Food Allergies: Not Mere Intolerance

In case of food allergies, an individual’s immune system over-reacts to an ordinarily harmless food. It often appears in someone who has family members with allergies, and allergy symptoms often occur after the allergic individual consumes even a tiny amount of the offending food.

For example Rimi, a 4-year-old girl, every time she consumed milk or milk-based products, she had to bear the consequences - severe pain and bloating in the stomach, vomiting, itching, chronic diarrhea, and nausea. Imagine the trauma of this little kid and her mother. Her parents assumed that Rimi is just intolerant to milk products and her body is unable to digest the food. Hence, they eliminated milk from her diet. However, Rimi still had other complaints such as aching legs and a sore belly, crusty eyelids, and difficulty concentrating in studies. Only after food allergy testing, they got to know that Rimi’s allergic reaction is not mere food intolerance; it is a result of an exaggerated immune system response.

Also Read: 3 key self-management tips for milk allergy

Food intolerance or food poisoning may sometimes be confused with food allergies. Food intolerance refers to an abnormal response to a food that is not an allergic reaction. It differs from an allergy because it does not involve the immune system. For instance, an individual may have distention and other uncomfortable abdominal symptoms after consuming milk. This reaction is most likely caused by a milk sugar intolerance, in which the individual lacks the enzymes to break down milk sugar for proper digestion.

What causes allergy?

Those parts of food that cause allergic reactions are usually proteins, which can cause reactions, even after they are cooked or have undergone digestion.

Common food allergens responsible for up to 90% of all allergic reactions are the proteins in cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat, soya, fish, shellfish, and tree nuts. Peanuts, black-eyed peas, kidney and lima beans, and soybeans are some of the members of the legume family, whereas asparagus, garlic, and onion are members of another group.

An allergy to one member of a food family may result in the person being allergic to all the members of the same group. However, within animal groups of food, cross-reactivity is not common. For example, people allergic to cow’s milk can eat meat and patients allergic to eggs can usually eat chicken. People allergic to eggs usually react only to the egg white.

Also Read: Egg allergy? Find healthy alternatives.

Common food allergies symptoms

The most common allergic skin reaction to a food is urticaria, which manifests as hives. Hives are red, itchy, swollen areas of the skin that may arise suddenly and leave quickly.

Eczema, a skin condition characterized by itchy, scaly, red skin can be triggered by food allergies. This reaction is often chronic, occurring in individuals with other allergies or family history of allergies or asthma.

Symptoms of asthma, a chronic disease characterized by difficulty in breathing, may be triggered by food allergies, especially in infants and children.

Gastrointestinal symptoms of food allergy include vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramping, and sometimes a red rash around the mouth, itching, and swelling of the mouth and throat, nausea, abdominal pain, swelling of the stomach and gas.

In infants, non-allergic, temporary local reactions in the mouth to certain foods, especially fruits, cow’s milk, egg white, peanuts and wheat, are common. For example, a rash around the mouth, due to natural acids in foods like tomatoes and oranges, or diarrhea due to excess sugar in fruit juice or other beverages, occur with some frequency. As they grow older, some children may tolerate foods that previously caused allergic reactions, with the exception of peanut and tree nut allergies.

How to manage food allergies?

The best way to manage food allergies is to avoid the specific foods that trigger the allergy. To avoid eating a ‘hidden’ food allergen, allergic individuals must always inquire about ingredients when eating in restaurants or others’ homes.

Watch this video by Dr Mukesh Batra: How homeopathy can help treat your allergies?

It is important to read food labels carefully and to become familiar with any possible food allergens. In case of any food allergy symptoms, take doctors’ advice at the earliest.

Periodic food allergy check-ups with appropriate food challenges should be carried out under supervision. Doctors’ may suggest that you keep a ‘food diary’, which is a detailed record listing foods eaten, date, time, and any allergy symptoms that occurred after eating the food. When an allergy to a single food is suspected, the doctor may recommend eliminating the food for a time. If your allergy symptoms are relieved, the doctor may add the food to the diet once again to further determine if it causes a reaction.

If you are looking for a safe, effective, and long-lasting treatment for allergies, consult our doctors for an individualized treatment plan. For an appointment, you can follow this link: https://www.drbatras.com/book-an-appointment or call us on 9033001642