Facts About Food Allergies, Sensitivities, & Intolerance’s

Today my friends, I would like to discuss food allergies and food sensitivity facts. Food allergy and food intolerance’s seem to be running rampant these days, especially with children.

Do you think you or one of your family member’s have food allergies?

If so, do you think it is also possible that you have food intolerance or sensitivity?

Have you or a family member ever eaten a food & had a have negative reaction to it?

This could be a allergic reaction or it could be a food sensitivity or intolerance.

Food allergy can be diagnosed by your doctor or health care provider through various test:

• blood tests
• Description of your symptoms
• Food diary
• skin test
• Elimination diet
• Oral food challenge

What is a food allergy?

• According to the National Institute of Health  4% of adults have food allergies and 8% of children.
• A true food allergy causes your immune system to react by creating a protein or antibody against it which will circulate through your blood stream until it attaches itself to cells to specific part of your body. This produces antihistamines that cause your symptoms to act up that includes your nose, throat, skin, lungs, and stomach. This antibody if referred to as IgE.

What is a food intolerance or sensitivities?

• A food intolerance or sensitivities main difference is that the immune system is not responsible for the symptoms even though the symptoms may be very much alike.
•  Food intolerance is sometimes just the inability for the digestive system to digest the food properly and therefore causes havoc and makes you feel miserable.

Some of the most common food allergies:

• The most common food allergies for adults are shellfish (lobster, crab), nuts, fish, eggs.
• The most common for children is eggs, milk, nuts (peanuts and tree nuts), wheat, soy.

Some important facts about allergies:

• Children can sometimes outgrow food allergies but some doctors believe that adults normally don’t.
• Other factors also play a role in food allergy such as  race, where you live, and other physical impairments.
• There is still much controversy, since new treatments and alternative methods have progressed in the last five years.
• It is recommended that if you are allergic to a food such as peanuts that you should also avoid other types of nuts in that same family group.

Food allergy or hypersensitivity reactions can mimic other conditions such as:

• exposure to chemicals triggering a hyper-immune response
• chronic yeast overgrowth or other infections
• mercury or other toxic metal overload
• digestive malfunction of many varieties
• prematurity at birth
• other auto-immune disorders

You can have a variety of symptoms and they can vary for different individual.

Some of the most common Symptoms:

• itchiness in the roof of the mouth
• gastrointestinal problems such as upset stomach, vomiting, bloating after meals, abdominal pain and cramps
• sudden drop in blood pressure
• hives
• swelling of the throat
• difficulty breathing
• headache and neck pain
• vertigo and dizziness
• fatigue and insomnia

Some useful information:

• If you think you have a food allergy it is very important that you see your doctor or health care provider
• be prepared to give them as much details as possible of what you ate and what your symptoms were.
• Your doctor will be able to decide what treatment is appropriate for you and one common option is using the rotation diet that allows you to eat a food every 3-4 days. In cases of a very traumatic reaction that may not be an option.

If your doctor has confirmed that you actually have a true food allergy then you will need to start reading food labels very carefully because many food are disguised under different names For example gluten is also known on labels as modified food starch. Food allergy and sensitivities can make life difficult especially for children, but you can learn to keep them under control with help from your health care provider.

It is always very important to try to eat organic or local harvest foods to avoid toxins and help keep your immune response and body healthier!

Other related Articles: 

“NAET for Allergies-What is it & How does it Work?”

Quote of the Day: Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity!  ~Voltaire

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About the author

Marla

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Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog! I believe in living green, organically, and natural in every aspect of our lives. My mission is to help educate you on how to live green, help save our environment and to help you and your family live a happier, healthier life!