Food Allergy Basic's
*Eight foods account for 90% of all food-allergic reactions. They are milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, and soy.
*In most people with food allergies, the immune system, the part of the body that usually fights infection, makes tiny proteins called IgE antibodies.
The IgE antibodies are like antennae that can detect a particular food. For example, some may see peanut, others may see milk, etc. These food-specific IgE antibodies sit on cells called "mast cells" which are in the skin, lungs, gut and other parts of the body.
Mast cells are filled with chemicals that can trigger allergic symptoms. One of them is histamine. When someone with a food allergy eats the food they are allergic to, the proteins of that food attach to the IgE on the mast cell.
This causes the mast cell to release the mediators, sending histamine (and other chemicals and proteins, called “mediators”) throughout the body. The mediators cause the symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as swelling, itching, trouble breathing, etc.
*Symptoms of food allergy reactions include: Gastrointestinal – abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Eye – Itching, watering, swelling
Skin – Hives, swelling, atopic dermatitis (eczema)
Respiratory – Wheezing, repetitive cough, laryngeal edema (swelling of the lips and throat), runny nose
Generalized – Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis may involve several of the symptoms listed above and may also involve difficulty breathing, a drop in blood pressure, or loss of consciousness.
*While it is crucial to understand how to avoid food allergy reactions, it’s just as important to teach others about food allergies. Educating others must be part of your food allergy management plan, from explaining about allergens in foods to demonstrating the use of an epinephrine auto-injector.
***** If you feel you have a food allergy please check with your doctor. This information is ONLY information to help educate and NOT treat medically. This information is located on FAAN's webpage (http://www.foodallergy.org/)*****
*In most people with food allergies, the immune system, the part of the body that usually fights infection, makes tiny proteins called IgE antibodies.
The IgE antibodies are like antennae that can detect a particular food. For example, some may see peanut, others may see milk, etc. These food-specific IgE antibodies sit on cells called "mast cells" which are in the skin, lungs, gut and other parts of the body.
Mast cells are filled with chemicals that can trigger allergic symptoms. One of them is histamine. When someone with a food allergy eats the food they are allergic to, the proteins of that food attach to the IgE on the mast cell.
This causes the mast cell to release the mediators, sending histamine (and other chemicals and proteins, called “mediators”) throughout the body. The mediators cause the symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as swelling, itching, trouble breathing, etc.
*Symptoms of food allergy reactions include: Gastrointestinal – abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Eye – Itching, watering, swelling
Skin – Hives, swelling, atopic dermatitis (eczema)
Respiratory – Wheezing, repetitive cough, laryngeal edema (swelling of the lips and throat), runny nose
Generalized – Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis may involve several of the symptoms listed above and may also involve difficulty breathing, a drop in blood pressure, or loss of consciousness.
*While it is crucial to understand how to avoid food allergy reactions, it’s just as important to teach others about food allergies. Educating others must be part of your food allergy management plan, from explaining about allergens in foods to demonstrating the use of an epinephrine auto-injector.
***** If you feel you have a food allergy please check with your doctor. This information is ONLY information to help educate and NOT treat medically. This information is located on FAAN's webpage (http://www.foodallergy.org/)*****