Many of us have observed, or perhaps at least heard of the frightening anaphylactic reaction to peanuts and even shellfish which several kids have. As a parent this is often a tremendously scary occasion, we are going to discuss food sensitivities, which if disregarded after a while can cause various other health issues. "When we see kids come in with constant symptoms of abdomen pain, ear infections, runny noses, exhaustion or perhaps skin rashes, we think about food sensitivities first," states Dr Mike Towbin of Ultimate Health and Wellness in Fort Collins, CO. It's estimated that as much as 50 % of the population has a food sensitivity to varying degrees.
Once the immune system gets out of balance-say simply by eating an unhealthy diet, taking an antibiotic or catching a bug-it may start to see a certain food as an opponent and attack it. Unfortunately, the immune system can't tell the difference between an undigested food protein and a destructive protein like a virus.
"If your immune system is good and performing properly, it allows the ideal things into the bloodstream and keeps the dangerous stuff out," says Dr. Towbin of Ultimate Health and Wellness. Any time it's off, it could react to something harmless-like the protein in milk, whole wheat or perhaps corn-while allowing in dangerous things, including germs.
It's essential to note the actual difference relating to a food allergy and a food sensitivity. Genuine allergic reactions can be either immediate or delayed; they could trigger a extreme antibody reaction in the blood stream which could quickly turn into a crisis, or they can build a slow antibody response which could result in problems over hours, days or perhaps weeks. Sensitivities, on the other hand, may not have a clear immune trigger and can trigger a slower immune response. Indications may be annoying to significant and may come and go with modifications in diet. Well-known food sensitivities include things like wheat, dairy products, corn, soy, processed sugar, eggs, coffee, chocolate, beef, fish, shellfish, citrus in addition to food additives, preservatives and even colorings. Common food allergies include peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs, soy and wheat.
When Dr. Towbin suspects a food sensitivity he typically does further testing and suggests a comprehensive elimination diet. "We pull most of the suspect foods from the diet for 3 weeks to see if your youngster feels better. Next we add food groups back, one-by-one. Doing so let's us pinpoint which food is triggering the problem." If you suspect your child has an issue with food, see your doctor. Food allergies can be tested in multiple ways, sometimes with a simple blood test.