Surviving Multiple Food Allergies

Food allergies or food intolerances affect nearly everyone at some point.  People often have an unpleasant reaction to something they have eaten and wonder if they have a food allergy.  In adults, the most common foods to cause an allergic reaction include shellfish, peanuts, fish, and eggs.  Food normally does not provoke a response from the human immune system, the body’s defense again microbes and other threats to health.  In food allergies, two parts of the immune response are involved.  One is the production of an antibody called immunoglobulin that circulates in the blood.  The other part is a type of cells which is called a mast cell.  Mast cells occur in all body tissues, but especially in areas that are typical sites of allergic reactions.  These areas include the nose, lungs, skin, throat, and gastrointestinal tract.

Most people inherit the ability to form immunoglobulin against food.  Those more likely to develop allergies to food come from families in which allergies such as asthma, hay fever, or eczema are common.  Food allergy patterns in adults differ somewhat from those in children.  The most common foods to cause allergies in adults are lobster, crab, shrimp, and other shellfish.  Peanuts are also one of the chief foods responsible for severe anaphylaxis, walnuts and other tree nuts, fish, and eggs.  In children, milk, eggs, peanuts, soy and wheat are the main culprits.  Children typically outgrow their allergies, but most adults do not lose theirs. 

Currently, the only way to treat food allergies is to avoid the foods which trigger reactions.  Even the most diligent label readers are likely to be inadvertently exposed to proteins that elicit an allergic response at some point.  Anaphylactic allergic reactions can be fatal even when they begin with mild symptoms such as a tingling in the mouth and throat or gastrointestinal discomfort.  Antihistamines and bronchodilators can be used to treat less severe symptoms.  Food manufacturers and consumer groups are working with the Federal Drug Administration to increase public awareness of the seriousness of food allergen reactions and to ensure that allergens are appropriately labeled in food products.

Food allergy reactions can vary from person to person.  Some reactions can be very mild and only involve one part of the body.  Other reactions may be more severe and involve more than one part of the body.  Reactions can occur within a few minutes or up to a few hours after contact with the food.  A serious allergic reaction with widespread effects on the body is known as anaphylaxis.  This sudden and potentially life threatening allergic reaction involves two or more body areas.  In addition, there may also be swelling of the airway, serious difficulty with breathing, a drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness, and in some cases, even death.  The primary caregiver will look for any other condition that could cause the symptoms.  If the doctor suspects a food allergy, the patient will likely be referred to an allergy specialist, who will ask in depth questions, perform a physical exam, and perform tests to help make a diagnosis.