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Food Allergy

Everyone thinks they have a food allergy these days, but what's the truth behind this internal explosion? Here are the facts and fads of food allergy.

People are getting fatter by the day and the obesity crisis is almost out of control. So surely we can't all be allergic to food?

No, of course not, although listening to people around you you'd believe that everyone is. Many like to believe that it's an allergy that's responsible for problems in their life - constant tiredness, weight gain, poor sex life, even not being promoted. Some people think it's fashionable to have an allergy, thanks to celebrities and the media. And if you think that having an allergy is fashionable, then having a food allergy moves you smoothly into the VIP lounge and onto the Alist amongst this crowd.

The reality is that, although food allergy is becoming more common, it's nowhere near as common as people think. However, for those with true food allergy the problem is real, very real. At the mildest end of the spectrum tingling or itching in or around the lips and mouth may be all that happens when the food culprit makes contact. For babies with food allergy their gut is the likely victim, causing vomiting and diarrhoea. Now there's a good reason to keep 'the naughty foods away from oo then'. Symptoms of asthma and eczema may also be triggered by certain foods. At the other end of the spectrum severe allergic, or anaphylactic, reaction, with light-headedness, difficulty breathing, a sense of impending doom, shock and loss of consciousness, puts survival in the hands of immediate emergency treatment. So if you were ever thinking of using food allergy as a reason to escape paying the restaurant bill, think again.

The parts of food responsible for causing allergic reactions, the allergens, are usually proteins. Even after cooking or digestion many of these allergens can still cause reactions. The most common offenders are the proteins in cow's milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish and tree nuts. These are responsible for up to 90% of all allergic reactions. In children, the following six foods cause the majority of food allergy reactions: milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat, soy, and tree nuts. In adults, four foods cause the majority of allergic reactions: peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish.OK, let's take a look at the basics. If you have already been diagnosed with a true food allergy you should know this like the back of your hand, and if you don't then shame on you! If you don't have a food allergy, and I'm talking about a true food allergy, then this is important for you too, because someone around you will have a true food allergy and you need to know what to do if things go pear-shaped.

So step one: avoid the food. Doh! Pretty obvious, even to the Homer Simpsons amongst you. True, but it's not so easy as it sounds. Why? Because the protein responsible may be an ingredient. So step two is to ask about ingredients so that you don't get caught out by hidden food allergens. This is especially important when you are eating away from home since getting caught out when you're playing away can leave you red faced. And if you're the host, don't forget to ask your guests if they have any allergies. Step three: read food labels carefully and get familiar with what the terms used mean. For example, egg white is often listed as albumin, and casein is always made from milk. Hopefully before too long that well-known food manufacturer cop-out, 'may contain traces of..' will be replaced by something more helpful so that those with food allergy have a greater choice of foods. And so to step four: be prepared for action if an allergic reaction erupts.


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