Practically active

Food allergies are nothing to play around with

A new study found that a mother's diet affects her baby's allergies, which can mean only one thing: My mom ate cats.

-- Jimmy Fallon

I am allergic to cats. I've experienced itching and sneezing for years so I've learned to steer clear of kitties, even though they tend to home in on me as if they know it.

Fast forward to just a few years ago. I noticed that my head, hands and neck were itching. And there were no cats in sight. I was eating strawberries every day, so I figured I would stop and see what happened. The itching went away.

The same thing happened with peanuts. Uncontrollable itching, thankfully, not a closed airway or death, which can be the case with severe peanut allergies.

I figured some online investigating was in order. Most of the allergy information online tends to focus on children and the dangers they face. They are not as in control of their environment as adults, so their allergies really can be hazardous.

Adults can develop allergies, even after years of not having a single reaction. But from all my research I could find no clear answer as to why that happens.

Some sources suggest that people who are diagnosed later in life possibly had an allergic episode earlier that they just don't remember. I don't remember ever having a reaction to strawberries or peanuts, but I sure do now.

I went to the website of FARE, which stands for Food Allergy Research & Education (foodallergy.org) and found a lot of good information, including a downloadable Food Allergy Field Guide.

First, it's good to know there is a difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance.

A food intolerance is when a body has trouble digesting food. It usually causes a tummy ache or gas, but it's not life threatening.

An allergy involves the immune system and can be life threatening.

What happens is that the body's immune system reacts to a food protein that it thinks is a threat. The immune system will then make too much of an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE) to combat the reaction. The IgE antibodies fight the threatening food allergens by releasing histamine and other chemicals. The chemical release causes the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

The reactions can be mild, such as itching or hives, but they can also be much worse. The most dangerous is anaphylaxis (pronounced an-uh-fil-LAX-is). It is a severe allergic reaction that happens quickly and can be deadly. It can affect several areas of the body, make it hard to breathe and hard for your body to circulate blood.

The first-line treatment is epinephrine. It's a type of adrenaline that helps reverse the symptoms of a severe reaction.

Thankfully there are ways to manage food allergies. Start by avoiding problem foods. And read the ingredient label every time. Ingredients in packaged foods can change without warning.

Federal law requires packaged food labels to list when one of the top eight food allergens is an intended ingredient. The top eight are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish.

Be mindful of cross contact. An example is when the same utensil is used to serve a food that contains an allergen and a safe food.

Even kissing someone on the mouth after they've eaten peanuts can trigger a reaction for someone who has a peanut allergy. It can take from one to four hours for a person's saliva to become allergen-free after he eats the problem food.

For now I practice avoidance to keep from experiencing an allergic reaction. But FARE recommends we don't self-diagnose. If you have concerns, a visit to an allergist might be in order.

Email me at:

rboggs@arkansasonline.com

ActiveStyle on 05/23/2016

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