Is it Food Allergies or Intolerances, and what to do about it?

Our immune system is continuously evolving to develop both immunity and allergies to new foods, drugs, chemicals, and the like.  But the recent guidelines released by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) report that food allergies are increasing in prevalence. 

A clinical food allergy exists when a specific food causes an allergic reaction, namely hives, lip swelling, vomiting within 30 minutes of intake.  The most severe reaction is called anaphylaxis.   

Anaphylaxis is a potentially fatal reaction that causes swelling of skin and mucosal tissue like swollen lips, tongue and uvula.  It causes respiratory distress by constricting airways.  It causes decreased blood flow to end organs, like brain, muscle, bladder causing weakness, fainting, and incontinence. 

Almost always, anaphylaxis includes the skin with a rash that occurs within minutes to hours of eating a certain food.  These reactions should be taken to the ER as soon as possible. 

Milder reactions to food include flushing and itching of the skin.  These milder reactions can be treated with antihistamines like Benadryl. 

Children can outgrow allergies-- in fact about 80% of them outgrow allergies.  When adults develop food allergies, those tend to persist longer.

The NIAID recommends primarily prevention of offending foods to minimize allergies.  However, for expectant or breast feeding mothers, there is no reason to be eliminating foods.  They do recommend breast feeding in the first 4-6 months.  There is also no recommendation to avoid foods after that 4-6 month period. 

The best test for food allergy is the food challenge.  The food challenge is the best diagnostic test and should only be done under medical supervision where ability to treat anaphylaxis is near.

Food intolerances are simply reactions that are not severe enough to cause symptoms of flushing and itching or anaphylaxis. 

I hope this is helpful and please do not hesitate to email me at runsinthewynd@gmail.com, or blog at http://www.askjustusmd.blogspot.com/