Is that food allergy or simply intolerance?

By Aurora O’Geen
As the seasons change, it’s easy to spot a person with seasonal allergy symptoms. The sneezing, congestion, and itchy-eyes are clear signs of the allergies. For people dealing with a food allergy, its not as simple as taking an over the counter drug to ease their symptoms, in fact food allergies can be extremely painful and even fatal. Today, more and more people are reporting food allergies- symptoms which may be mistaken for food intolerance. The symptoms of food allergies in comparison with food intolerance were recently reviewed in an article in MSNBC. Common misconceptions of what a food allergy actually entails may lead to a misdiagnosis if not treated properly.
Food intolerance can lead to nausea, indigestion, skin rashes, and trouble breathing- common misconceptions for an allergy. The key difference however, is that food intolerance, although uncomfortable to deal with, is not seriously dangerous because it does not directly deal with the individual’s immune system.
A food allergy does affect the immune system directly. When a substance is ingested which the individual is allergic to, it triggers the immune system to go into overdrive causing serious reactions which can be fatal. Symptoms of food allergies include swelling of the mouth and airway, hives, dizziness, and fainting are also common. Of course depending on the individual the reaction can differ- a highly sensitive allergy can be triggered by even the smallest amount of food. Similarly, the timing of the reaction can also differ for each individual. A reaction can occur up to two hours after ingesting the food; on the other hand a person could show immediate signs of a reaction after eating. The key to dealing with food allergies seems clear- avoidance. But the problem is that people aren’t always aware of what they’re actually consuming. A person dealing with a food allergy not only needs to be aware of what they’re consuming, but also where the product was made. Cross-contamination is common with food allergies. For example, a person with a severe reaction to peanuts should also pay attention to foods which may be processed in the same location as the nuts. The smallest amount, though accidental, could trigger a severe reaction. Dr. JoAnn Gleeson-Kreig, associate professor of nursing at SUNY Plattsburgh, explains that a food allergy can be serious without even ingesting the food. Fruit used in many hair products such as shampoo could trigger a skin reaction which can be just as serious.
Jake Dumas recalls a classmate who dealt with their food allergy on a daily basis. In elementary school a classmate had a severe allergy to peanuts. “In the beginning of the year our teacher explained the student’s situation and asked all students to understand her request for no peanut products in the classroom, as a way of making it a safe environment for everyone”. The student themselves also had a greater responsibility to pay attention to what they were consuming and make sure their food didn’t come in contact with anyone else.
Today, more and more districts are banning peanut butter to be served by schools in the cafeteria as a precaution. Other schools are providing “peanut free” tables for students with severe reactions. Along with peanuts, the most common food allergies among children are eggs, and milk. Adults are commonly allergic to shellfish. Lauren Kocienski discovered she was allergic to seafood in her late teen years. After ingesting shrimp on a vacation, Kocienski experienced painful indigestion, dizziness, hives, and a difficulty breathing. She was later diagnosed with an allergy to seafood and now makes sure to avoid it at all times. “I was shocked because I’d never had any prior allergies, it was really out of the blue”, says Kocienski. Assistant Professor of Nursing and Nutrition at SUNY Plattsburgh, Jorunn Gran-Henriksen, says that as much as 1/3 of all adults believe they have a food allergy. Of that amount only 1-2% of them have been diagnosed with a true food allergy. The rate for children is between 4-6%. With the growing rates of people dealing with food allergies, thankfully there are plenty of healthy and safe alternatives. Jerimy Blowers, director of health education services at SUNY Plattsburgh, explains one of the benefits of allergy research- “The good news is that the awareness of allergies has created a larger food market (for example, gluten-free products) not widely available even a decade ago”.
Surprisingly, an individual can discover a new food allergy at anytime. They can also outgrow an allergy from childhood to adulthood- for reasons which are still for the most part unknown. When it comes to food allergies there is no cure, but with the proper care and education, it is possible to live a safe and healthy lifestyle.