Food Intolerance and Food Allergies
Author: Tyler D Falls
Food allergy or intolerance?
One out of 3 North Americans believe
that they are allergic to certain
foods, but fewer than 1 percent have
genuine allergies. For most people
food intolerance is the reason for
this confusion between the two. The
other 29 percent are usually just
unable to tolerate certain foods,
often because they lack an enzyme
needed for proper digestion.
Although, some people are sensitive
to lactose, a sugar found in milk,
however, they can tolerate other
dairy products like cheese, yogurt
and sour cream. This is an example
of food sensitivity or intolerance,
NOT an allergy to diary products. A
person with an allergic reaction
would have a reaction to most types
of dairy, and usually the symptoms
are worse, and longer lasting.
Sometimes children cannot tolerate
gluten, found in wheat products, but
will grow out or the intolerance. On
the other hand this could also be a
allergic reaction to a protein in
wheat. But the child would also
react to anything that has wheat in
it. Children can outgrow an allergy
as well, so sometimes it may be hard
for even a doctor to tell weather or
not it is an intolerance or an
allergy without a blood test.
MSG (Mono-sodium glutamate) a flavor
in foods, is a common trigger for a
food intolerance. It is used as a
flavor enhancer and can cause
flushing, headaches, and numbness in
certain people. Its not known how
much MSG is needed to trigger a
reaction, but it varies from person
to person. Generally large amounts
cause more severe reactions.
Sulfites, used as a preservative in
many foods and wines, can cause
sensitivity as well as trigger
allergic reactions. It depends on
the person, the best way to check is
to have a blood test done by a
allergy specialist. They will be
able to determine which type of
reaction is causing you or your
child
problems, and properly treat what
ever it is.
What you need to know about
allergies and how the effect you.
About the author:
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Food Allergies
Author: Steve Wilcott
An allergy can be described as a
malfunction of the immune system, an
exaggerated response to certain
substances. Your body mistakenly
believes that something it has
touched, smelled or eaten is harmful
to it and your body releases massive
amounts of chemicals, such as
histamine to protect itself.
It is believed that 11 million
Americans suffer from food
allergies. These allergies are as
varied as food itself is. Some
people suffer from an allergy to one
food, some to many. The most common
food allergies are generally eggs,
milk, peanuts, tree nuts (such as
walnuts), fish, shellfish, soy and
wheat.
Symptoms of food allergies are
varied and range from a tingling of
the mouth to swelling of the tongue
and throat to difficulty breathing
to hives, cramps, diarrhea, vomiting
and in some instances death.
There are ways to help you or your
loved one manage your food
allergies. First seek the help of an
allergist. Your allergist will
perform a patch test to determine
the exact cause of allergic
reactions. This will be the
guideline you use as you develop a
diet based around your food
allergies.
As with other types of allergies
there is no cure for a food allergy.
Some children do grow out of some
food allergies as they age although
allergies to peanuts, fish,
shellfish and nuts are often
considered lifetime allergies. You
or your loved one must simply avoid
the food that causes the allergy.
This can be difficult, especially
when eating out in a restaurant.
Depending on the severity of
allergy, even slight cross
contamination of food products can
cause reactions.
Food labeling is a very important
component of avoiding foods that
trigger allergies. Since 2000 the
FDA has been presenting information
on allergy risks and labeling
requirements to manufacturers. They
seek to have manufacturers change
some labels to be easier to read,
using plain language like "milk" on
a label instead of "caseinate".
In the case of a milk or egg allergy
there are alternatives that can be
used when cooking or baking. There
are many online sites dedicated to
supplying information, education and
support to those with food
allergies.
About the author:
This article courtesy of
http://www.allergies-questions.com
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