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Your Allergies
Food Allergies
Many people think of allergies exclusively in terms of airborne allergens such as pollen, dust, and molds. However, immune reactions can result from the different types of food sensitivities you may possess. The most common foods causing allergic reactions are peanuts, soy, wheat, shellfish, fish, milk, eggs and tree nuts.
Currently there is no cure for food allergies. Once identified, we recommend eliminating those problematic foods from your diet.
Food allergies are divided into two major categories: immediate and delayed. When immediate food reaction occurs, sufferers experience symptoms within hours of having ingested the food. Symptom onset is rapid and may include tingling of extremities, wheezing, coughing, tightening of the throat, nausea, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Sometimes in cases where nuts, shellfish, fish, and peanuts have been eaten anaphylaxis can occur.
Immediate food reaction is a fixed food allergy. The food to which you are allergic will almost always provoke an immune reaction when ingested. In immediate reactions the body over produces what is called Immunoglobulin E antibodies, (IgE).
Symptoms of a delayed food allergy can take up to 72 hours to appear. This type of immune response is mediated by the IgG antibody, which is the largest circulating antibody in our immune system and can cross the placenta from mother to child. IgG antibodies are the most common form of immunologic mediated food responses. It can be difficult to identify the offending food since we eat so many foods that go through different processes and have many ingredients. Unidentified food sensitivities can contribute to many chronic health conditions: including Irritable bowel syndrome, Rheumatoid arthritis, Headaches, Autism, ADD/ADHD, Eczema, Chronic ear infections, Malabsorption, Insomnia and many others.
Alletess Medical Laboratory uses state of the art ELISA testing to identify the offending foods and create a healthy diet of nonreactive foods. Many times the foods we eat frequently and seem healthy are contributing to our health problems. Elimination of the offending foods can improve many health problems and lead to a better quality of life.
Airborne Allergies
Red irritated eyes, constant sneezing, runny nose and other agonies often spell allergy.
Allergies are built in physical reactions to certain substances that occur normally in the environment. The substances that cause allergic reactions are called allergens. When your body encounters an allergen, your immune system produces IgE antibodies. Your body does this in order to fight off the allergens. Unfortunately with an allergy, the immune system is not always able to defeat the allergen's effect.
The second time you are exposed to an allergen, it reacts with the specific IgE type antibodies in your system. This causes a chain of reactions in your body. The most important of these is the release of a chemical in your body called histamine. Histamine can be present in the nose, sinuses, ears, and throat. It is the presence of histamine that can produce nasal blockage, post–nasal drip, irritated runny eyes, coughing, headaches and sore throat.
Unfortunately, allergens sufficient to cause a reaction can be found extensively in the environment. Ragweed plant, grass pollens, dust, wool, and even common household mold and mildew have the potential to cause an allergic response. In order to get relief from allergy, early diagnosis and treatments are very important.
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