What Are The Symptoms Of Food Allergy
Allergic symptoms may begin within minutes to an hour after ingesting thefood. The following are the most common symptoms of food allergy. However,each child may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
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Vomiting
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Wheezing
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Lowered blood pressure
According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, itdoes not take much of the food to cause a severe reaction in highlyallergic people. In fact, as little as 1/44,000 of a peanut kernel cancause an allergic reaction for severely allergic individuals.
The symptoms of food allergy may resemble other problems or medicalconditions. Always consult your child’s doctor for a diagnosis.
Dining Out With Food Allergies
If your child has one or more food allergies, dining out can be achallenge. However, it is possible to have a healthy and satisfyingdining-out experience it just takes some preparation and persistence onyour part.
The American Dietetics Association offers these tips for dealing with foodallergies when your family is eating away from home:
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Know what ingredients are in the foods at the restaurant where you plan to eat. When possible, obtain a menu from the restaurant ahead of time and review the menu items.
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Let your server know from the beginning about your child’s food allergy. He or she should know how each dish is prepared and what ingredients are used. Ask about preparation and ingredients before you order. If your server does not know this information or seems unsure of it, ask to speak to the manager or the chef.
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Avoid buffet-style or family-style service, as there may be cross-contamination of foods from using the same utensils for different dishes.
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Avoid fried foods, as the same oil may be used to fry several different foods.
Alternately, there are several types of allergy cards available on theinternet that can be customized with your child’s personal information. Oneexample is the Food Allergy Buddy Dining Card, promoted by the NationalRestaurant Association.
Sinus Problems Caused By Food Allergies
A common symptom of food allergies is sinus problems.The sinuses are cavities in your head, located directly behind your nose and eyes that help to filter unwanted particles from the air you breathe in. They are made of sensitive soft tissue and lined with mucus membranes that keep the tissue soft and moist. During a food allergy, the sinuses become inflamed because of increased levels of histamine in the body 12. Chronic sinus problems can lead to sinus infections and further complications. Talk with your doctor about your symptoms.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
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Gluten Sensitivity And Coeliac Disease
Issues digesting gluten are triggered by exposure to many grains, such as wheat, barley, and couscous. Coeliac disease is a severe form of intolerance which requires the affected person to cut out all foods containing gluten, which includes very common foods such as bread, cereal, and pasta. It is different to non-celiac gluten sensitivity, a milder health problem that may affect 5% of people.
Celiac disease sufferers experience autoimmune inflammation in the small intestine that is triggered by gluten, wherein the immune system attacks the body itself, which if left untreated can lead to conditions that affect other systems of the body, such as infertility, osteoporosis , and chronic fatigue.
Interestingly, 30% of the Caucasian and Western European population carries a gene that predisposes towards celiac disease, but only a small percentage of those with the genes develop celiac disease. The Atlas DNA Test searches for genetic predispositions towards lactose, alcohol, and gluten intolerance.
What Can I Do To Heal My Gut After Mold Exposure
Healing your gut is an important step in eliminating mycotoxins from your body to reverse the root cause of your chronic condition. You can work to heal your gut by:
Before you begin a detox and healing protocol, however, its critical you address the source of your exposure to toxic mold. You may even have to move out of your home or work from a different location for a time if mold caused by water damage needs to be remediated. This is called avoidance. Some people can overcome mold-induced illness by practicing extreme avoidance alone.
Avoiding Mold In Your Diet to Heal Your Gut
Avoiding mold in your diet as well as your environment will help eliminate continued exposure to mycotoxins. The best approach is an anti-inflammatory, low-mold diet, reducing the number of inflammatory agents and mycotoxins entering your gut. While there is a science to adopting a low-mold diet, general guidelines include avoidance of all foods that worsen your symptoms.
If you havent made a correlation between what you eat and an increase in your stomach problems, start by eliminating these inflammatory and mold-prone foods from your diet:
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How Does Your Diet Affect You
Do you think your ongoing and troubling digestive issues may be caused by something in your diet?
You are not alone! At Lee Health, were seeing a growing number of patients with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, and other food sensitivities.
Our team of doctors, dietitians, and other clinicians work together to help you distinguish between a food intolerance and a true food allergy.
A severe a reaction to certain foods such as vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes, hives, itchy mouth or throat, or difficulty swallowing or breathing can be frightening.
Smaller reactions such as bloating, stomach pain, and diarrhea arent fun, either. Whatever your symptoms, our experts will identify the problem and recommend long-term plans to help you manage your diet and take control of your health.
We also care for patients whose bodies cannot properly absorb nutrients from food because of complex medical conditions like small intestine bacterial overgrowth and short bowel syndrome.
Is It Food Intolerance Or Food Allergy
Some of the symptoms of a food intolerance and a food allergy are similar, so it can be difficult to determine whether what you have is an intolerance or an allergy. Food allergies can be life-threatening, and many people have severe food allergies to peanuts. This occurs when a persons immune system misinterprets the food as a foreign invader and creates an allergic response.
An allergist can test you to see whether you have a food allergy. They can also diagnose a food intolerance through the use of a food diary and the elimination diet. It is important that you see an allergist if you experience troubling symptoms after eating certain foods.
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The Final Word: Is It A Gut Allergy
So after all, there may be more to allergies than meets the eye – and more we can do about it than we previously thought possible. While gut bacteria and allergies continue to be an active area of research, careful nutrition and diet, along with early interventions, could help children be free of allergies for life.
However, even though there is a connection between gut health and allergies, there is no gut allergy. Rather, the gut can help mediate the bodys reaction to an allergen. That said, food intolerances to gluten and lactose directly affect the gut, but they have different symptoms.
Do Any Of The Following Describe You
- Belching or gas within one hour after eating
- Heartburn or acid reflux
- Loss of taste for meat
- Sweat has a strong odor
- Stomach upset by taking vitamins
- Feel like skipping breakfast/feel better when you don’t eat
- Sleepy after meals
- Fingernails chip, peel, break, or don’t grow
- Anemia unresponsive to iron
- Chronic diarrhea or shortly after meals
- Undigested food in stool
- Constipation
All of these “symptoms” are indicators that your stomach is not producing enough stomach acid!
Why is stomach acid so important? It’s the first line of defense in your body’s digestive cascade responsible for sterilizing the stomach, killing unwanted invaders, breaking down proteins, and stimulating proper digestion! Without this powerful acid , food is left to ferment in your stomach, and then it continues to cause havoc as it works its way through both your small intestines and large intestines. As you can imagine, these improperly digested particles cause irritation and sometimes damage to the delicate environment of the digestive tract, leaving you feeling bloated in the process. Undigested food can even act abrasively on your tissues because they are not broken down completely. Over time, this can lead to food allergies, digestive disorders, and eventually autoimmune diseases!
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Is It A Food Allergy Or A Digestive Problem
It turns out that Gotschall probably has a food allergy, but determining whether a reaction is a food allergy or digestive issue can be difficult. Food allergies and digestive problems, known as food intolerances, can have similar symptoms. With both conditions, eating certain foods can result in abdominal symptoms, including diarrhea, abdominal pain, and gas.
But with most food allergies, certain symptoms can help distinguish them from a non-allergic digestive problem. “Food allergies, in most cases, are going to be associated with an acute onset of hives and/or lip or tongue swelling that is going to happen within 10 to 15 minutes of digesting the food, if not immediately,” says Julie McNairn, MD, an allergist and immunologist in Cincinnati. This is not an uncommon problem: More than 3 percent of adults have one or more food allergies, according to a study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
If you often feel sick after consuming certain foods, it is possible that you could have a food allergy. Common symptoms include:
- Hives
- Eczema
- Asthma
Foods That May Cause A Skin Rash
Skin rashes from eating certain foods are worrisome. The itchy, red, bumpy rash appears on your face, neck, or around your mouth soon after you eat. A skin rash can pop up on your hands or arms when you touch certain foods. You may wonder if you should eliminate certain foods from your diet. So, what foods make skin rashes worse? What foods will help calm this type of breakout?
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What Causes A Food Intolerance
It is often unclear why a person is sensitive to certain foods.
If your symptoms happen after eating dairy products, it’s possible you may have lactose intolerance. This means your body cannot digest lactose, a natural sugar found in milk, yoghurt and soft cheeses. A GP can usually diagnose lactose intolerance by looking at your symptoms and medical history.
Some people have trouble digesting wheat and experience bloating, wind, diarrhoea, being sick and stomach pain after eating bread. Read more about wheat intolerance .
Otherwise, the culprit may be a food additive, chemical or contaminant, such as:
- monosodium glutamate
- histamine
- toxins, viruses, bacteria or parasites that have contaminated food
- artificial food colours, preservatives or flavour enhancers
What Foods Most Often Cause Food Allergy
Approximately 90 percent of all food allergies are caused by the followingeight foods:
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Milk
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Fish
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Shellfish
Eggs, milk, and peanuts are the most common causes of food allergies inchildren, with wheat, soy, and tree nuts also included. Peanuts, tree nuts,fish, and shellfish commonly cause the most severe reactions. Nearly 5percent of children under the age of five years have food allergies. From1997 to 2007, the prevalence of reported food allergy increased 18 percentamong children under age 18 years. Although most children “outgrow” theirallergies, allergy to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish may belifelong.
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Dyes Linked To Allergies
According to the CSPI, food dyes linked to allergic reactions include brilliant blue, or Blue 1 allura red, or Red 40 tartrazine, or Yellow 5 and sunset yellow, or Yellow 6. These dyes have also been linked to tumors of the immune system, kidneys, adrenal glands and testicles in animal studies. A half dozen studies have shown Yellow 5 to be a genotoxic substance, making it capable of causing a genetic mutation that can lead to the development of tumors.
Seasonal Allergies & Digestive Symptoms
Among some of the lesser-known symptoms of seasonal allergies are stomach upset, constipation, diarrhea, GERD, acid reflux, nausea, and stomach cramping.
These digestive symptoms can come with little or no upper respiratory symptoms which is why it can be difficult for these symptoms to be traced back to their source.
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Food Intolerance Vs Food Allergy
These conditions have some symptoms in common. However, food intolerance symptoms tend to take longer to appear than food allergy symptoms.
While a food allergy results from an immune system reaction to a specific food, a food intolerance involves the digestive system rather than the immune system.
With a food intolerance, the amount of the food the person eats is related to the severity of their symptoms. On the other hand, with a food allergy, even a small amount of food can trigger a severe allergic reaction.
Prevention Of Food Allergies
The development of food allergies cannot be prevented, but can often bedelayed in infants by following these recommendations:
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If possible, breastfeed your infant for the first six months.
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Do not give solid foods until your child is 6 months of age or older.
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Avoid cow’s milk, wheat, eggs, peanuts, and fish during your child’s first year of life.
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Dairy And Lactose Intolerance
The lactose in dairy products may cause digestive issues in people who do not produce enough lactase to break down the lactose. The high frequency of lactose intolerance among people explains the preponderance of lactose-free milk products in grocery stores. Approximately 30 million Americans will have some degree of lactose intolerance by the time they reach the age of 20, according to the National Institutes of Health .
Food Intolerances And Gut Problems
Studies show that around 85% of people suffer from gastrointestinal disturbances such as gas, heartburn and stomach aches. There are common causes of these problems such as nutrient deficiencies, poor diets and dehydration. However, both food intolerances and allergies can also play a role in your stomach and intestinal problems. Allergies are foods that cause inflammation and negative reactions in your body. A food intolerance is one that can simply upset your stomach or cause intestinal issues. Find out what the connection is between what you eat and how your body feels!
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What Are Foods That Cause Mucus
If you struggle with shortness of breath, excess mucus will not help your breathing, so it is important to do your best to avoid phlegm-producing foods. In addition to any foods you might be allergic to, there are some foods that can cause increased mucus production, cause your mucus to thicken, contain histamine or trigger histamine production that can cause your nose to produce excess mucus. As such, it is important to be aware of foods that cause mucus so you can avoid them when necessary. Here are some phlegm-producing foods to watch out for.
Peanut Allergy Pregnancy Breastfeeding And Weaning
The latest research shows that there is no clear evidence to say that eating, or not eating, peanuts during pregnancy affects the chances of your baby developing a peanut allergy. Pregnant women need not avoid eating peanuts.
If you are breastfeeding and enjoy eating peanuts or other nuts there is no reason to avoid them, unless you are allergic to them. They can be eaten as part of a healthy balanced diet.
Nuts are a choking hazard for children so great care must be taken. World Health Organization advice is that babies should be fed only breast milk for their first six months. However, if weaning on to solid food occurs before 6 months of age, peanuts and nut-containing foods should be avoided in case a food allergy is triggered. The same advice is also true for seeds, cow’s milk, eggs, wheat, fish and shellfish. In general terms, when weaning, it is best to introduce one new food at a time. That way, if there is a problem, such as an allergy, it is easier to tell which food could be the culprit.
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What To Do When Toxic Mold Causes Chronic Stomach Problems
Toxic mold exposure can take you from enjoying an unrestricted diet of your favorite foods to suffering from severe stomach problems no matter what you eat. I have patients who can only eat one or two things without bloating, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or other digestive issues.
If you have a history of mold exposure, toxic mold may be responsible for your stomach problems. Thats because mycotoxins, the toxic byproduct of some molds, as well as the immune response to mycotoxins can cause damage to your intestinal lining and harm your gut microbiome, leading to leaky gut. Leaky gut opens the door for a whole host of other health conditions including autoimmune diseases, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, and environmental sensitivities.
Thankfully, with diet and lifestyle changes, its possible to get better. In this article, youll learn how mold causes chronic stomach problems and how you can heal your gut while detoxing mycotoxins from your body so you can reverse the root cause of illness and restore your joy in livingand eating.
Healing Ibs Is Like Solving A Puzzle
I believe IBS is curable but it can be a complicated puzzle to solve. Doing medical detective work is part of healing IBS. You must discover the underlying problem before you can fix it.
Most regular doctors are not willing to make this effort, though they have started prescribing the low FODMAPS diet, which can alleviate the food sensitivity symptoms but will not heal the gut.
Because stomach problems often cause head fog, its daunting to tackle an issue with this many variations by yourself. Getting help is an important part of speeding up the healing process.
Working with a professional, natural healer can offer support and an established troubleshooting process. I recommend working with a digestive health coach, functional medical doctor, naturopath or Chinese medical practitioner to find your particular solution.
I also suggest medical testing of the liver detoxification system, the adrenals and for infections and parasites in the intestines.
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