Week For Food Allergy Awareness

May 22, 2010 - PRLog -- Wishing to make people more aware of food allergies and offer assistance to those at risk of anaphylixis, (extreme reaction), May 16-20 was declared Food Allergy Awareness Week, in Australia.

Food allergies occur in around 1 in 100 adults and about 1 in 20 children, says the Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergies. Most child food allergies however, are anticipated to disappear with time.

The general feeling is that food allergies are on the rise, as hospital admissions for severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) have doubled, over the last decade in Australia, U.S. and UK.

Reactions to food allergies are created by a number of things:

•   Severity of the allergy
•   Amount eaten
•   Cooked food is sometimes better tolerated
•   Whether it is eaten on its own or mixed in with other foods
•   Presence or absence of asthma
•   Exercise around the same time as the meal may worsen severity.
•   Form of the food (liquid may sometimes be absorbed faster)

Food allergy is an overreaction of the body’s immune system, usually to a protein. The symptoms can be life threatening and include:

•   Vomiting, nausea.
•   Itching, burning and swelling around the mouth
•   Diarrhoea, abdominal cramps
•   Breathing difficulties, including wheezing and asthma
•   Skin rash (eczema)
•   Runny nose
•   Hives (urticaria - skin becomes red and raised)

Peanut allergy is one of the most common allergies in older children. Soy, nuts, milk, or eggs, are the cause of around 90% of food allergies. Seafood and some fruit and berries can also create an allergic reaction, including MSG and sulphite derivatives.

An American federal government report recently revealed that the real figures of food allergy sufferers hovers around five percent for adults and eight percent for children.

The lead author of the new report, Dr. Jennifer J. Schneider Chafen said, “Everyone has a different definition" of a food allergy. Many people have food intolerance instead.”

Food intolerance, which is not an immune reaction, is much more widespread than food allergy. It is a chemical response to a certain food, or ingredient.

Symptoms of food intolerance may involve:
•   Rapid breathing
•   Sweating
•   Palpitations
•   Diarrhea
•   Nervousness, tremor
•   Headache, migraine
•   Allergy-like reactions.
•   Burning sensations on the skin
•   Breathing problems - asthma-like symptoms
•   Tightness across the face and chest

The foods that tend to bring out intolerance reactions in sensitive people, include red wine, chocolate, dairy products, egg, MSG, pepper, histamine and amines in food.

About Week For Food Allergy Awareness
For more information: http://www.tropicpost.com/food-allergy-awareness-week/


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