Durski Chiropractic

Food allergies have forced Robert Kennedy Jr.’s six-year-old son, Conor, into the emergency room 31 times and
have hospitalized him nine times. Conor is among the seven million Americans
who suffer with food allergies each year.

These allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to certain proteins in food. Although more than 200
foods can provoke allergic reactions, most reactions are triggered by nuts,
peanuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, soybeans, and wheat.

The most common symptoms include nausea, hives, skin rash, nasal congestion and wheezing. Food allergies also trigger
more severe reactions, such as anaphylactic shock, where the throat swells
until breathing is shut off. 150 people die each year following anaphylactic
shock.

According to a new study of 32 people who died following fatal anaphylactic shock, a clear pattern exists. 30
of the 32 reactions were caused by nuts and peanuts; most were teenagers and
young adults, who had asthma and were aware they suffered from food allergies; 84%
had eaten the foods away from home; and only three carried emergency
self-injectable epinephrine.

Avoiding allergens is more difficult than simply not eating the food itself; as some allergens are hidden
in “natural flavors,” while others end up in foods by mistake. A recent study
showed 25% of food processing plants checked by government inspectors were
producing foods that contained allergens not listed in labels.

Allergens often show up where least expected. Restaurants may not be aware of ingredients that were added to
broths, sauces, breading, and other prepared foods they cook with; foods can be
contaminated with allergens, and labels don’t have to disclose allergens
contained in flavors.

Trace amounts can also trigger a reaction. A 14-year-old, allergic to peanuts, died after eating a sandwich
during a camping trip. The knife had been used earlier to make a peanut butter
and jelly sandwich.

For Your Health,

Dr. Jeff Durski and Dr. Richard Maedke

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 at 12:35 am and is filed under Health Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.