Food Allergies: A Rising Epidemic

Allergies affect many children, particularly food allergies; this in turn can lead to social problems as they may become excluded from certain situations where their allergies are not known. In contrast they may feel a certain social stigma as their allergies are

Many people see having a food allergy as a damper on life and a restriction on one's diet. I do not see it that way. I see it as an attribute to me that has helped define the person that I am. I often wonder what it would feel like to sit down at a restaurant and order any meal off the menu. But then again, I will never be able to do that because my food allergy is part of who I

About 17 to 18 million U.S. citizens (http://www.parentherald.com/articles/22242/20160222/oral-immunotherapy-reverse-children-s-food-allergies-100-percent-combined.htm) have allergies to at least one food. There is a 65 percent chance of tehir children inheriting their allergies. It is estimated that one-quarter of food allergic people will suffer an episode of anaphylaxis (http://stanmed.stanford.edu/2014fall/i-can-eat-it.html)

Peanuts are one of the leading causes of allergic reactions in children. Peanuts may not be suitable for infants. Honey can also cause an allergic reaction. Children should not consume honey before their first birthday. Honey contains botulism, and the bacteria can damage an infant's digestive system. Many people are allergic to iodine. Shellfish and fish are common allergy foods. Many children are also allergic to milk, soy, eggs and

Food allergies, a potentially life threatening condition that may be covered by the ADA, are a serious issue for college age students. At home, they can easily avoid their allergens. When dining out for the majority of their meals, as most college age students do, it can be difficult to avoid those allergens. The objectives of this study is to determine if there are published procedures and policies for food allergies in colleges, to evaluate practices for accommodations, and to determine if variations exist in the accommodations of students between private and public colleges. Methods used were mixed in dual-phase design. Quantitative studies (surveys, questionnaires, etc) were used to create tools necessary for the qualitative phase (interviews).

But, did you know that there are other food sensitivities just being brought into the mainstream? Ones you may have not even heard of yet?

Allergies can interfere with the everyday life. A few allergies that will be discussed in this paper include eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, and soy. These 9 are among the top food allergens. A food allergen is defined as an unpleasant or dangerous immune system reaction that is caused from ingesting a certain type of food, such as the ones listed above. When a person has an allergic reaction to the food it can cause digestion problems, hives, and most dangerously, swollen airways (Mayo 1.) If an allergic reaction is not treated in time it can lead to death.

An allergic reaction in any species is defined as an over-reaction and hypersensitivity by the immune system to an allergen which is most often a protein. But how does it really work? When an allergen is present in the body an antibody which is tasked with recognizing any foreign substance in the body recognizes it and binds to a specific antibody just like a lock and key. This unit of the allergen and the antibody then travel to the mast cells in the body. This then triggers the mast cells to release a bunch of chemicals that result in excessive secretions such as in the nose resulting in the infamous runny nose or a cause the constriction of airways and endanger life when histamine is released.

There are no obtainable medications or treatments that stop food allergies. The only way to stop allergic responses is to abstain from those foods that elicit those allergic reactions. Once you and your healthcare expert have recognized the food(s) to which you are allergic, you need to get rid of them from your diet.

The 21st century has witnessed an upswing in reported allergies in children and adults alike. Around 3% of adults (Thalheimer 2016) and 8% of children (Gupta et. al.). While many are medically diagnosed, advancement in the research of medical conditions has led to unclear research and incorrect diagnoses that lead to fusion in the definition of food allergies and intolerances. When the definition of an allergy vs intolerance are clearly understood, the testing process becomes very clear, especially when looking at the example of ‘cow’s milk allergies’ and intolerance. The implication of false diagnoses of allergies can be very problematic.

I enjoyed reading your post. I have worked as a server at the restaurant, and I know that sometimes people who handling the food don't take an allergy super seriously. And you brought up a great point that a restaurant guest who got a severe allergies must be curious about the way his/her food will be cooked or delivered. Because kitchen and waiters usually do their work as fast as they can and cross contamination may happen not only in the kitchen, but, also, on a food tray. What would be the best way to ensure how food being deliver to the table with allergic guest? Should the restaurant manager be involved in this process? I think that it should be waiter's priority to deliver allergic guest meal to the table separate from the group order.

This book gives parents and children a brief understanding of how they test for food allergies and how it can change what you eat and still have a happy life, especially with

I'm writing this to show what having food allergies is like and how it's not something to joke about nor to take lightly

Research on Food Allergies True food allergies are not as common as many people believe and do in fact only affect about 2% of children. However, they are more common in younger children (affecting about 5-8% of younger children). Fortunately, most younger children will outgrow these food allergies by the time that they are three years old.

In today’s society, it is likely that you or someone you know has food a allergy. In the past few decades, food allergies among children have skyrocketed. Yet, many people still fail to realize the severity of food allergies and how common and dangerous they really are. As someone who has multiple food allergies, it is easier to understand the struggle of eating out or being skeptical and eerie of trying new food. Allergies ranging from dairy, to gluten, to nuts, and anywhere and everywhere in between. There are multi-millions of other people worldwide who are affected by food allergies. About one in every thirteen children suffer from at least one food allergy. Think a food allergy isn't danger? Hundreds of Americans die each year just from food allergies and thousands die worldwide. We are living in a generation of youth, a generation where more and more people are having food allergies, a generation where people are making allergies public information, a generation that can save the lives of those who have allergic reactions.