Allergies And Asthma

Food allergies occur when the immune system mounts an attack on certain proteins in certain foods. The substances in the food that trigger this immune-system response are called allergens. The immune system is a complex network of cells and molecules that help defend the body against foreign substances. When a properly functioning immune system detects a foreign substance,

Very often, people mistake food intolerance for food allergy. Food intolerance is much more common than food allergy, and is the less serious of the two conditions. Food intolerance is an exaggerated or abnormal physical reaction to a food or food additive (such as an artificial coloring or preservative) that does not involve an immune

Virtually any food can trigger an allergic response. However, studies have found that 80 to 90 percent of children with food allergies are allergic to one or more of these foods: Eggs Peanuts Milk Wheat Soy Other common triggers include: Tree nuts (such as almonds, pecans, cashews, Brazil nuts and walnuts) Fish and shellfish (for

If you think you have food allergies, you should see an allergist, a physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating allergies. If you try to diagnose the problem yourself, you run the risk of removing too many foods from your diet and losing important nutrients. Before making a diagnosis, an allergist will take your medical

Once an allergy is diagnosed, strict avoidance of the offending food (or foods) is the only proven method of managing the allergy. There is no medical cure for food allergy. However, within the next few years there will be safe and effective vaccines for food allergies. By strictly avoiding the food for one or two years, approximately

There are some questionable practices for diagnosis and treatment of food allergies. Tests that are not scientifically valid and are considered experimental include: Blood tests that determine food immune complexes and IgG food antibodies: Such tests measure substances that all normal people have in their blood. Food immune complexes form after food digestion. IgG includes most

Here are some frequently asked questions related to Food Allergies And Intolerance. Q: What is the difference between food allergy and food intolerance? A: Food allergy involves a reaction of the body’s immune system; food intolerance does not. Food intolerance stems from problems with digestion or metabolism-the way the body breaks down food-usually because of an enzyme deficiency. Food intolerance rarely causes

Here is a summary of the important facts and information related to Food Allergies And Intolerance. People have adverse reactions to foods for many reasons other than allergies. Food allergy is much less common than most people think; less than 2 percent of U.S. adults have genuine food allergies. The following foods account for about 90 percent