Tag: Food allergy;

Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis in an Irritating Nutshell

A person will never know if they are allergic to a certain type of food unless they have eaten the food allergen itself. It takes a certain amount of food for the reaction to take place and trigger a symptom.

Food allergy and anaphylaxis are closely related, but they have their own defining differences that will be discussed as you read on.

Plus, a person can also develop allergic reactions to foods that are closely related to the original food allergy he or she has. Say, an allergy to oysters can also lead to an allergic reaction when the person eats shrimp, crabs, or fish.

In food allergy, the individuals immune system reacts in two ways. The body may respond through the use of mast cells. These mast cells can come about at just any part of the human body but its favorite spots make itself known to the world is in the throat, lungs, eyes, skin, and especially the organs of the gastrointestinal system. The other type of response is through the bodys release of immunoglobulin E antibodies that travel through the blood system. It then eventually causes the discharge of the body chemical histamine which then causes the activation of allergic reactions in the common body sites previously mentioned.

On the other hand, anaphylaxis is derived form the Greek words ana and phylaxis, which subsequently means back and protection. It is the abrupt allergic response that is much more intense than the common allergy which can be lethal to the sufferer. Chief causes of anaphylaxis include insect stings, skin contact to latex, medications, and food. Anaphylaxis may also be idiopathically caused or, in lay mans terms, unknown causes.

Like in food allergy, anaphylaxis involves the reaction of the different body sites; the only difference is the intensity of the response and only a small amount of the allergen is needed for the reaction to take place. The time span before signs and symptoms become evident ranges from within a few seconds up to a few hours after allergen exposure.

Anaphylaxis can come about following the intake of food, skin contact, or even as simple as inhalation of the food aroma. The life threatening type of anaphylaxis is called anaphylactic shock. In anaphylactic shock, only a tiny amount of the food allergen is needed to cause death to the sufferer within moments of exposure.

Individuals who are in danger of undergoing an anaphylactic reaction are those who have a history of allergy to food, asthma, and eczema. They are more likely to experience an anaphylactic response that can be fatal. Another population group who are also at risk of anaphylaxis, through the evidences of current studies that have been conducted, is teenagers who are afflicted with a certain type of food allergy. This is due to the fact that teenagers have frequent tendencies to eat out, are daring and experimental in their endeavors, and are more likely to fail to identify symptoms of anaphylactic reaction. Moreover, teenagers have tendencies to forget to carry with them essential medications which can either be caused by self-consciousness common to their age group.

Symptoms of anaphylaxis may be similar to that of food allergies. Basically, an incident of anaphylaxis initially starts with an itchy or irritating sensation, and some individuals experience a metallic after-taste. Anaphylactic symptoms may also include hot flashes or sudden warm feeling, inflammation of the throat and oral cavity, hives, dyspnea or labored breathing, low blood pressure, diarrhea, gastric irritations, and fainting or loss of consciousness.

Furthermore, there are cases wherein the symptoms fade away for a moment but then come back within a few hours; this incidence is known as biphasic reaction.

To prevent food allergy and anaphylactic reactions, careful scrutiny of food labels, diet modifications, specific instructions in food orders in restaurants, and certain medications can be of great help in reducing the incidence of any type of reaction. Moreover, a consultation to the physician is advisable for an efficient management plan and if allergies seem to run in families because it can also be hereditarily caused.

Eczema and Food Allergy; are They Really related to Each

Eczema and Food Allergy; are They Really related to Each Other

Eczema is a type of skin ailment that usually comes with itching, skin thickening and scaling. Most often, eczema appears on the knees, arms, elbows and even on the face.

When this type of skin ailment affects children, especially those who have a clear skin, parents are not able to distinguish its cause at once.

Usually, parents perceived that food allergies are the source of their child’s eczema. However, there are numerous experts who find this belief to be untrue. Instead, these experts advise parents not to limit the diet of their child without consulting with a pediatrician first.

An example of eczema relating to food allergy was the case of a five month old baby who suffers from severe eczema.

According to the mother, the baby is intolerant to lactose early on, even the formulas of lactose free appear to be incompatible to her baby. Hence, she decided to shift to soy.

The soy shows a good reaction on the baby’s skin. However, after sometime, the eczema appeared again.

If you are in the position of the mother, would you think that the soy caused the eczema to the baby? Would you prefer to use again the lactose free formula?

As what has been mentioned in the previous paragraph, eczema usually appears and vanishes, leaving the child with clear eczema free skin for a couple of weeks. That makes the triggering factor of eczema hard to be determined.

This is the exact thing experienced by the mother in the presented case.

Though it is true that the controversy about food allergies as a triggering factor of eczema do not die away until now, the relationship of a lactose free formula to the baby’s eczema do not show a good reason.

According to the experts, the baby might catch the allergy from milk proteins, or if not from the soy proteins. They reject lactose, a sugar, to be the reason.

Shifting to lactose free formula can be her option. But experts affirmed that lactose do not include a formula that would cure the baby’s eczema. If ever it does, it is certainly a coincidence.

Lactose may develop other symptoms, like or instance fussiness, diarrhea or gas.

If you have the same case, it is suggested that you visit your baby’s pediatrician rather than rely on hearsay. You can cite to your baby’s pediatrician that you are suspecting the baby to be allergic on soy formula including those that are milk based.

Your pediatrician will tell you whether these formulas really worsen the eczema. Hypoallergenic formula like Alomentum or Nutramigen can be prescribed.

The pediatrician might also advise allergy testing. This is done through blood testing.

Now, if you really observe that the food or even drinks your baby had taken has worsen his eczema, then you can just simply avoid them. But clarify it with your pediatrician; he is more knowledgeable about food allergies.

Note that there are also some children who both have eczema as well food allergies. But these two do not tend to affect one another.

The best thing about this case is to know the treatments for eczema. Follow the prescription of the pediatrician; this will assure you that you are applying the right medication for your baby.

Determine properly the triggering factor. Usually, pediatricians prescribe moisturizers, or topical steroids.

Dog’s with a Food Allergy: Treating and Managing Your Dog’s

Dog’s with a Food Allergy: Treating and Managing Your Dog’s Allergy

Food allergy is one of the most common diseases in today’s society. You have to consider that allergies can cause discomfort in your daily activities and you will not be able to do your daily activities properly. However, you have to consider that your dog too can experience food allergies.

You have to consider the fact your dog too can have food allergies. This is why you should also monitor your pet because allergies can cause severe discomfort in your dog and in severe cases, it can be life threatening. It is very important that you should be aware of the signs and symptoms of dog allergies as it can be hard to detect. You have to remember that your dog cannot talk and cannot tell you what they are feeling. So, it is important to remember that you should know how to detect dog allergies in order for you to manage it properly and know how to effectively treat them.

Dogs today eat a variety of processed foods and food allergy is the third most common causes of allergies in dog. As with the human allergy, the dog’s immune system also overreacts to a certain kind of food that will trigger their immune system to release histamines to fight of the invader. You have to consider that the so-called invader is usually harmless to dogs and the immune system overreacts to it and mistakes it as harmful.

If your dog is suffering from an allergy attack, you will see that they have itching in several parts of the body. They will experience itching in the face, foot, limb, belly and they will also experience recurrent ear infections. You will also see that they will not be as active as usual, will refuse to eat and will vomit.

One of the main causes of food allergies is staring at you in the face. The dog foods available today that can be brought from several pet stores contains junk ingredients that can cause allergic reaction to your dogs. The proteins found in beef, chicken, chicken eggs, wheat and dairy products are the most common causes of allergies in dogs. As you can see, the ingredients mentioned are also the most common ingredients found in dog food. It is important that you should try switching your dog’s diet in order to determine what kind of food that is causing the allergy.

It is also important that you should take your dog to the vet in order to perform a series of physical examination that will determine what kind of ingredient in dog foods that contains ingredients that causes the allergies. Once the allergen is identified, the vet will recommend that your dog should change diet from regular dog food that contains allergens to hypoallergenic dog food. Although hypoallergenic dog foods can cost quite higher than regular and popular dog foods available in the market, you can be sure that your dog will always be in shape and will always live a happy life.

You can also choose homemade diets but you have to remember that the vitamins and minerals should be carefully balanced in order to provide the adequate nourishment your dog needs. Your veterinarian will be able to provide you with a diet plan for your dog.

With proper management and proper treatment, your dog will be able to live a happier life and will minimize the risk of allergy attacks.

Common Food Allergy: Effectively Managing Food Allergies

It is a fact that you have to eat food everyday in order to give your body the nourishment it needs in order for it to function on its daily tasks. Obviously, food is what fuels your body to go on living. However, there are cases where food can also cause illness that you have to avoid.

Today, there are cases where people are allergic to certain kinds of food. In order to properly manage it, you have to consider that you will need to be aware of the food that you are allergic from and also to avoid food that contains certain kinds of allergens that your body will react to.

It is very important that you should know how to effectively manage your diet especially if you are allergic to certain kinds of food as allergy attacks can be very uncomfortable and can affect the normal functions in your daily life. In severe cases, allergy attacks may need you to be hospitalized as it can cause swelling in your air passages that will not allow you get any oxygen in your lungs and suffocate to death.

First of all, allergy attacks are triggered by the allergens found in allergen-containing foods. Normally, these allergens are considered to be harmless. However, once it enters the body of a person with allergic reaction to specific allergens, the immune system overreacts and tries to destroy the foreign object that made its way to the body. During this process, the body reacts by showing signs of swelling to different parts of the body, skin rashes, redness and increase in temperature, itching, shortness of breath and wheezing,

As you can see, allergic reactions of your body can be very uncomfortable and will severely affect your daily activities. This is why you have to be aware of the foods you eat and know what kind of food you are allergic from.

Usually, the most common food allergies that the body reacts to are peanuts, shellfish, milk, fish, wheat and soy. If you are not sure what food allergens you are allergic to, you have to visit your physician or an allergist. They will give you a series of tests that will enable you to identify what kind of food you are allergic from. With this kind of information, you will be able to manage your allergy effectively and prevent any future attacks.

Here are some ways you can prevent allergy attacks. Firstly and obviously, you have to avoid foods that contain food allergens that your body reacts to. This means that you should never eat food that you are allergic to and never cook food with an ingredient that contains the food allergens.

If you are out dining in a restaurant, you should inform the waiter or waitress about your food allergy and ask him or her which food contains the food allergen you are allergic from. If you really want to eat foods that contain the allergens, you have to inform the waiter or waitress to not include the ingredient (milk, peanuts, tree nuts, egg) that you are allergic from.

If you accidentally ingested the food-containing allergen, it is very important that you should immediately take anti-histamine medications. This is why you have to take anti-histamine medication wherever you go in case you accidentally ate food that contains an ingredient that you are allergic from.

These are some of the common food allergens that you should know about in order to properly manage it and minimize the risk of future allergy attacks that can lead to severe discomfort and in severe cases, death.

Child Food Allergy: How to Effectively Manage It

As a parent, it is very important for your child to have everything. You would want everything to be the best for your child and this is why most parents work very hard in order to give their children their needs and their wants. You work hard in order to give your child the best possible living conditions, nutritious and delicious foods, enroll them to the best schools, and you also want them to have the best toys that they can play with.

As you can see, it is quite natural for you as a parent to want the best in everything for your child in order for them to grow up healthy as well as happy. However, there comes a time where your child gets sick. Today, there are numerous cases of child food allergy that can severely affect your child’s way of life.

With a child food allergy, you have to take care and closely monitor what your child eats. Because they still dont have an idea about what foods they can eat and what foods they cannot eat, it is very necessary that you should always keep an eye out for your child. However, if they are now going to school, you have to consider that their classmates may eat food that their child is allergic from. You have to realize the fact that your children just might want to taste it. And, with you at the office, working very hard for your child, you can’t always keep an eye out for your child and tell them that they can’t eat the food.

First of all, allergies are triggered by histamines. Although histamines are normally found in animal dander, and in pollens, it can also be found in certain foods. In fact, some people are allergic to a lot of foods that they have to know what they are eating. You also have to know how allergies work in order to fully understand how you can manage it. Allergies are triggered when your child ingests histamine. Histamines are normally considered to be harmless in the human body, however, when a person is allergic to it, the white blood cells or the immune systems overreacts and attacks the histamine. This also triggers the body to experience sneezing, runny nose, and swelling in different parts of the body. This is considered to be your body’s self defense when they encounter an alien object in your body.

There are severe cases of allergies that some children experiences that can really affect their life. In some cases of allergy attacks, you may need to take your child to the hospital. This is why it is very important that you should identify what kind of food is allergic from.

Usually, child food allergy is triggered by histamines in peanuts and in shellfish. Although they may develop allergy to other kinds of food, peanuts and shellfish are the main triggers of allergies.

It is also a great way to keep track of their diet in order for you to identify the causes of allergy attacks in your child. However, it is best that you should consult their pediatrician where they will perform a series of tests that can be used to identify what kind of allergens triggers your child’s allergy attacks. To do this, your pediatrician will do a series of lab examination that will include skin tests to determine the causes of the allergy.

By doing this and by knowing about what kind of food your child is allergic to, you will be able to manage the food they eat and give them a more normal life to live.