Diseases Due To Hypersensitivity To Food - Food Allergies

Food allergies are reactions of intolerance to certain foods, which usually involve the immune system. It is estimated that more than 20% of people are hypersensitive to certain foods.

Allergy is a wrong immune response when normally safe substances are considered dangerous and are attacked by the body's immune system. Antigens in foods that cause an allergic reaction are mainly proteins or glycoproteins (proteins that have sugars attached). A person's ability to form antibodies to a food is most often due to an innate predisposition.

In many cases, food allergies develop as a result of chemical contamination of food, in which the body reacts with an allergic reaction to the unnatural component of food.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract increase the possibility of allergies to food.

Protein ingredients in food are one of the strongest allergens. Lipids, carbohydrates and chemical contaminants act primarily as incomplete antigens or less potent allergens.

Causes of food allergies are mainly protein-rich foods such as cow's milk, eggs, fish, mussels, shrimp, some meats and their products, but also cereals and legumes, nuts, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes, citrus fruits, apples coffee and many others.

Allergy symptoms can develop rapidly and with varying severity, with the most severe reaction being anaphylactic shock. Others may have a delayed response, an example of such a reaction is celiac disease - a hypersensitivity to the protein gluten , which is found in wheat and other grains.

Symptoms can be from the digestive system and include nausea, vomiting, colic, diarrhea, bloating and more. They can be expressed by symptoms of the respiratory system - rhinitis, sneezing, intermittent cough, wheezing, asthma, swelling of the respiratory tract. Skin manifestations are very common - urticaria, eczema, edema and inflammation of the skin. In children, the most common is allergy to cow's milk protein, which is associated with the early introduction of fresh cow's milk (before 6 months) in the infant's diet.

Food allergies most often appear in childhood. Diagnosis of food allergy is made by a doctor based on previous experience and relevant research. The measures that are taken are to exclude the given food from the menu, which is actually a treatment of the condition. After determining which food you are allergic to, all foods that contain it should be excluded from the menu. This requires very careful reading of the labels of ready-to-eat foods.

A number of drugs are used to reduce the symptoms caused by an allergic reaction to foods consumed accidentally. These include antihistamines, which affect urticaria, gastrointestinal symptoms, rhinitis. Bronchodilators affect the symptoms of the respiratory system.

Adherence to a strict diet, fasting or a monotonous, unbalanced diet is ineffective and should not be used. In case of progressive symptoms and non-response to antihistamines, switch to another class of drugs - corticosteroids, oral or injectable.

Food allergy is a typical immune response . Pseudoallergic reactions to food are caused by non-immunological mechanisms such as foods that release histamine (some fish, strawberries), foods containing arachidonic acid metabolites, foods that release biologically active substances.

Food intolerance may also be due to a deficiency of certain enzymes involved in digestion, such as milk intolerance due to lactose deficiency. Toxic effects can also occur with bacterial and chemical contamination of food.

An important prevention of allergies is the initial feeding of the baby. Each food group is introduced slowly and gradually, according to the age of the child. Too early introduction of some foods, as well as excessive delay in their introduction can provoke food allergies.

Foods that are strong allergens such as milk and dairy products, fish nuts, strawberries, mossy fruits are introduced at a later stage.