Food allergies occur when our immune systems mistakenly identify certain food or substances as dangerous, leading to symptoms like itching and swelling, in severe cases even constricting airways and dropping blood pressure to produce shock-like shock waves.
Pollen-Food Allergy Syndrome
Pollen allergies and food allergies often co-occur. Certain proteins in fruit, vegetables, nuts, and spices resemble pollen proteins that cause your nose to run when breathing in. Your body reacts by creating an allergic response in your mouth and throat when ingesting these foods; this condition is known as Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS).
OAS typically presents itself in the form of itching on lips, tongue and/or mouth; occasionally throat swelling occurs causing difficulty swallowing or breathing (this complication is extremely rare). OAS typically takes hold within minutes after eating a raw food product that contains pollen-containing pollen which you are allergic to.
Your healthcare provider should be able to diagnose OAS based on your symptoms and history. In certain instances, they may recommend skin testing with prepared allergen extracts or conducting food challenges (where you consume certain food while being monitored for signs of an allergic reaction). When having these tests conducted by experienced allergy specialists.
Milk Allergy
People with milk allergies experience their immune systems overreacting to proteins found in dairy products, which causes skin, airway and cardiovascular symptoms to manifest themselves. Milk is one of the most frequent food allergens to trigger allergic reactions; additionally it’s one of the top triggers for anaphylaxis – an potentially life-threatening reaction affecting multiple body systems simultaneously.
Lactose intolerance typically results in digestive symptoms like gas and bloating; milk allergies typically manifest with skin, respiratory system and heart symptoms instead. When an allergic response occurs, IgE produced by your immune system attaches to mast cells located there which release histamine into your system.
Allergy specialists may use either a skin test or blood test to detect milk allergy. A skin test involves applying small drops of liquid containing milk proteins directly onto an arm or back and seeing whether any reddish, raised spots appear; this indicates an allergic response. With blood testing, an allergist will look for IgE antibodies which react against milk protein.
Egg Allergy
Egg allergy occurs when your immune system mistakenly reacts to harmless proteins found in eggs. Symptoms range from mild rashes to life-threatening anaphylaxis; infants and young children are most at risk, although for some it persists into adulthood.
Your allergist will perform a skin test to identify an egg allergy. In this test, small amounts of egg proteins will be introduced directly onto the skin through pinpricking. If there is an allergy present, hive-like bumps should appear at the test site; blood tests can also identify egg-specific IgE antibodies.
As egg protein can be found in many products, those with egg allergies must read labels closely. Furthermore, healthcare providers – particularly nurses and doctors who administer vaccines – should also be made aware of your allergy, since some medications and influenza vaccines contain detectable amounts of egg proteins. It’s wise to always carry two doses of epinephrine with you for emergencies, while educating others as to its use should the need arise.
Peanut Allergy
Peanuts are legumes, so if you are sensitive to them, other legumes like peas and lentils could also trigger your allergies. However, many individuals who are allergic to peanuts can usually tolerate tree nuts like almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts without issue.
Peanut allergy symptoms vary widely. Some are mild and affect one system only, such as skin hives; while other symptoms, such as anaphylaxis, may require medical intervention immediately – such as sending shock signals to your immune system and producing chemicals which trigger dangerous drops in blood pressure, difficulty breathing, and can even make you pass out. Anaphylaxis should always be treated immediately using an autoinjector (EpiPen, Auvi-Q etc) followed by going directly to an emergency room for further evaluation and treatment.
If you or your child have a peanut allergy, speak to your physician about an action plan including an allergy action card to inform restaurant staff of your allergy and what symptoms to look out for. Also discuss carrying an emergency supply of epinephrine so you or your child can treat a life-threatening reaction as soon as it arises.
Tree Nut Allergy
Tree nut allergies involve an allergic response to proteins found in nuts such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, walnuts and pistachios. Similar to peanuts, tree nuts are one of the allergens most often linked with life-threatening anaphylaxis reactions – an allergy which most children will outgrow by the age of 10. However, less than 10% do so over time.
Allergy testing reveals that various tree nuts share similar proteins, leading people with an allergy to one type of tree nut to test positive for other tree nut allergies as well. This process is known as cross reactivity.
People with tree nut allergies must adhere to a stringent avoidance regime of nuts and related products, reading ingredient labels carefully when shopping or dining out at restaurants and market stalls, telling the chef or owner about your allergy, and asking them to be especially mindful when preparing their dishes. When travelling, take two doses of an auto-injector such as EpiPen or ALLERJECT in case symptoms worsen unexpectedly.
Fish Allergy
Fish is a reliable source of protein and essential fatty acids, while providing essential iodine to our diets. Unfortunately, some types of fish proteins can be allergenic, leading to symptoms like itching and hives (red raised bumps on the skin). Fish allergies can sometimes become severe reactions leading to breathing issues or even death; so it is wise to avoid any fish you know you’re allergic to.
Fish allergies can be diagnosed via either a skin prick test or blood test. With the former method, a small droplet containing protein from fish is placed onto your back or forearm and, within 20 minutes, any reddish-pink rash that itch indicates an allergy to that specific fish species.
People allergic to one species of fish may also react adversely to proteins found in similar-smelling species of other fish or shellfish (shrimp, crabs and lobster). This phenomenon is known as cross-reactivity.
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