1. First and Foremost, Are You Aware You Have Any?
You're enjoying a business dinner with the boss. When you ordered the seafood tempura, you specifically ask the waiter if there is any lobster in the dish, and he answered "no." About a half hour after dinner, your face blows-up like a Puffer fish, you cannot breathe through your swollen throat, your face is blue and you tummy has aliens exploding in it. 911, please!
The melodrama was caused when the waiter failed to know the chef used lobster stock to season the tempura dipping sauce, ergo you're abruptly scurried off to the ER to treat your anaphylactic reaction, which can quickly become terminal.
Next time, pull out your adrenaline or an epinephrine injection pen. It helps stop allergic reactions fast, buying you valuable time for emergency medical help.
When it strikes, your life is at risk and time is critical. We cannot over emphasize that being acutely aware of your allergy triggers is essential.
2. What is a Food Allergy? What's the Trigger?
An allergy is a hypersensitive over-reaction by you body to a foreign substance--an antigen. It's an immune system response to a food that the body mistakenly believes is injurious (and which, in similar quantities and situations, are perfectly benign to other people).
No two people are alike when it comes to our delicate internal bio-ecosystem.
3. What Differentiates Food Allergies and Food Intolerance
Food allergy and food intolerance are not the same. An allergy occurs when your immune system reacts to certain foods. Your immune system reacts when the body creates antibodies to the food. Food intolerance is an adverse food-induced reaction that doesn't involve your immune system. Your immune response mistakenly believes that normally harmless substance as now harmful, then attempts to protect your body by creating immunoglobulin antibodies to that food. So the next time you eat that food, your immune system releases copious amounts of chemicals and histamines to protect your amazing body.
4. Major Culprits
Peanuts cause the most severe allergic reactions, then shellfish, fish, tree nuts, peanuts, vitamins, artificial coloring and texture, and eggs. Some good folks get back reactions from simple peanut fumes. We are all different and react to antigens differently. A stuffy, itchy, runny nose and sneezing are common indications that you may have indoor and outdoor allergic rhinitis (rye-NITE-iss) or hay fever.
Wouldn't you just freak if, after years of suffering, you finally discover you are allergic to gluten and dairy, a treatable food allergy? For years you've put with bloating, gas, headaches, mood swings, hives and feeling puny and fatigued, and finally you're free again? Get tested. Everyone deserves to feel good.
Gluten allergy (Celiac Disease) can lead to Addison's disease, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting reflux, infertility, mouth sores, weight loss/gain, lack of concentration, belated menstrual cycles, bone/joint/muscle soreness, seizures, tingling numbness in the legs, dental enamel hypoplasia and arrested body organ development. Underdeveloped breast during puberty is an example of hypoplasia.
Would you recognize an allergic reaction to gluten, lactose, peanuts, seafood or any of the thousands of allergic foods? You'll struggle with breathing, experience a drop in blood pressure, upchucking, hives, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and possibly a permanent nap. We don't want that to happen. A visit to your PCP or Integrative physician and a few non-invasive test will give you peace of mind and genuine awareness. Don't forget to pack some injectable adrenaline.
5. Treating Food Allergies
Relief is just a squirt of epinephrine away. Don't leave home with out it. To treat food allergies, simply avoid eating the offenders. Ditto for breastfeeding moms. Look out for hydrolyzed ingredients in infant formulas which may contain gluten and MSG. Be careful to read the labels for infant formulas sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. Life tastes good!
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