Food Allergies.

True food allergies affect a relatively small percentage of the population. It may be hereditary as it is found to occur most frequently in children with family histories of allergies. The term ‘food allergy’ is sometimes confused for ‘food intolerance’, but they are in fact different. The difference is in the way the body handles the offending food. Here are some facts on food allergies and food intolerance for kids which all mothers should know.

Food allergy, or hypersensitivity, is an abnormal response to a food that is triggered by the immune response. The most commonly affected organ systems and their symptoms include:

• Skin: hives, rashes, eczema
• Mouth: swelling of mouth, tongue
• Digestive tract: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps
• Respiratory tract: wheezing, asthma

In contrast, food intolerance is more common and the immune system is not responsible for the symptoms even though the symptoms resemble those of a food allergy. The problem lies with the body’s ability to digest the food, usually due to a chemical deficiency.

For example, difficulty digesting milk (lactose intolerance) due to lactase deficiency. Lactase is the enzyme required to digest milk sugar (lactose), hence deficiency causes abdominal discomfort and diarrhea after taking milk. However, people with food intolerance often can still tolerate some amounts of the offending food without experiencing symptoms.
To reduce the risk of your child developing food allergies, do not introduce solid foods till four months of age unless medically indicated, eg; if your baby has failure to thrive or has iron deficiency anemia. Some may even encourage introducing solids to baby at 6 months. It is prudent that a limited variety and quantity of the least allergenic foods are introduced first in the following progression.

Rice based cereal,
Pureed root vegetables (potatoes, pumpkin, carrots)
Pureed fruits (apple, pear, banana),
Other vegetables (spinach, broccoli),
Meat (pork, beef, lamb).

Only one new food should be introduced at a time and wait a few days before introducing another food. This is to enable identification of the offending food should there be any adverse reactions.

A strawberry allergy is an allergy to certain proteins found in strawberries. When people with an allergy are exposed to these proteins, they develop numbness and tingling in their mouths, along with other symptoms such as burning lips, intestinal distress, and congestion. In some cases, the bronchial tubes may swell and close, causing breathing difficulties and severe health problems. Many people with strawberry allergies also experience contact dermatitis when they touch strawberries or products with strawberry ingredients, which can cause the skin to turn red, puffy, and itchy.

Being allergic to strawberries is fairly common. Most people notice that they have a strawberry allergy because they experience the symptoms after eating or handling strawberries, and the allergy can be confirmed with allergy testing. The only way to manage a strawberry allergy is to avoid eating strawberries and products with strawberry flavoring. This allergy does not extend to other fruits and berries, as it involves a protein unique to strawberries.

Strawberries can turn up in surprising places. Their leaves are sometimes used in herbal teas and certain cosmetics, for example, and strawberry flavoring is used in medications and skin care products. Shampoo and conditioner may have strawberry extract, as can air fresheners and laundry detergent. Avoiding strawberry products can get tricky, but strawberries are usually disclosed on the labeling, as they are an expensive ingredient. People with strawberry allergies are safe around artificial strawberry flavoring, as this product lacks the proteins found in real strawberries.
Studies on strawberries and the blood of people with allergies to these tasty little berries seem to suggest that the protein is similar to that which causes a birch pollen allergy. Someone with a birch pollen allergy can develop a strawberry allergy over time. The red color also appears to play a role, as white strawberry cultivars do not cause allergic reactions. White strawberries are also less flavorful, and researchers are working on making them tastier so that people with strawberry allergies can enjoy these fruits.
In most patients, a strawberry allergy is not life threatening. It can be uncomfortable and irritating, especially when things like strawberry pie are served at parties and the patient must explain that he or she cannot eat the dessert. People with strawberry allergies should try to avoid the berries, however, as a more severe allergic reaction can develop at any time. They should make sure to inform hosts of dinner parties and restaurant staff about their allergy, to confirm that they will not be exposed to strawberry proteins during meals away from home.
Food allergy crops up when the immune system incorrectly strikes a food protein. This leads to the improper digestion of the offending food, which in turn triggers abrupt discharge of certain chemicals, leading to an allergic reaction. The symptoms of these allergies can branch out from mild to very serious. Here are some of the most common food allergies symptoms:

Remember, separate foods are associated with separate food allergies symptoms. For example, you will feel wheat and chocolates mainly cause headaches. Here is a list of symptoms and the food that cause them:

Asthma: eggs and flour
Allergies in Children: Wheat, milk, eggs, colas, beef, peanuts, chocolates, rye,
Headaches/ Migraine: Alcohol, peanuts, chocolates, milk, eggs, dairy products, tomatoes, wheat, chocolate
Eczema: oranges, tomatoes, grapes, Eggs
Nasal Allergies: chocolate, Milk, wheat, nuts, colas,
Hives: mango, Strawberries, tomatoes, eggs, chocolate
Fatigue: wheat, corn, milk, Soya
Apart from these, Peanut food allergy is known to be the most common and the most fatal food allergies. Unfortunately, since the past few years the prevalence of this allergy has only doubled.Hence, If you feel that your body reacts abnormally after peanut consumption, immediately stop and go to the doctor for further clarification.

Another very common allergy is the allergy related to Egg. If you refer to the above-mentioned food allergies symptoms, you will notice that most of them include eggs. Hence, if you are one of those people who have an allergy from eggs then make sure you check the Food labels of the products that you eat.