the food fresh and see if it causes you to have the same sensitivity reactions. If the answer is yes, then your sensitivity is to the food. If the answer is no, then the sensitivity is to the preservative. At that point, you need to then eliminate that preservative from your diet. The only way to do that successfully is to read all the labels.

Simple Test!

There is a simple and effective way to determine a food either alone or with a preservative may be causing you a problem. Its not 100% effective. However, it will give you an indication. Its the "Pulse Test." Its simple to perform. Prior to eating the food, take your pulse for a complete minute. Simply count the number of times that your heart beats in a 1 minute period. Now take a small potion of the food that you are planning to eat. Place it in your mouth. Don't chew it, simply place it in your mouth. Wait about 30 seconds and then start counting your heart beats again for another minute. If your heart rate increase 4-5 beats per minutes, then there is a good chance that the food you are about to eat will cause you to have a sensitivity reaction.

Not That Easy?

If what we described above doesn't help you identify your culprit food or preservative, then you need to resort to the Elimination Diet. The Elimination Diet is very effective. However, it takes time. As the diet's name states, you need to eliminate foods from your diet. You do this one food at a time.

We suggest that prior to making your first elimination that you write down exactly how you are feeling. Then eliminate that one food. This food needs to be eliminated for 4 straight days to determine if it is causing you any problems. Each day of the elimination, you need to journal how you are feeling. At the end of the forth day, compare your journal entries. If you are feeling the same at the end of day 4 as you did before the elimination, then that food is not the culprit. You need to keep trying different food one at a time for the 4 day period until you find the culprit. It could take a while.

Remember, your problems may be caused by more than one food. That is why the journal is so important. If say prior to the first food elimination you had 6 symptoms. Now after the elimination of this food, you have 3 symptoms. Then you need to eliminate that food from your diet. Don't stop there though! You now need to eliminate another food. If you feel the same after that food is eliminated for 4 days, then try another food. This process can take over a month to complete!

Diana Corso is the publisher of NutritionalUpdates. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diana_Corso

Allergies - Food Allergies

By Michael Russell

In this article we're going to focus on one of the most annoying types of allergies, especially to people who love to eat.

You go out to the local pizza parlor, order two slices with extra cheese, sit down at the booth with your pizza in one hand and coke in the other and chow down. A few hours later after you've arrived back home just in time to watch your favorite TV show, suddenly your stomach feels like it's about to erupt like a volcano. You run like a madman to the bathroom just in time to experience what seems to be the complete emptying of your insides.

Welcome to the world of food allergies and intolerances.

In the case of the runs after eating a couple of slices of pizza most likely you're lactose intolerant which is just one type of food allergy. Technically, you can be allergic to just about any kind of food but there are some that seem to be more common that others.

Before we go any further let's define exactly what a food allergy is. Food allergies can be broken down into 2 categories. The first one is hypersensitivity. This is an adverse reaction of the immune system itself and is unrelated to any actual physical effect of the food or food additive. These reactions are caused by immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies.

The second category is food intolerance. This is actually caused by the food itself and is not a function of the immune system itself overreacting to the food or food additive. The symptoms of an intolerance may be very similar to those of an actual immune symptom reaction but the causes are quite different.

Of the two, actual immune system reactions are the more common, though it does appear that a trend to intolerances, such as lactose intolerance, is on the rise. What actually happens with food allergies is that people with allergies produce IgE antibodies to specific epitopes in the food allergen. These antibodies bind to IgE receptors on the mast cells of tissue that are on the skin, digestive tract and respiratory system. The exposure of these antigens causes the release of histamines. This ultimately results in mucus secretion and muscle contraction which then leads to a wide range of symptoms which can range from unpleasant to serious or even severe. How severe?

Allergic reactions to food can be fatal almost immediately following the ingestion of food. Probably one of the most prevalent and dangerous of these food allergies are people who are allergic to peanuts. Just recently, as of this writing, a girl died simply from kissing someone who had recently eaten peanuts. That is how dangerous these allergies can be.

Less severe reactions to food allergies are oropharyngeal pruritus, angioedema, stridor, cough, dyspnea, wheezing, and dysphonia.

Aside from peanuts, the most common foods that people are allergic to are tree nuts, and shellfish.

Unfortunately the best way to avoid food allergies is to have a food allergy test done and then to avoid the foods that show positive on the test.

------------------------------------------------------- Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Allergies ------------------------------------------------------- Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

Food Intolerance And Food Allergies

By Predrag Iljic

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 intolerance to certain foods, and others may develop intolerance 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.

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Predrag_Iljic