According to data from the Mayo Clinic, approximately two percent of adults and six percent of minors suffer some form of food allergy. When you take into account that the population of the US is more than three hundred million, these seemingly small percentages equate to some six million grownups and eighteen million minors.
Much the same as any other allergy, food allergies result from an over reaction to an allergen by the immune system. Common food allergens include, but are not limited to, dairy products such as milk, seafood and shellfish, peanuts and eggs.
Because the body sees the ingestion of any of these foods as a foreign invader instead of nutrition, it releases an antibody called Immunoglobulin E, or IgE for short, ready to fight the perceived invader. The allergy symptoms are produced by the release of histamine, prostaglandins and various other compounds, which are stimulated by the antibodies.
Food allergy symptoms tend to be more comprehensive than those that mark some other allergies. These include the possibility of watery eyes and nasal congestion. However, they are typically accompanied with or even overwhelmed by such things as swelling up of the lips, throat or tongue, urticaria or skin hives (itchy red bumps that form on the surface of the skin), nausea, wheezing and even pain in the abdomen.
In severe cases, anaphylactic shock can happen. This is a whole body or systemic allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. It involves some serious symptoms such as light-headedness, constricted airways resulting in breathing difficulties and a dramatic drop in blood pressure. It comes on very quickly and if not treated immediately, can sometimes result in the death of the person. In the US, some two hundred people a year die as a result of anaphylactic shock.
Allergic reactions to food are sometimes localized in some people. For example, some folks will experience a tingling sensation in their mouth after eating fresh fruit or vegetables. It is believed that certain proteins similar to those that are found in ragweed pollen cause this type of response.
Differentiating between food intolerance and a food allergy necessitates a professional diagnosis by an allergist.
To ascertain if a person has an allergy to particular foods, the allergist will carry out one or many skin prick tests. This procedure involves taking a small extract of the suspected substance and inserting it just under the surface of the patients skin. The area of skin is then monitored for approximately thirty minutes to determine if any itchiness or swelling occurs as a result of any response to the suspect substance.
In some cases, a blood test may be justified. This measures the quantity of IgE produced in response to consuming the suspicious food. However, it is not always definitive.
An example of where the symptoms are similar but not the same as an allergy is lactose intolerance. This is caused by the genetic deficiency of a digestive enzyme that is needed by the body to process cows milk safely.
The best line of defense for anybody with a food allergy is to get rid of the problem food from their diet and environment. Those with an allergy to eggs simply should not ingest eggs or products that are made with them. Those sensitive to peanuts and peanut dust can by and large avoid coming into contact with them.
In the absence of any known cure for allergies, avoidance is the best medicine for the moment. However, it is not always possible to avoid some substances, despite your best efforts and in that scenario, symptom relief is available. Antihistamines are advisable. It is also good to have available an EpiPen or similar device that lets allergy sufferers inject a small quantity of ephinephrine during an emergency. A serious attack of anaphylaxis can be kept at bay until professional medical assistance can be given.
Dog Food For Allergies
This makes EFA's an important part of your diet. Other sources of these fats are fish and nuts. Most of the fat in my diet comes from a combination of nuts and flax seed oil. Flax Seed Oil is also known as Linseed Oil. FlaxSeed is a blue flowering plant that is grown on the Western Canadian Prairies for its oil rich seeds. FlaxSeed oil is highly recommended for the general well being, whole body nutrition and helps in restoring body's natural balance of good and bad prostaglandins.
The first time you see flax seeds you were probably, like ?ok, they look like sesame seeds, who are you trying to fool?? They may look like sesame seeds, but boy do they pack in a lot of nutrition.
The types of fats present in the brain influence its structure and function. How well your mind works depends, in the long run, on what you eat.
In one study men with prostate cancer who ate an ounce of ground flaxseeds (almost three tablespoons) a day as part of a very-low-fat diet were able to slow the progress of their cancers between the time they were diagnosed and the time of surgery.
Health Quick Tip: Help Your Child Cope With Food Allergies
Some children have problems with certain foods, ranging from mild intolerances to life-threatening ana-phylactic shock. Indeed, any food can trigger an allergic reaction, with the most common being cow's milk, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, fish and shellfish, soy and wheat products. And while not all reactions are life-threatening, it is important to note that children often need to be exposed to the allergen more than once before a serious reaction appears. Certain allergens, for example, peanut, are more commonly associated with severe reactions, but any food can cause anaphylaxis. If there are any concerns, consultation with a doctor, qualified in allergic reactions, is recommended.
Most parents know that if their child has been diagnosed by an allergist to be at risk for a severe reaction, injectable adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, must be administered rapidly, no matter how mild the early symptoms appear. Many admit however that they need more help when it comes to the best, and most effective plan-of-action.
But you should be drinking a lot of water after consuming the seeds.
Researchers found low incidences of breast cancer and colon cancer in populations that have high amounts of Lignan in their diet. The lignan constituents of flaxseed (not flaxseed oil) possesses in vitro anti-oxidant and possible estrogen receptor agonist/antagonist properties, prompting theories of efficacy for the treatment of breast cancer.
Human studies have shown that flaxseed can modestly reduce serum total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, reduce postprandial glucose absorption, decrease some markers of inflammation, and raise serum levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, ALA and eicosapentaenoic acid.
But that should come as no big surprise, since any highly unsaturated oil will do that, particularly if substituted for saturated fats.
As part of a nationwide initiative to answer pressing questions on anaphylaxis, a special pharmacist-directed, Health-Watch for Children Day is planned at 800 Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix locations, on Thursday, Sept. 19. Pharma-cists at these locations will conduct a one-on-one educational session with allergic individuals, parents, or caregivers of children with food, and other potentially life-threatening allergies. The sessions will include a demonstration on how to administer the medication with an auto-injector; how to recognize early symptoms; and what to do should an anaphylactic reaction occur.
Anaphylaxis Canada, and Association Quebecois des Allergies Alimentaires have endorsed the Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix initiative on this important health focus, and suggest that the Sept. 19 information day will go a long way to provide information and clarification. Contact your local Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix for an appointment.
Heart disease is by far the #1 killer in the U. S., although 1/3 of those deaths could be prevented if people exercised more and followed better diets, the American Heart Association said in an annual report. Avoid or limit these oils. Omega-3, meanwhile, is typically found in flaxseed oil, walnut oil, and fish. However, flax seed oil is the best oil where Omega-3 and Omega-6 are balanced.
Flax seed oil is rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid that appears to be very helpful for heart inflammatory bowel disease, disease, arthritis and a variety of other health conditions.
Does Omega 3 Lowers Cholesterol? Does Flaxseed Oil Prevent Cancer too? You want to increase your overall health and energy level. You want to prevent heart disease, cancer, depression and Alzheimer's. It may also keep platelets from becoming sticky therefore reducing the chance of a heart attack. Other independent researches has also confirmed this finding.
Both Eddie Hudd & Edward Simon are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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