Understanding the Top 8 Food Allergies
Food allergies have become an important topic in recent years for a multitude of reasons. Their incidence has been on the rise, affecting 30% of adults and 40% of children. People can be allergic to just about anything but there are 8 allergens which are most common. What is an allergy? When your body is exposed to an irritant (known as an allergen), such as pollen, it launches an attack against it. Most of the time when this happens, we don't even notice it. Sometimes, if there is AN overabundance of the substance or your body is particularly sensitive to that, this immune response shifts into overdrive. Your eyes water, your nosy gets stuffy, or you break out in an itchy rash. Some allergens cause life-threatening reactions, such as anaphylaxis, which leads to a sudden drop in blood pressure and a narrowing of breathing airways. Foods can also act as allergens. When someone is allergic to a food, they can't eat it at all. Some allergies are so severe that people can...