Food allergies can affect anyone and with different levels of different. When people eat food and bad feelings arise in his body then they will assume that they are allergic to these foods. Facts prove, not all assumptions are correct. Only 1% in adults and 3% of children who prove if they really allergic to certain foods.

This difference occurs because many people still mistakenly be understanding of food allergies. They can not tell which is called a food allergy and what is called a food intolerance. Food allergy is the body’s abnormal response to a food triggered by a specific reaction in the immune system with specific symptoms as well. While food intolerance is an abnormal response of the body against certain foods that symptoms similar to food allergies, just cause not from a specific reaction in the immune system, but from some specific diseases.

Someone with food allergies must be identified and treated early because, although the symptoms are not severe, but a long long time they can experience severe and fatal symptoms.

How does the work mechanism of food allergy?

Allergens found in foods is a major component of food allergies. This form of the protein allergens that are not damaged during the cooking process, and not damaged while in gastric acidity. Allergens can result in a smooth waltz into the body’s blood circulation to reach the target organs in order to cause allergic reactions. The mechanism of food allergy involves the immune system and hereditary / descent.

Food allergy is a hypersensitivity reaction which means that before an allergic reaction to food allergens appears, one should never exposed to the same allergens before. The first time hit, allergens will stimulate the lymphocytes (part of the white blood cells) to produce antibodies (IgE) to these allergens. These antibodies will be attached to the Mast cell tissue. If one day the person is eating the same food then it will tell antibodies Mast cells to release histamine. A chemical called histamine is what causes the symptoms of food allergies.

What are the symptoms of food allergies?

The complexity of the food digestion process will affect the time, location and symptoms of food allergies. Symptoms can appear within minutes or hours and hours to eat later. The initial symptoms of food allergy may include itching in the mouth, difficulty swallowing and breathing. When the food has reached the stomach and small intestine, the symptoms that arise in the form of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. These symptoms are often confused and upset with symptoms of food intolerance.

As mentioned above, the allergens will be spread throughout the body via the bloodstream. When they reach the skin, allergens will cause eczema. By the time they reach the lungs, the occurrence of allergens can trigger asthma. Allergic symptoms of the most feared anafilaktik known as shock. This phenomenon is characterized by a decreased blood pressure, decreased consciousness, and if not treated immediately can cause death.

Is the baby food allergy could be affected?

The answer is Yes. Allergic to cow’s milk or soy milk to the baby we’ve heard. The symptoms of food allergies in infants and children more often in the form of either indigestion or constipation diarrhea. Exclusive breastfeeding a baby believed to be able to prevent allergy to cow’s milk / soy.

What foods cause allergic ?

In adults: seafood such as oysters, shrimp, lobster, crab, squid, squid, and fish. Several types of nuts such as walnuts, peanuts. The most common are allergic to eggs.

On children: Patterns of allergic happens sometimes differ from adults. Foods that often cause allergies in children are eggs, milk, peanuts, and fruits such as tomatoes and strawberries.

What are the abnormalities that are similar to food allergies?

This is a disorder disorder disorder that has symptoms similar to food allergies so often suspected by the patient’s food allergies. As mentioned above, this disorder is often referred to as food intolerance rather than food allergies.

Poisoning hitamin: Some of the foods we eat can contain high histamine. High levels of histamine in these foods when circulating in the blood will cause effects such as food allergies cause of food allergies are also due to the release of histamine by Mast cells. The difference, of histamine poisoning, histamine derived from outside the body while on food allergies, histamine from Mast cells in the body. Foods that are high in histamin including cheese, wine, and some species of fish.

Food additives: Substances added to foods will cause adverse effects in the body. More and more consumed by the side effects that occurred will be stronger too. Food additives which often cause side effects is monosodium glutamate or MSG. If consumed in excessive amounts, MSG can cause redness and warmth on the skin, the head becomes light, headache, pain in the chest, and face heavy.

Food poisoning: Eating spoiled foods that contain bacteria, and toxins will cause food poisoning. Symptoms that occur terggantung types of germs and toxins that contaminate food.

Lactase deficiency: lactase is the enzyme responsible for breaking the lactose found in milk into a more simple sugars. When this enzyme is less, then the solution process will be disrupted so that the lactose is broken and fails to be absorbed into the blood as a result of bacteria in the gut would break his own lactose by producing the gas. Result, the person will feel bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Gastrointestinal diseases other: Some gastrointestinal diseases whose symptoms are related to food or ulcer peptic ulcer, gallstones, Crohn’s disease, cancer and other gastrointestinal inflammation.

Psychological: Some people who experience food intolerance is caused by psychological factors. In these patients need a careful examination of the psychological factors behind the occurrence of food intolerance.

How to handle food allergies?

Avoiding foods that cause allergies are the most important thing in the handling of food allergies. After the known types of foods that cause food allergies then it must be immediately removed from the list of daily menus. How is the patient must be able to make a list of foods / ingredients the food he ate daily. When allergy appears, so he can look back on what what he ate before the emergence of allergies. If found, immediately remove these foods from the menu.

If allergy symptoms have appeared so necessary medical treatment for the symptoms that arise. For example with an antihistamine drug delivery to overcome the symptoms of the skin, gastrointestinal tract, asthma, sneezing and discomfort in the nose. If symptoms occur very heavy, immediately took the patient to the doctor or the nearest hospital.

source : http://www.blogdokter.net/2008/04/12/alergi-makanan/