Food allergy can be fatal

Food allergies or food intolerences affect nearly everyone at some point in their lives because it is possible that people may have an unpleasent reaction to something they have eaten.one out of three people have been affected by a food allergy or have had to modify the family diet because a family member is suspected of having a food allergy.A Food Allergy is an immune system response to a food that the body mistakenly believes is harmful,it creates specific antibodies to it .The next time the individual eats that food,the immune system releases massive amount of chemicals,including histamines,in order to protect the body.These chemicals triggera cascade of allergic symptoms that can affect respiratory system,gastrointestinal tract,skin or cardiovascular system.The complex process of digestion affects the timing and the location of a reaction.If people are allergic to a particular food,for example they may first experience itching in the mouthas they start to eat the food.After the food is digested in the stomach,abdominal symptoms such as vommiting diarrhea or pain may start.There may even be a drop in blood pressure.As the allergens reach the skin,they may induce hives or eczema or when they reach the lungs,they may cause asthma.All this takes place within an hour of ingesting the food allergen.Although an individual could be allergic to any food,such as fruits,vegetables and meats,it is most common that someone is allergic to certain types of foods such as shellfish,soy and wheat which account for 90% of all food allergic reaction.In adults,the most common foods to cause allergic reactions include,shellfish(such as shrimp,cray fish,lobster and crab),peanuts,walnut,fish and eggs.At the present time ,there is no cure for food allergy.avoidance is the only way to prevent an allergic reaction.Once a patient's allergic symptoms have been associated to a particular food,the food must be removed from the patient's diet.In highly allergic people even minute amounts of food allergen can prompt an immediate allergic reaction.Other less sensitive people may be able to tolerate small amounts of a food to which they are allergic