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Many people complain about suffering from allergies. Food allergies seem to be an ever increasing health problem. The fact about food allergies is that many are not true allergies but simply the intolerance to a certain type of food. In recent years often people complain about wheat allergy. The truth about wheat allergies is that only a very small percent of the population suffers a true wheat allergy.

Most people with complaints against wheat have the intolerance to wheat but not an allergy. An allergic response to wheat and wheat products will come on suddenly for the patient and can be life threatening. The person may suffer anaphylactic type symptoms such as hives, swelling, difficulty breathing, coughing, and projectile vomiting.

A person having an allergic response to wheat will need immediate medical attention to prevent serious complications and possibly death.

Diagnosing a Wheat Allergy

If a person suspects that he or she is allergic to wheat or wheat products, he or she should see product contents whenever possible. The doctor can perform a simple blood test to determine if there is a true allergy. This is important to do, so that after determining it a correct step can be taken to prevent exposure to wheat and thus an allergic response.

Even small children may have wheat allergies and their parents will need to take forward step toward getting them diagnosed. A child may not understand the diagnosis but parents and the physician can begin to teach adaptations to him or her in the early child’s life.

Treating a Wheat Allergy

The only treatment for a true wheat allergy is to avoid completely wheat in the diet. This may seem simple and easily undertaken but is very complex. Wheat is present in many food items in the American diet. Of course, the basic foods to avoid are grained products such as bread, cereal, and pasta.

The allergy sufferer will also have to avoid caking, cookies, crackers and pies. Wheat may also found be in many canned food items. Wheat is often used as a thickener so foods such as soups, gravies and sauces need to be avoided. Some drinks such as beer and root beer will probably contain wheat products.

The list goes on and on for food which may contain wheat. A person with wheat allergy would be wise to consult a registered dietician for diet alterations which will prevent an allergic reaction and it will also maintain a healthy well rounded diet.

By: Kate Savage

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Food is the edifice upon which our body nutrition is dependent. Imagine if one does not take food even for a day, how run-down and emaciated he would feel. At the same time food can also cause allergic reaction in many. A person may be allergic to more than one food item. In most of food related allergies, the patient is generally aware as to which food item has wrought the damage. Following food items are said to be potent causative factors in causing allergies to some persons, though not all.

Fish Allergy: Sea foods are known causes of allergy out of which fish allergy is the most common. Some people cannot stand foul smell of fish and even very sight of fish can cause allergy. Urticaria – formation of rashes in the skin is the common outcome, though some persons may vomit or nauseate. Persons, allergic to fish, should also avoid taking other sea foods also.

Egg Allergy: Here also white portion of egg and smell of egg is the usual cause of allergy. Reaction from egg allergy is, at times, to severe which may result in collapse and shock, or vomiting in some people.

Allergy from Milk and Milk products : Next to food allergies, milk allergy is a common cause of allergy. In infants allergy occurs when breast-milk is substituted by tinned milk, cow’s or buffalo’s milk This Allergy may manifest in the form of stomach upset, vomiting or even pain in abdomen. If milk is eliminated from an infant’s food for a few days, and if he feels better than milk allergy can be easily established. In some people, condensed milk, whey, curd, cream, cheese etc may also cause allergy resulting in stomach upset and/or vomiting. If milk or any one of its products are triggering allergic reactions, it is wiser to eliminate such items from the diet.

Allergy from Vegetables and Fruits: Both vegetables and fruits form an essential part of daily. Allergy can be established when fruits or vegetables cause abdominal colic, flatulence, vomiting, nausea, urticaria, loose motions or constipation. In most of the cases, a patient is generally aware of the offending food item which has caused such upsets. Spinach, tomato, menthol, ginger, garlic, mangoes, oranges, potatoes may cause allergy in some of the patients. Some people have excessive saliva, soreness in the mouth, stomatitis, partial/complete loss or perversion of taste and their tongues may get reddened. Even some pulses, juices of fruits and vegetable, oral application of vegetable based creams, lotions, smell of touch of some food items (like ginger, onions, garlic etc) may be the causes of allergic reactions. Symptoms of food allergy may appear immediately or even several hours after the ingestion of offending food items.

At times, food allergies are quite short-lived, while in some cases reactions occur after some hours. Treatment should be directed towards elimination of offending food items which is a lengthy and painstaking process. In any case, identification of the offending food article is necessary failing which the patient may experience food generated allergies for years.

By: Andy Kahn

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You’ve got a runny nose, sore throat, chest congestion and a head ache.

So have you caught a cold or is it an allergy attack?

Unfortunately, it’s often hard to differentiate and tell for sure. But here’s information that may help you to understand and identify the difference between a common cold and an allergy episode. Read on and find out for yourself.

Common cold Vs Allergy

Colds are known to be caused by hundreds of different viruses. When one of these viruses gets into your body, your immune system tries to fight back. Some of the effects of this immune response are lower respiratory tract irritation with the most commonly witnessed symptoms being congestion and coughing.

Symptoms of the common cold usually begin two to three days after infection and often include nasal discharge, excessive sneezing, scratchy throat, cough, and headache. Slight fever and a body ache might also accompany. Cold symptoms can last from two to 14 days and are usually witnessed in winters, though may be contracted in any season.

The mucus released is quite often pale yellow in color. The viral strains which cause cold are contagious and can be easily picked up from touching an infected person’s nasal discharges or inhaling infectious particles suspended in the air.

After a couple of weeks, at the most, your immune system fights off the viral invasion and you stop having the symptoms. High fever, significantly swollen glands, severe head ache with facial pain in the sinuses, and a mucus generating cough, may however indicate a serious complication requiring a doctor’s attention.

Allergies on the other hand are caused by an overactive immune system. When your body mistakes harmless substances – such as mold or pollen – for germs, it fights back the foreign elements by releasing chemicals called histamines, just as it does when fighting a cold. This can cause swelling in your nasal passages, a runny nose, coughing, and sneezing.

You might be able to differentiate between a cold and allergy by noticing a few factors such as-

Colds are contagious while allergies are usually not.
Colds are accompanied by body ache and in some cases even fever, which rarely is the case with allergies.
The mucus released during colds is yellowish in color whilst allergic nasal discharges are transparent or colorlessly clear.

Cold symptoms surface after a few days of contracting the viral infection while the allergic symptoms usually surface almost immediately after exposure to the allergens.
Cold symptoms in most cases disappear within a week or two while allergic ones might linger on long till the source of allergy (the allergens) are not removed from the close environment.

Prevention and Treatment

Since the causes of cold and allergy symptoms are quite different, preventing them would also require different strategies.

The best way to prevent allergy symptoms would be to avoid contact with substances you’re allergic to, called allergens. So if you’re allergic to pollen, for instance, avoid going outside on days when the pollen count is high. A few common allergens are dust, mites, cockroaches, a specific food (fish, eggs or soy products), mold, animal wastes, pollen, etc.

The ideal strategy to prevent cold symptoms would be to try stopping the cold-causing virus from entering your system. Washing hands often, keeping your distance from infected people, covering your mouth and nose (with a tissue or your sleeve, rather than your hands) when sneezing or coughing are a few preventive measures. Taking over the counter non-steroidal anti histamines and decongestants might reduce the pains and aches. However, the best way would be to just have plenty of fluids, proper rest and taking steam inhalation or gargling with warm salt water. Intake of hot soups (the famous chicken soup for cold) to soothe your congested nose and hot ginger cinnamon tea to ease your sore throat may also help.

Keeping in tune with your disease or symptoms not only makes the treatment less intimidating but also increases its chance of success. A better informed patient is always better equipped to tackle the disease and discuss the symptoms and treatment options with the doctor, hence lowering the risk to unwanted complications.

Although cold and nasal allergy symptoms are rarely serious, they can sometimes lead to other problems such as sinusitis or middle ear infections. So, if you think you might have allergies – or your cold symptoms seem severe – its better to consult your doctor.

Take care!

By: Dr. Panchali Moitra

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Needless to say, people who have always had the problem of allergies tend to wear masks for most of the activities, both indoor and outdoor. Worse still, some even have to wear masks all day long. Generally, wearing an allergy mask might may help you a great deal in activities such as gardening, riding a motorbike, or if you are working in an environment which deals with fumes and pollution, raking leaves etc. Keep reading for more information if you are interested in this matter.

If you are wondering about the actual reasons for wearing a mask, there are literally several scenarios which give rise to the need of it. Obviously, people who have allergy problems or who have sensitive noses are definitely in the need of wearing mask. This is especially the case when they are doing outdoor activities such as gardening, taking a walk in the park or riding a motorcycle. The mask will protect them from being exposed to all the external agents such as strong smells or mold spores that could potentially trigger the allergy problem.

When you are in the need of wearing a mask, then you should first equip yourself with the adequate knowledge about various types of allergy masks that are available on the market. Truth to be told, it definitely helps to know the differences between different masks as that would help you immensely in determining what you need to get for yourself. Just to let you know, some masks are with no filters at all, while some are with certain filtration mechanism such as carbon filters or charcoal cloth filters. Anyway, the rule of thumb is that a mask should contain basic information about the size as well as the exact irritants that are removed.

Once you have a certain level of understanding about various types of masks, then you should proceed on to decide which size or model that is best for you. Do make sure that the masks that you are getting are not made of materials that you are allergic to in the first place. It is really not surprising that a lot of people have experienced even worse allergy problem after wearing masks, as they have chosen the wrong ones that actually make the matter worse. Besides that, there are also two types of masks, which are the washable masks and the disposable masks. Depending on what you have chosen, the respective masks should be treated accordingly.

By: Jay P Jackson

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If you are allergic to pickles then you suffer from Allergies Type 1, also called Contact Allergies. Ahh, pickles. We all love them! From the big juicy dills that go just perfectly with a sandwich and chips, to the sweet gherkins that grace our dinner tables. Pickles are a commodity that most everyone enjoys. But sadly, many people suffer from pickle allergies, and they aren’t even sure why. These allergies generally appear suddenly, and can be present in both children and adults. If you’ve started having strange reactions to your favorite snack, read on for more information about why pickle allergies occur.

The thing that most people don’t realize about pickle allergies, is that they are typically caused not by the pickle itself, but by the preservatives used in the pickling process. These pickling agents often cause allergic reactions in people who are then unable to pinpoint the cause of their reaction. The worst part about it, is that these preservatives can be found in a great many more foods than just pickles. Many foods that contain any type of vinegar also contain these pickling agents that can cause pickle allergies.

The most common additives that cause pickle allergies are as follows: sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, and sodium metabisulfite. If you have previously experienced any sort of allergic reaction to pickles, then it is likely that you are probably having a reaction to one or more of these ingredients. The easiest way to prevent this from occurring in the future is to carefully review the ingredients in any preserved foods, to make certain that they do not contain any of these ingredients.

The most common signs and symptoms of pickle allergies are pretty much the same as with any other food allergy. Hives, or a rash can occur, which can generally be treated with an external steroid cream, as can asthmatic symptoms, such as wheezing or difficulty drawing a breath. Other signs of pickle allergies may also include gastrointestinal problems, such as nausea, cramps and diarrhea. The most severe symptoms of pickle allergies can progress into what is known as anaphylaxis. This is a swelling of the throat, which can completely block a person’s airway. This can lead to coma, and if untreated, even death.

The easiest way to prevent pickle allergies, is to set an appointment with your doctor so that he or she can perform allergy tests. These tests will let you know exactly which preservative it is that you are allergic to. To prevent future pickle allergies, simply avoid any foods which contain that particular preservative.

Common Vitamins and over the counter products can help with allergies due to pickles such as vitamin A, vitamin C, beta carotene, bananas and pantothenic acid.

Vitamin A is a known antioxidant and can assist the human body in the healing process. Vitamin A is stored in the liver and fat cells of the human body and can reach toxic levels. DO NOT take more than the recommended dosage of Vitamin A.

Vitamin C is nature’s protective nutrient, essential for defending the body against pollution and infection and enhances the bodies immune system.

Beta Carotene protects the mucus membranes of the mouth, nose, throat and lungs. It also helps protect Vitamin C from oxidation, which enables it to perform at optimum efficiency.

Many find Pantothenic Acid to be very helpful against allergy symptoms. It is another form of nontoxic B vitamins. Pantothenic Acid is critical in the metabolism and synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Bananas have long been recognized for their anti-acid effects that protect against stomach ulcers and ulcer damage. Always consult your doctor before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.

By: David Cowley

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Can genetics explain if you are allergic to some pollens or foods?

White blood cell patterns determined genetically and designated as HLA DQ and DR genes have been identified with an increased risk of pollen, dust, latex, and food allergies. The intriguing part of this story is that there is an advantage to knowing your HLA DR and DQ type when evaluating your risk for pollen allergies and their associated food allergies or cross reactions.

Genetics of Food Reactions and Allergies

As I explain in more detail in my articles on the genetics of gluten sensitivity, we all have proteins on the surface of our cells that are genetically determined. These patterns are easily detectable by testing cells from blood or from the mouth obtained by a Q-tip type swab. Specific patterns have been associated with increased risk for autoimmune conditions, gluten sensitivity and celiac disease.

HLA DQ Genetics and Celiac or Gluten Sensitivity

HLA DQ2 is present in more than 90% of people who have celiac disease while HLADQ8 is present in most of the rest, though not all people with celiac have been found to have DQ2 and/or DQ8.

DQ and DR Genetic Patterns Associated with Food and Pollen Allergies or Sensitivities?

Now it appears certain DQ or DR patterns are associated with food and pollen allergies as well. As the Food Doc, I continue to search the literature for more information about genetic links to food allergy and intolerance. My search has led to me to a couple of interesting articles in the unusual area of oral allergy syndrome (OAS). The relationship between seasonal and perennial nasal allergies and food allergies is certainly well established but not generally known by most doctors or patients. It appears that some of us need to avoid eating certain foods if we have hay fever or allergies, especially during the hay fever season. This problem also appears to be inherited.

Research Documents Genetic Association With Certain Food and Pollen Allergies

Boehncke, et al. from the University of Frankfurt reported in 1998 that certain white blood cell types known HLA class II genotypes or HLA DQ and DR genetic patterns were found more frequently in people with certain pollen associated food allergies. HLA-DQB1*0301 is present in more people with grass pollen allergy. Those with HLA-DRB1*08, an inherited white blood cell protein pattern linked with a grass pollen allergy, have six times the increased risk of peanut allergy. Those who have inherited the HLA-DRB1*12 white blood cell pattern are 13 times higher at risk for carrot allergy.

Tree Pollen Allergy to Birch Tree Pollen Appears to be Worst

Birch pollen associated hazel nut allergy is linked to HLA-DRB1*01, DQA1*0101, and DQB1*0501. Hazel nut, almond, walnut and apple are the most common food allergies associated with birch tree pollen. Allergies to those foods are commonly associated with birch tree pollen in other studies.

Weed Allergies Also Associated With Food Reactions

In 2004, Wang et al. from China published that the inherited white blood cell type DQA1*0302 is found in more people with Artemisia pollen-induced allergic rhinitis, hay fever due to Mugwort or Sagebrush weeds. Mugwort allergy is associated with several food allergies including apple, celery, hazelnut, pistachio, lettuce, almond, peanut, and carrots.

Where to Get Genetic Testing

There are three commercial labs that I am aware of that offer full HLA DQ typing. They are Quest Laboratories, The Laboratory at Bonfils in Denver, and Enterolab. Bonfils runs the Enterolab genetic tests. Enterolab offers the test run on samples of cells obtained from a Q-tip swab of the mouth. The test can be obtained directly from Enterolab without a doctor’s order though it is not covered by insurance. It however is very reasonable from a genetic testing standpoint at $149. Bonfils also does the DQ typing on cells obtained from blood samples sent to them from other labs.

The Future of Genetic Testing in Pollen and Food Allergies

In the future such testing should be very helpful in evaluating suspected food allergies, intolerance and pollen allergies. In the meantime those of us interested in this interesting story anxiously await more research findings in this exciting area. Dr. Fine, founder of Enterolab, has previously published the HLA DQ patterns associated with microscopic colitis. He has found that microscopic changes in the colon or large intestine are similar if not identical to what is seen in the small intestine in celiac disease. Several articles now document that a gluten free diet works in many people with microscopic, lymphocytic and collagenous colitis. It also helps many with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

A finding of intraepithelial lymphocytosis in the distal small intestine (terminal ileum) is associated with an increased incidence of celiac disease in the proximal small intestine. Now, adding to the intrigue, are these articles linking certain inherited white blood cell protein gene patterns to pollen allergy and food allergy cross reactions that are well recognized but rarely pursued clinically. Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS), also called the “burning mouth syndrome”, occurs in many people but frequently goes undiagnosed. Symptoms include burning, painful and/or itching sensation of mouth or throat with or without swelling that occurs almost immediately after eating certain foods. The foods causing these reactions are commonly associated with pollen, latex or dust allergies.

Unusual Association of Pollen Allergies and Mouth Burning or Food Reactions

This unusual association of tree, grass, and weed pollens, latex and house dust mite allergies to food reactions, though well documented in the medical literature, is not commonly recognized by doctors or patients. The OAS literature contains numerous reports of food allergy or intolerance reactions that are associated with specific pollen, dust, mold or latex allergies. One of the best examples is ragweed pollen allergy. It is associated with a higher risk of food allergy or intolerance to only a few foods. These include foods in the gourd family (cucumbers and melons) and bananas. On other the hand, Birch tree pollen allergy is associated with sensitivity to many foods. The list includes those foods in the Rosacea family (apples, pears), tree nut family (hazelnut, almond, walnut), potatoes, and carrots. Reactions include classic allergic reactions such as skin rashes (atopic dermatitis, hives), wheezing (asthma), runny nose (allergic rhinitis), as well as the burning mouth OAS symptoms and other food intolerance symptoms.

If You Suspect Food Allergy, Intolerance or Sensitivity Get Evaluated By an Expert

Individuals who suspect food allergy or intolerance are encouraged to review the food-pollen connection and undergo appropriate evaluations for food allergy, intolerance and sensitivity. Food sensitivity includes gluten sensitivity and cow’s milk (casein) protein sensitivity. Food intolerance includes lactose intolerance. Food allergies are separate and distinct from either food sensitivity or food intolerance.

Consider Getting Genetic Testing or Asking Your Doctor to Test You

This new information about the link of white blood cell protein patterns, HLA DQ types, suggests that we should consider having genetic testing done. After an adequate evaluation,

Establish a Baseline Symptom Score and Start a Food Symptom Diet Diary

I encourage everyone to establish a baseline symptom score. A detailed food symptom diary before a trial of elimination diet is also extremely helpful. An elimination diet that excludes major food lectins (dairy, grain, legumes, and nightshades) and any foods from the pollen list that one is allergic is recommended before accepting diagnoses of IBS, fibromyalgia, unexplained neuropathy or headaches, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Any symptoms not readily explained or improved with other diagnoses and treatment should be considered to be possibly due to a food reaction until proven otherwise.

Selected Bibliography

Boehncke, et al. Clin Exp Allergy. 1998 Apr;28 (4):434-41.

Fine KD et al. Am J Gastroenterol. 2000 Aug;95(8):1974-82.

Wang et al. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg Feb; 130(2): 192-197.

By: Dr. Scot Lewey

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