Guest
Post
by Jacob Maslow
July 8, 2010
This guest post is a contribution of Jacob Maslow. He is the allergy editor of topix.com.
Do You Suffer from Food Allergies or Food Intolerance?
Statistics show that food allergies are on the rise. So, it would not be out of the question if you or a family member develops a food allergy. But, how can you know for sure whether it's a food allergy or food intolerance?
First, it's important to know the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance.
About Food Allergies
A food allergy involves the immune system releasing histamine and other chemicals into your bloodstream. It can be dangerous; 100 to 200 people die yearly of deadly reactions to food allergies. Aside from this, 30,000 end up in emergency rooms. For this reason food allergies are classified as a public health problem.
According to an article from MayoClinic.com: “A true food allergy can cause a tingling mouth, hives, swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat, trouble breathing, and dizziness or fainting.”
Common food allergy symptoms:
1. The skin: hives, eczema, flushing, and/or swelling
2. The stomach and intestines (digestive tract): stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
3. The mouth and airways (respiratory system): sneezing, coughing, runny nose, wheezing, anaphylaxis.
There may also be subtle reactions from a food allergy such as fatigue, headaches, a foggy sensation, sinus congestion and infections.
About Food Intolerance
A food intolerance is a physical reaction, exaggerated or abnormal, to a food or food additive. It does not involve the immune system. According to DrWeil.com, “In some cases, they [food intolerances] are due to physical or emotional stress or exposure to environmental toxins rather than a reaction to the foods themselves.”
Common food intolerance symptoms:
Symptoms for food intolerance can be unique; they can also include mild food allergies symptoms, but the food intolerance symptoms are usually not dangerous. For example, celiac disease is a disorder caused by an intolerance to gluten, and lactose intolerance is caused by an intolerance to milk and milk products.
When in Doubt, Seek Medical Help
While the numbers are rising, only 6 to 8% of children and only 2% of adults have true food allergies. But, it's not safe to assume you suffer from food intolerance. If you have any doubt as to what is causing your symptoms, see your doctor.
Allergy skin testing is a reliable method of diagnosing allergies to foods. In regard to testing for food intolerance, Dr. Weil explains, “The only reliable approach to determining food intolerances or sensitivities is to use avoidance and provocative testing - in other words, an elimination diet followed by a "challenge" to see whether a suspect food really does set off a reaction.”
Overview of AllergyBegone.com
Allergy Be Gone is a family company owned and managed by an allergy sufferer. The founders, Marc and Allen Barsano, have always been concerned with helping people who suffer from allergies. In fact, Marc is the sole contributor to the funding and maintenance of the site. For this reason, and to be a source of relief for allergy sufferers, we are dedicated to providing useful and regularly updated allergy avoidance information.
Of particular interest are the Allergist Directory (it is the first site in the Google search results for allergy doctors), and the blog that is updated daily.
More about the site can be found at:
www.allergybegone.com (website)
www.blog.allergybegone.com (blog)
Sources:
www.mayoclinic.com
www.ehealthmd.com
www.drweil.com