Did you know that 2% of our overall population, including 1 in 10 infants, are living with a food allergy in Australia? In the last decade, life threatening allergic reactions in children under 4 years old have increased fivefold. These frightening statistics are the key message being delivered during Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia’s Food Allergy Awareness Week. Food allergies are becoming an increasing concern for parents, or those planning to conceive, so here are some frequently asked questions.
What has caused the rise in food allergies?
At this stage, no one really knows what has caused the sudden spike in food allergies. There are several different theories around, but there is no concrete evidence as yet. However the following factors may play a role:
- Gut dysfunction due to an imbalance of bacteria and increased permeability (leaky gut)
- Vitamin D imbalances in both mum and baby
- Extreme cleanliness and lack of exposure to dirt and bacteria (the hygiene hypothesis)
What happens in the body during a food allergy attack?
The mechanism behind food allergy responses is simple. The immune system mistakenly identifies a substance in the food as being dangerous to the body. It sends out special antibodies (immunoglobulin E or IgE) to attack and neutralize the substance. When you eat that particular food again, the IgE antibodies recognize it and send a signal to the body to release histamine into the bloodstream. It is the histamine that causes allergic symptoms. In mild cases it could cause a runny nose, sneezing, rashes, hives, itching or digestive symptoms. In more serious cases, the high levels of histamine can lead to anaphylactic symptoms like swelling of the throat and difficulty breathing
Which foods are most likely to cause food allergies?
There are over 170 foods known to cause allergic reactions. Here are the most common ones:
- Tree nuts (particularly peanuts)
- Shellfish
- Fish
- Eggs
- Milk
- Sesame
- Soy
- Wheat
What can we do to prevent reactions in allergic kids?
If someone close to you has a food allergy:
- Find out whether even small amounts of the food will cause a reaction – if they are super sensitive, you will need to be extremely careful.
- Beware of cross contamination. Using the same plates, utensils, bench space, knives and cutting boards may be enough to cause small amounts of the allergenic food to transfer to non-allergenic food.
- Remember that cooked food can also be cross contaminated. Avoid deep fried foods as you don’t know what’s been in the cooking oil beforehand. Also, take a piece of foil with you to BBQs to cook food on.
- Double check for hidden ingredients. I have a friend with a peanut allergy who ended up in hospital after eating a product which was fried in peanut oil, even though the dish was supposed to be nut free.
- If you are eating out, make sure you talk to the chef who will be preparing your food, not just the waiter. If they seem like they don’t understand the dangers, eat elsewhere!
- Make sure you know the location of an adrenaline autoinjector (usually called an Epipen) in case of emergency.
A greater awareness about food allergies is the best tool we have to prevent life threatening emergencies. And if your own child has a food allergy, an appointment with a naturopath can help to ensure a balanced diet while avoiding the foods that cause a reaction. For more information on consultations with Emma, click here
by Jules Galloway
Hi, my name is Jules Galloway and I’m a qualified naturopath, food and wine lover, beginner surfer and recent seachanger, living just 10 minutes from Byron Bay.
Growing up in a household where two members had coeliac disease, I gained an early understanding of how to live gluten free. But imagine my surprise and disappointment when I was diagnosed with my own collection of food intolerances! After years of asthma, tonsillitis, bronchitis and infections, I decided that enough was enough and I embarked on my own healing journey – an 8 week anti-candida program, complete with liver detox and gut healing treatment. I now manage my food intolerances with diet and supplements.
After helping a cousin whose three year old daughter had multiple food allergies and intolerances, I became inspired to help others on a larger scale. What started with a hobby blog on food allergies has evolved into, well… this! I now specialize in gut health and food intolerances, while helping to make the transition to healthy eating as simple as possible.
My goal is to educate and motivate you to explore a variety of foods, to help you to make small, achievable changes to increase your wellbeing, and to spread the word that it’s easier than you think to feel awesome again! Connect with Jules on Facebook, Twitter or her website.
