Home / Other diseases / Food allergies: symptoms, prevention

Food allergies: symptoms, prevention

Allergy caused by food is symptoms increase the sensitivity of the organism to food and signs of food intolerance, caused by a reaction of the immune system.

It is known that the formation of intolerance to foods involved a variety of mechanisms. Allergic reactions to food occur much less frequently than many people think.

Types

Food allergies usually first develops in early childhood.

For people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and biliary tract, the prevalence of Allergy to food is much higher than among those who do not suffer these diseases.

From all the reactions of food intolerance isolated reactions to food toxic and non-toxic nature. Toxic reactions occur in the case that were used for food products, having in its composition admixture of toxic substances. The severity of these reactions and the types of their manifestation is entirely dependent on dose and chemical characteristics of toxic compounds, and not from the food product.

There are two types of intolerance that are due to non-toxic reactions. Between these types differ in the mechanisms of development.

  1. The body reacts to the foods in connection with immune disorders it is a food Allergy.
  2. If the reaction is not immunological in nature, that we are talking about food intolerance.

Intolerance to certain types of food can develop in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine pathology, biliary system, acquired and congenital enzymopathies and many other diseases that are not associated with disorders of the immune system.

When the good work of the biliary system and gastrointestinal tract allergic reaction to food occurs.

Of great importance in the formation of high sensitivity to foods having genetic predisposition to Allergy.

The results of research, scientists have determined that about half of people suffering from food allergies, are burdened with their own, or dedicated to heritage, history.

This suggests that these people themselves or suffer any allergic diseases (atopic bronchial asthma, hay fever) or diseases these are suffering coming their relatives (sisters, brothers, grandparents, parents).

How is food Allergy in children

On the formation of food allergies is beneficial improper diet women during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This can be the abuse of some products, which have a pronounced allergic activity:eggs, fish, nuts, milk...

The factors provoking developmentdiseases:

  • a very early transfer of the kid to artificial feeding;
  • malnutrition, reflected in the disparity between the amount consumed and the child's weight to their age and body weight;
  • associated diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • diseases of the biliary tract and liver.

The endocrine system is designed to control the normal digestion and absorption of food. Therefore, she endocrine system needs to be in order. In addition to normalization of a metabolism is very important:

  • function and structure of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • the amount and composition of digestive juices;
  • biliary system;
  • the composition of the intestinal microflora and the immune status of its mucosa (secretory immunoglobulins, lymphoid tissue, etc.)

Normally, when foods are broken down into components that do not have allergic properties, and the intestinal wall is impermeable for products that have not been splitting.

How is adult

As children and adults Allergy is the result of the same factors.

Initially, is the increased permeability of the intestinal wall. Is observed in inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract, generally food Allergy symptoms has always demonstrated extremely clear.

Speeding up or reducing the absorption of dietary compounds may occur due to violation of the stages of digestion at a dyskinesia of intestines and biliary tract, deficiency of pancreatic function, etc.

Untimely food. Frequent or infrequent meals sooner or later lead to the development of gastritis, violation of secretion of the stomach and other disorders that contribute to the formation of food Allergy or pseudoallergy.

For stable formation of high sensitivity protein foods affects not only the quantity of ingested food and poor diet, but the acidity of gastric secretion.

The basis of true Allergy to food is based on high sensitivity and the response of the immune system on re-introduction of the food allergen. In that moment, when a particular food product first enters the body in the blood fall and food antigens. In response, the body begins to synthesize antibodies, which are relevant to the class of immunoglobulin A.

In a person not prone to allergies, the absorption of this antigen and its entry into circulation is accompanied by the "indifference" of the immune system upon repeated contact with antigen in the body. This process is controlled at the gene level.

Food allergies can develop if a person is genetically predisposed to allergies to food antigens with the participation of antibodies belonging to the class of immunoglobulin E. there is Oftenfood allergic to some food additives such as azo-dye, namely tartrazine.

Sometimes the reason for the development of pseudoallergy and food are not the products themselves, and all kinds of chemical additives which are very fashionable today. These additives are used to improve odor, taste, color, and increase shelf life. The group of food additives includes a great number of substances: flavors, colors, emulsifiers, antioxidants, thickeners , enzymes, preservatives, bacteriostatic substances.

The most popular food dyes are:

  • sodium nitrite — keeps the red color in meat products;
  • tartrazine – it provides product orange-yellow.
  • In conservation use:
  • salicylates;
  • MSG;
  • acetylsalicylic acid.

In cheese, chocolate, cocoa beans and other products subjected to fermentation, contains betaphenethylamine – vasoactive amine. This Supplement causes the people pseudoallergy.

Food Allergy symptoms and manifestations

Symptoms are divided according to the localization, shape, prognosis and severity. Typical and earliest sign of a true Allergy to food is the appearance of the oral Allergy syndrome. It is manifested by itching in the mouth, feeling the soft or hard palate, mild swelling or numbness of the tongue, edema of the oral mucosa. All these symptoms appear after a person eats a product containing the food allergen.

Gastrointestinal allergic manifestations occur most often in the form of:

  • colic;
  • vomiting;
  • constipation;
  • diarrhea;
  • loss of appetite;
  • allergic enterocolitis.

If a food Allergy is vomiting may occur within 4-6 hours after eating the "culprit". Vomit consists of undigested food eaten. Sometimes vomiting takes a protracted nature. It often occurs due to the contraction of the pylorus, in the moment when an allergen enters the stomach.

Painful abdominal cramps caused by food allergen can occur immediately after a meal, and can lay low for a few hours. They cause spasms of the smooth muscles of the intestine. Usually pain in the abdomen are of a pronounced character. Pain when food allergies can be more smoothed, but permanent. They are accompanied by loss of appetite, the presence in the stool of mucus and other disorders.

Lack of appetite can manifest as an aversion of man to cause and significant food product. But may be a General decline in appetite for any food. Due to spasms of smooth muscles of different departments of a gut in food allergies, constipation occurs.

Diarrhea occurs immediately after eatingproduct-allergen. It is the most common symptom of food Allergy in children and adults. Often diarrhea in food Allergy occurs after drinking milk. Milk can meet a Huge importance is the appointment of a balanced diet, which should be consistent with the weight of the patient, age and comorbid medical disorders.

As with any other allergic disease, food allergies apply both specific and extraordinary methods of treatment such as folk remedy for allergies. The latter are aimed at preventing relapse and eliminating symptoms developed the disease.

For common acute manifestations of food Allergy the patient is prescribed oral antihistamines first generation (suprastin, tavegil). With the disease of light and medium forms are more likely to use antihistamine preparations of new generation:

  • loratadine (claritin, sucking, etc.);
  • cetirizine (zyrtec, allertec, letizen, etc.);
  • ebastine (kestin);
  • Fexofenadine (Telfast).

To particular methods of getting rid of food allergies consider allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) and the exclusion of the food allergen.

The main treatment for food allergies is the removal from the diet of a causally significant allergen. But if this disease occurs due to those foods that are rarely eaten (crabs, chocolate, strawberry), this method may be the only correct and effective.

The diet requires the exclusion from the diet of not only the specific food product, but also any other, in which it is part albeit in minimal quantities. If the patient is assigned a diet, it is necessary to strictly control the ratio of ingredients and amount of food to the age and weight of the patient.

Allergen-specific immunotherapy for food poisoning is appointed only when this nutrient is simply impossible to do. As an example of a suitable milk for the baby.