What Is a Food Allergy?
A food allergy is caused when the body's immune system triggers off an abnormal response to a certain type of food.
The human body in general develops a high degree of tolerance to food in order to survive.
Sometimes the presence of antigens in food components can cause a threat to the health of a person and that is when the body's immune system starts reacting in order to destroy the harmful substances and thus causes an allergic reaction.
A food allergy can occur in different intensities ranging from mild reactions to those which can even be life threatening.
It should not be confused with food intolerance.
A food allergy can also be termed as food hypersensitivity because it is caused when the immune system identifies the ingested food as being harmful to the body and thus triggers off an allergic reaction.
The work of the immune system is to create food-specific antibodies to protect the body.
These antibodies are actually proteins which fight the harmful antigens and try to destroy them or reduce their effectiveness.
Allergens are the food which trigger the harmful reaction.
Whenever this particular allergen is ingested by a person who is sensitive to it, the immune system discharges large amounts of chemicals and histamines to protect the body against the allergen.
The resulting allergic reaction can affect the digestive tract, the respiratory tract, the skin and sometimes even the cardiovascular system.
Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies are created by the immune system as a defense against ingested allergens.
These are created when the person is first exposed to the allergen and these antibodies attach themselves to certain cells in tissues in the body, especially in areas like the gastrointestinal tract, the lungs, the nose, the throat and the skin.
The next time the person eats the food with that particular allergen a reaction occurs as the body releases histamines and chemicals which are located in the body's cells.
Symptoms such as inflammation occur.
The type of allergic reaction depends on which part of the body the chemicals have been released.
A reaction in the gastro intestinal tract can cause stomach cramps or diarrhea.
If the reaction occurs in the ears, nose or throat the person can face breathing difficulties or sneezing.
If it affects the cells on the skin it can result in hives.
There can be itching, redness and inflammation.
Medications which block the release of histamines are used to treat IgE allergies.
On the other hand, Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies provide a long-term resistance to infection.
These antibodies help combat viral and bacterial infections.
The main cause of IgG food allergies are problems in the digestive tract.
Most food allergies are IgG in nature.
Complete removal of the problem food from the diet may improve the condition of the person.
The IgG mediated allergies are classified as Type-III allergic reactions.
These antibodies do not release histamines and the symptoms of the allergy are delayed.
Sometimes the reactions occur even 72 hours after exposure to the antigen.
IgG mediated allergies do not have much in common with classic allergies and this is a topic for debate in the medical community.
Both the IgG and the IgE antibodies help fight against invading pathogens.
The human body in general develops a high degree of tolerance to food in order to survive.
Sometimes the presence of antigens in food components can cause a threat to the health of a person and that is when the body's immune system starts reacting in order to destroy the harmful substances and thus causes an allergic reaction.
A food allergy can occur in different intensities ranging from mild reactions to those which can even be life threatening.
It should not be confused with food intolerance.
A food allergy can also be termed as food hypersensitivity because it is caused when the immune system identifies the ingested food as being harmful to the body and thus triggers off an allergic reaction.
The work of the immune system is to create food-specific antibodies to protect the body.
These antibodies are actually proteins which fight the harmful antigens and try to destroy them or reduce their effectiveness.
Allergens are the food which trigger the harmful reaction.
Whenever this particular allergen is ingested by a person who is sensitive to it, the immune system discharges large amounts of chemicals and histamines to protect the body against the allergen.
The resulting allergic reaction can affect the digestive tract, the respiratory tract, the skin and sometimes even the cardiovascular system.
Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies are created by the immune system as a defense against ingested allergens.
These are created when the person is first exposed to the allergen and these antibodies attach themselves to certain cells in tissues in the body, especially in areas like the gastrointestinal tract, the lungs, the nose, the throat and the skin.
The next time the person eats the food with that particular allergen a reaction occurs as the body releases histamines and chemicals which are located in the body's cells.
Symptoms such as inflammation occur.
The type of allergic reaction depends on which part of the body the chemicals have been released.
A reaction in the gastro intestinal tract can cause stomach cramps or diarrhea.
If the reaction occurs in the ears, nose or throat the person can face breathing difficulties or sneezing.
If it affects the cells on the skin it can result in hives.
There can be itching, redness and inflammation.
Medications which block the release of histamines are used to treat IgE allergies.
On the other hand, Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies provide a long-term resistance to infection.
These antibodies help combat viral and bacterial infections.
The main cause of IgG food allergies are problems in the digestive tract.
Most food allergies are IgG in nature.
Complete removal of the problem food from the diet may improve the condition of the person.
The IgG mediated allergies are classified as Type-III allergic reactions.
These antibodies do not release histamines and the symptoms of the allergy are delayed.
Sometimes the reactions occur even 72 hours after exposure to the antigen.
IgG mediated allergies do not have much in common with classic allergies and this is a topic for debate in the medical community.
Both the IgG and the IgE antibodies help fight against invading pathogens.
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