According to data provided by the Mayo Clinic, there are around 2 percent of the adult population that have some form of food allergy at some time in their life. Additionally, child food allergies account for around another 6 percent of the population. When you consider that the combined adult and child population of the U.S is more than 3 hundred million, these apparently small percentages correspond to some six million grownups and 18 million children. Much the same as other allergic reactions, food allergies result from an over reaction to an allergen by the immune system. In this instance, the allergens are typically dairy based products, eggs, peanuts, shellfish and several other foods. Because the body sees the ingestion of any of these foods as a foreign invader instead of nutrition, it releases an antibody called Immunoglobulin E or IgE for short ready to fight the perceived invader. The antibodies stimulate the release of histamine, prostaglandins and several other compounds that bring about the symptoms. Common food allergy symptoms  tend to be more comprehensive than those that mark some other allergies. These include the possibility of watery eyes and congestion of the nasal passages. However, they are usually accompanied with or even overtaken by such things as swelling of the lips, pharynx or tongue, urticaria or skin hives (itchy red bumps that form on the surface of the skin), sickness, wheezing and even abdominal pain. Anaphylactic shock can be the result in more extreme cases. Anaphylaxis is a systemic (overall body) allergic reaction. It involves several serious symptoms such as dizziness, constricted airways resulting in breathing difficulities and a dramatic drop in blood pressure. It comes on quickly and if not treated immediately, can sometimes cause death. Upwards of 200 deaths per year in the United States are attributed to anaphylaxis. Allergic reactions to food are on occasions localized in some people. Fresh fruits and vegetables induce some to experience a sort of tingling sensation in the mouth. It is believed that this type of reaction happens because of certain proteins, much the same as those that are found in the pollen of ragweed. Telling the difference between a food intolerance and a food allergy necessitates a professional diagnosis by an allergist. To  ascertain if a person has an allergy to certain foods, the allergist will carry out an allergy skin prick test . The doctor takes a minute quantity of the suspect substance and exposes the patient to it by introducing a tiny amount below the skin with a lancet. The area of skin is then monitored for approximately half an hour to see if any itching or swelling takes place as a consequence of any response to the suspect substance. In order to guage the amount of IgE produced by the body when ingesting a particular food, it may be necessary for a blood test to be taken although this does not always give a definitive answer. Lactose intolerance, for instance, is stimulated by the genetically induced lack of the digestive enzyme required to safely process cow’s milk. The symptoms may be alike, but this is not an allergic reaction. Getting rid of the troublesome food from the diet and surroundings is the first and best line of defense. Although it is maybe a simple response, a person who has an allergy to egg based products should avoid ingesting such foods. The same applies to an individual that is allergic to peanuts or products that contain traces of them. Since there is no cure yet for food allergies, avoidance is the best medicine. However, it is not so easy to avoid some substances, in spite of your best efforts and in that scenario, symptom relief is available in the form of antihistamines. It’s also good to have on hand an EpiPen or similar device that lets allergy sufferers to inject a small amount of ephinephrine during an emergency. A serious attack of anaphylaxis can be fended off until professional medical assistance can be found.

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How do I know if I have a Food Allergy

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