People with food allergies are vulnerable to potentially life-threatening reactions from even small amounts of allergenic food, so emergency medication such as an Epinephrine autoinjector (Adrenaclick or EpiPen) must always be on hand in case symptoms arise.
Symptoms may include tingling in the mouth, itching or swelling of lips, tongue or throat; more serious reactions include reduced blood pressure or shock.
Milk
Milk allergy occurs when your immune system overreacts to proteins found in cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk and other forms of dairy product milks, making it one of the most frequently encountered food allergens, particularly among babies and toddlers. Reactions range from mild such as rashes or hives to severe symptoms that interfere with breathing – the severity can even require hospitalization in some cases.
Milk can be difficult to avoid as it’s found in so many food items, from cheese and yogurt to ice cream and butter. Some products even contain milk without actually containing it directly – like tortilla chips and microwave popcorn for instance. You should read food labels to identify products containing dairy; you could also request a cross-contamination alert from FDA which informs you if other ingredients may have come into contact with dairy during production.
People with milk allergies should carry emergency epinephrine (EP-ih-ne-pheen) medication with them at all times to treat severe allergic reactions such as throat swelling or difficulty breathing. Your physician can show you how to use it; two doses should always be prepared, in case the second wave of symptoms prove more dangerous than expected.
Eggs
Egg allergies arise when an immune system becomes sensitive and overreacts to proteins found in egg whites and yolks, triggering symptoms such as hives, swelling and abdominal pain as well as vomiting. Egg allergies are extremely prevalent among infants and young children. Most outgrow their allergy by the age of 16.
As with other food allergies, egg allergies are typically diagnosed through a blood test that measures IgE antibodies specific to egg protein. The test is safe for use on all age groups – even infants.
Eggs are one of the most frequently allergenic foods, yet are often hidden ingredients in many products such as canned soups, salad dressings and meat-based dishes like lasagna and meatloaf. People who are allergic to eggs must be vigilant about reading product ingredients and asking restaurants about potential allergens; additionally, people should carry two doses of an EpiPen for emergency use at all times in case an anaphylactic reaction occurs.
Peanuts
Peanut allergy is an extremely prevalent issue and often associated with life-threatening reactions known as anaphylaxis, which can result in symptoms spanning across more than one system of the body, including hives, swelling in the mouth or throat, difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness.
Peanuts do not belong to the tree-nut family (Fabaceae or Leguminosae), like beans, peas and lentils; rather they belong to the legume family (Fabaceae or Leguminosae). Like allergies to other legumes, peanut allergy symptoms are similar; and in some instances can cross-react with tree nuts as well.
Studies of major peanut allergens have shown that their proteins cause reactions strongly linked to geographic area; however, more work must be done to understand how they differ between allergic populations. Peanut profilins — Ara h 1 through Ara h 4 — and peanut oleosins were linked with severe reactions among some populations; anaphylactic reactions related specifically to peanut oleosins was noted more commonly among Swedish BAMSE birth cohort members (Cabanos et al. 2010a).
Food and drinks must always be safe for someone with a peanut allergy, whether at home or away. Always carry two unexpired epinephrine auto-injectors with you at all times and inform anyone who prepares or serves their meals of their allergy.
Tree Nuts
Nut allergies arise when your immune system overreacts to proteins found in nuts that grow on trees. The presence of such proteins can trigger anaphylaxis symptoms which interfere with breathing or even shock; in such an emergency situation it must be immediately treated using an epinephrine auto-injector device.
Tree nuts such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts can cause severe allergic reactions such as hives, itching, wheezing, swelling of lips or tongue, vomiting rapid heartbeat and difficulty breathing; sometimes fatal.
People with nut allergies may be sensitive to multiple kinds of nuts since they’re botanically related (for instance pine is considered a nut while macadamia nuts do not). An allergist can help you decide whether it is safe for you to consume certain tree nuts while avoiding others based on factors like your age, skin prick testing results, risk of cross-reactivity issues and quality of life impacts as well as family preferences.
Nuts are an increasingly prevalent component of many different food items. To ensure they do not contain tree nuts during manufacturing and processing, it is vital that consumers read ingredient lists of packaged products to confirm this information. Even foods containing one safe nut could potentially have been contaminated with additional dangerous nuts during this process.
Fish
Fish allergies are among the most prevalent allergens worldwide, particularly in nations that consume high volumes of seafood such as China, Japan and Scandinavian nations. Seafood allergies are more likely to strike teenagers and adults than very early children; its cause remains unknown but experts suspect a protein called parvalbumin which occurs naturally across many bony fish species in varying degrees; thus explaining why some people with fish allergies can consume tuna and salmon which contain similar levels of parvalbumin protein but to lesser degrees than tuna and salmon do.
People with fish allergies must avoid all seafood including crustacean (crab, shrimp and lobster) and mollusc (shellfish). It is also important to read product labels carefully, as fish may also be found in sauces, condiments and prepared foods like Caesar salad dressing and bouillabaisse or caponata (Sicilian eggplant relish). Cross-contamination risks exist when foods are cooked using oil that was previously fried in fish; certain cuisines are especially susceptible to cross-contamination such as African, Chinese, Indonesian and Thai.
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