People having a food allergy most of the times are not even aware that they have one. There may be difficulty in diagnosis moreover if there haven’t been apparent reactions then or before. Generally the symptoms surface only if there is excessive consumption more than the body’s tolerable level of intake.
Mostly food allergy makes it seem as if some foods are actually harmful. The body’s immune system then starts creating antibodies to fight back those allergens which were responsible for the allergy in the first place. When a person eats food, or touches it, or even breathes near it the body releases some chemicals like histamine to fight allergens. The symptoms of these allergies can go as far as affecting the skin, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract and the respiratory system. The symptoms of these food allergies include abdominal pain, sneezing, asthma, running nose, itching in the throat, tongue and lips, etc.
Special diets are essential for food allergies. These are the diets which have low or no content of food allergens as much as possible. It is advisable to consult with a dietician or a doctor especially when one wants to start over with a specialized new diet. This is because one might omit a lot of nutrients in case he or she has taken on a new diet without anyone else’s consultation and might want to replace those lost nutrients.
1. Milk allergic diets. One needs to remove dairy and milk products however this means that a goodish diet containing calcium and vitamin D. Hence it is important that these milk products are replaced with other equally nutritious diets namely spinach, soy products, broccoli, etc. these products too must be checked on the label for their ingredients. One can always use soy milk for cow’s milk. There are other non dairy products such as cheese, chocolate, ice cream, margarines, etc.
2. Peanut allergy diets. Among all kinds of food allergies, peanut allergy is the fatal as well as potentially serious. These contain the allergens which are most commonly known to trigger allergic reactions. Commercial foods like candy, baked and ethnic foods contain peanuts; more so if they are all prepared by one manufacturer.
3. Egg Allergy Diets. Adults, infants and young children are usually prone to this kind of allergy. When this happens, one should completely eliminate the consumption of eggs and products containing eggs. Make sure that you carefully check labels before buying anything as many egg alternatives contain egg white content.
4. Fish allergy diet. There are different species of fish but most contain the similar proteins. If you suffer from fish allergy, then you should avoid eating all kinds of fish, unless your allergist has determined which specie of fish triggers your reaction. Try your best to avoid visiting seafood restaurants.
5. Tree nuts allergy diets. The products that contain tree nut ingredients should be completely avoided even if it is only one nut that has triggered your reaction. There are many lotions and shampoos that also contain tree nuts. Check all product labels carefully.
6. Soy allergy diets. All soybeans are supposed to be legumes and these include navy beans, kidney beans, string beans, black beans, peanuts, pinto beans, chickpeas, lentils, carob and licorice. These are used widely for the processing of foods, so you should exercise caution and avoid such products.
7. Shellfish allergy diets. There are different species of shell fish but most contain similar proteins. Eliminate all the species of shellfish from your regular diet, unless your allergist has previously determined which specie is causing the reaction.
8. Wheat allergy diet. Proteins present in wheat are known as gluten and the American diet staple are wheat made foods. But these are the ones you need to avoid. Always read product labels thoroughly before purchasing.
Remember these diet guidelines always if you wish to combat food allergies with success.
Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/fighting-those-food-allergies-the-allergens-way-708852.html
March 14th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
Food allergies 'gone in 10 years'?
Experts at the BA Festival of Science, in Norwich, heard that vaccines could be created against the molecules which trigger allergies.
The scientist leading the research – Dr Ronald van Ree, from Amsterdam University – said a vaccine with no side effects was in sight.
About one in 70 people have an allergy to foods such as peanuts or shellfish.
New genetic engineering techniques are being tested to reduce the effect of the proteins in food that cause adverse – sometimes fatal – reactions.
It is hoped that scientists will be able to make the molecules safe enough to use in drugs that fight food allergies via the immune system.
These would be used in conjunction with compounds designed to reduce inflammation – one of the most dangerous effects of allergic reactions.
Effective treatment will end the fear that food-allergic patients have for unwanted exposure to food allergens
do you think that they will finally great rid of allergies? because if they do that will be nice
March 14th, 2010 at 10:26 pm
Perhaps, but genetic engineering is so rife with issues (all very debatable, and too lengthy to cover here) that I wouldn’t hold my breath.
There are already some pretty decent treatments for allergies, one of which is a series of shots that helps to desensitize the body to allergens gradually. They are expensive but if your insurance covers them, they may be very effective.
I think that while there may be strides made in treatment and prevention of serious allergic reactions, we will always have allergies because we are always coming in contact with substances that some of our bodies start freaking out about, and we come in contact with literally hundreds of thousands of substances per day (think of all the ingredients in one sandwich, then all the ingredients in your toothpaste, deodorant, the starch used on your clothes, the air freshener in that office you visited, and on and on. . .).
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