Eating is essential for survival, but there are cases in which it is food that puts our life at risk. There are people who suffer from allergies to certain foods that can reach levels that can even lead to anaphylactic shock. Let’s assume that all foods are potentially a source of allergies, but there are some that are more so than others. But what triggers an allergic reaction to a food?
Food allergies or intolerances?
According to scientific studies, allergies can be traced back to two different factors: The genetic predisposition that makes a subject particularly sensitive to certain types of nutrients; The excessive and constant consumption of a certain food can lead to the onset of disorders such as intolerances and allergies. Food allergies or intolerances? Food allergies We have talked in the past about the difference between intolerances and allergies, the former are a hint of the latter.
In fact, allergies are always preceded by intolerances that alter the system by inflaming it and making it more at risk of allergies. Food intolerances are very common unlike allergies which are much rarer. Here are the 5 most common food allergies: Egg Egg allergy occurs mainly in childhood, from 0 to 3 years old. It is usually identifiable by skin rashes, swelling of the mouth, stomach cramps, general malaise and diarrhea. It can lead to itchy eyes and respiratory irritation, with sneezing and asthma. There are extreme cases where egg allergy can even cause anaphylactic shock.
Milk It affects about 5% of children during the first year of life but, in most cases, it disappears with growth.
Symptoms of milk protein allergy include skin rashes, stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting, and difficulty breathing. Often we tend to confuse allergy with intolerance which is only a difficulty of the organism to digest the substances contained in milk and its derivatives. Soy Generally it does not cause severe reactions but it is still one of the most common allergies. It is found in many packaged products but, fortunately, since it is mandatory to indicate the food composition of a food, avoid it is easier. Grain Also in this case, as with lactose, wheat allergy should not be confused with celiac disease.
Peanuts Food Allergies
Allergy is a reaction to wheat proteins, celiac disease is a disease of the intestine due to the presence of gluten in the grain and beyond. Wheat allergy presents with itchy eyes, rhinitis and asthma, but also stomach pain and eczema. Peanuts Food Allergies Peanut or peanut allergies are among the most common. It occurs since childhood and almost 80% of these retain it even in the adult stage. The most serious reaction you can have is anaphylactic shock for which it is always advised to those suffering from this disease to always have a dose of adrenaline at hand, the only remedy in severe cases.
Those who are allergic to peanuts may not be allergic to nuts and other types of dried fruit, but it is always advisable to consume them because they may contain traces of the fruit to which you are allergic. In order to identify the presence of allergies, there are two different types of reactions, immediate and delayed ones.
The first are hives, laryngeal edema with difficulty in breathing, vomiting, eczema, edema of the lips and tongue, nausea, abdominal pain and sometimes anaphylactic shock.
Delayed rations, on the other hand, are often difficult to identify as a consequence of an allergy, in fact they are asthenia, anxiety, joint and muscle pain, otitis. So how can you understand if you have an allergy? There are tests that can help doctors not only to link a certain symptom to an allergy but also what the food product is and not what causes those annoyances.