The Most Common Food Allergies

Milk : Being allergic to cow’s milk isn’t the same as being lactose intolerant.

Eggs :

You can be allergic to either the whites of the yolk. This type of food allergy is more prevalent in children, but does affect some adults.

Peanut : Most people, adults and children with food allergies, are allergic to peanuts too.

Tree nut : More children have nut allergies than adults. The symptoms of nut and peanut allergies are the same, but being allergic to one doesn’t necessarily mean you’re allergic to the other.

Seafood : This is more common in, but not limited, to children. The fish allergens can be passed through the air by people eating or cooking fish near you.

Shellfish : Similar to seafood allergies. But having one doesn’t mean being allergic to the other.

Soy : People allergic to soy need to be especially careful when eating Asian foods or using Asian sauces.

Wheat : This is most commonly a food allergy, but can also be a respiratory contact allergy.

In the United States these are referred to as “the big eight”. Over 90% of U.S. food allergies consist of these foods.

Allergens differ in other countries, but these 8 make the top 10 in many places through out the world.

Food allergies may be based on contact. In East Asia where rice makes up a large part of the diet, rice allergies are more common, as are celery allergies in Central Europe. …Read more >>

What Is An Allergy?

There’s a lot of talk about allergies. But just what is an allergy and what causes them? Why do some people have them while others don’t? And why are people with one allergy more inclined to have many?

The immune system is set up to protect our bodies from harmful, foreign substances. Like viruses and bacteria (dirt and germs). Sometimes the immune system doesn’t develop properly or is just oversensitive and doesn’t react right.

In these cases, it reacts to things that aren’t harmful and don’t usually cause people any problems. These things are called allergens. The term allergens is just an easier way to say “things that cause allergies”.

When the oversensitive or improperly developed immune system sees these allergens, it sends out chemicals like histamine. It’s the histamines that cause the symptoms that are common with allergies.

Symptoms like itching, watery eyes, runny nose, swelling, hives or rashes. Different people have different symptoms, but the causes are the same.

The symptoms that are displayed depend on the part of the body the allergen comes in contact with. Allergens that are breathed in, like pollen or dust cause coughing or wheezing, stuffy or runny noses and an itchy nose and throat.

Plant allergies usually come in contact with the skin, so they cause rashes.

Food allergies usually result in nausea, vomiting, stomach pains or in severe cases, life threatening reactions. Drug allergies tend to involve the entire body, so they have a variety of symptoms. …Read more >>