A fish allergy usually develops in adults and if you are allergic to one kind of fish, the chances are good you are also allergic to others.  The best thing to do is avoid all fish or if you really want to have fish in your diet, talk to your doctor about testing to determine exactly which kind of fish you should not eat.

As in all allergies, with a fish allergy the body’s immune system is triggered when it mistakenly senses that a fish protein is an enemy substance and must be attacked and eliminated from the body.  It releases histamines as a means of protection.  It is these histamines that cause an allergy–the body swells up, there can be sneezing, hives, a tingling in the mouth, gastro-intestinal problems such as diarrhea and vomiting, and a swollen throat and nasal passages can result in trouble breathing or in respiratory arrest, known as anaphylactic shock.

Anyone experiencing the severe reaction of anaphylactic shock must be treated in the emergency room or carry with them at all times a doctor-prescribed anaphylactic shock medicine kit with antihistamines and a syringe of epinephrine to reverse the reaction.
Diagnosis can be made by a skin test in which skin is pricked and different kinds of fish protein are sprinkled on the opening.  A hive will appear if the person is allergic to the fish.  A blood test can also be done to see if there are histamines in the blood after an allergic reaction.

People can have an easier time avoiding fish and fish products than they can wheat, gluten, corn or other foods that cause allergies. However, the treatment for a fish allergy is not to eat any fish or products containing fish,  being careful to always read labels. While the names of fish can be easy to spot, other products have fish oils, additives or proteins.  These include Caesar salad dressing, Worcestershire sauce, gelatin, Thai fish sauce, bouillabaisse, fumet (fish stock), and omega-3 supplements, among others

In addition, there is a fish parasite, anisakis simplex, that can cause the same kind of fish allergies as fish themselves.  This is another place to look if you have eliminated all of the fish but you are still triggering allergic reactions.  Fish is one of eight allergens identified by U..S. law as one which must be put on the label of any product containing it,  even if it’s just a small amount.

Tuna and mackerel are considered to be kinds of fish that cause the fewest number of allergic reactions.  By meeting with your doctor or nutritionist, you can easily set up a fish-free diet and meal plan that will enable you to live with any kind of fish allergy.

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Chocolate allergy symptoms may include

• anxiety,
• confusion,
• headaches,
• hives,
• irritability,
• nausea,
• eczema,
• itching,
• watery eyes,
• runny nose,
• sneezing,
• wheezing,
• coughing,
• heartburn,
• difficulty breathing due to inflammation of the airway, and
• anaphylaxis or shock.

A diagnosis can be done through a skin test or a blood test that reveals antibodies in the blood stream. Treatments that can help with the symptoms include antihistamines, bronchodilators, corticosteroids, and epinephrine. The treatment largely depends upon the severity of the symptoms or reaction to the allergen. Of course, avoidance will help to prevent the reaction and discomfort.

Antihistamines can help to relieve the itching, digestive distress, watery eyes, sneezing, and the irritability. They can be obtained through a prescription or can be purchased over-the-counter at a drug store. The prescription antihistamines are less likely to cause drowsiness. People who experience asthma symptoms with chocolate allergies will probably need to use bronchodilators and corticosteroids to help with shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and inflammation. Epinephrine can be kept at home in an auto-injector so that it can be administered as soon as a person has a reaction. This can be used for any type of allergy and should be used as soon as possible to prevent anaphylaxis or shock.

Allergies seem to run in families and children who have both parents with symptoms seem to be at increased risk of developing them. Some sources believe that one of the main underlying reasons that lead to the development of symptoms have to do with a depressed or weak immune system. Other possible links may include chemicals and preservatives found in most processed foods. The most common foods that cause problems in susceptible individuals are wheat, dairy, shellfish, eggs, and peanuts. Chocolate allergy symptoms are similar to the reaction caused by other food sensitivities. Some of the worse reactions have been linked to peanuts and shellfish. Other possible food allergens may be found in products that contain proteins and yeast or molds. Some of these are soybeans, pickles, avocado, tomato, coffee, beans, cheese, wine, and beer.

People who have food sensitivities should make it a practice to read all product labels. Another good idea is to keep a food diary and record any time there is a reaction. This can help to narrow down the foods that a person is allergic or sensitive to so that he or she can avoid them in the future. For someone who is extremely sensitive doctors often recommend eliminated any foods that are possible culprits and then adding them back into the diet very slowly to find out which ones are offending foods. Someone with chocolate allergies will want to watch out for anything that has any of the ingredients found in chocolate such as cocoa and milk. “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst”(John 6:35).

To diagnose a suspected allergen there are a few different things that can help to do this. Skin tests can be done with the suspected substance to see if there is a reaction to the skin. A reaction that indicates positive would be the showing of redness, inflammation, and irritation. A doctor may choose to use blood tests to measure the amount of the antibodies in the blood stream to the suspected substance. Someone with chocolate allergy symptoms who is also suffering with asthma may need a pulmonary function test. This test measures the amount of airflow through a device called a spirometer. After airflow is measured then the patient is given a bronchodilator and airflow is measured again. With the bronchodilator the patient should have improved airflow; if this happens then the test will show positive for asthma. Doctors also use a skin patch test; the patch is soaked with the allergen and then taped to the person’s skin for up to two days. If a rash develops then the test will be positive.

Food allergies in individuals involve a response by a person’s immune system that is usually caused by a protein. When the body perceives a foreign invader then it produces antibodies to defend against that invader. These antibodies attach to the cells and contain chemicals called histamines and leukotrienes. So if the body sees cocoa or some other additive in chocolate as an invader then the chemicals are released and the person starts experiencing chocolate allergy symptoms. This reaction should not be taken lightly because it can lead to shock. Some of the beginning signs that this could be happening are itching in the roof of the mouth, swelling of the eyes, hives, shortness of breath, increased heart rate, and swelling of the throat.

There are additives in chocolate that may be the reason for the sensitivity. Much of what is purchased in stores contains milk, nuts, wheat or gluten, soy, and corn. These may be listed on the ingredient list as casein, whey, gluten, soy lecithin, and corn syrup. So individuals who think they have chocolate allergies may really have sensitivities to one or more of the ingredients. A person who has sensitivities to ingredients may not have any symptoms unless a large amount is consumed. For a proper diagnosis and the latest treatment a person should see a physician for an examination and inform the doctor about any symptoms that he or she is experiencing.

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Most food allergy reactions usually happen within a few minutes to a few hours after eating or inhaling yeast. Most mild to moderate reactions last less than a day and can involve a rash on the skin, cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, runny nose, watery eyes, wheezing and coughing.

William G Cook M.D. 1983 published a book called The Yeast Connection. He claimed that the use of antibiotics to kill germs in the human body also killed friendly germs needed by the body to maintain a healthy balance. Yeast produces toxins that weaken the immune system. Diets rich in carbohydrates and yeasts, birth control pills, cortisone, and other drugs can stimulate yeast growth.

He believes that to correct the problem, he prescribed allergenic extracts, anti-fungal drugs, vitamins and mineral supplements, and diets that avoid refined carbohydrates, processed foods, and fruits and milk.

The allergic to yeast testing involves putting a liquid extract of the yeast protein on your body, usually the back or forearm, and then scratching the skin slightly. If you develop hives, or red bumps, or the skin turns reddish in color and itches then these symptoms could indicate a positive result for allergies to yeast.

Another test that can be performed is called The Food Challenge. You are told to avoid all yeast-containing foods for several weeks. Avoidance can be very difficult because yeast protein is often hidden in other foods.
The doctor will then have you eat only yeast under close supervision. If symptoms appear after eating the yeast products they you are allergic to yeast and will need to avoid anything that has on the label, contains yeast ingredients, made using yeast ingredients, or made in a facility that also processes yeast.

If you are allergic to yeast then absolutely avoid eating bread and other baked goods, drinking ale, beer, red or white wine, sherry, and vermouth. All alcoholic beverages will contain yeast to some extent. Whiskeys are distilled from beers; scotch, bourbon, rye, cognacs and brandies are distilled from wines.

All alcoholic beverages use yeast, as catalysts for fermentation so will contain some amount in the final products. Rum, gin, and vodka are type of liquor that is not derived from high-yeast so have the lowest yeast content for people with a Yeast Allergy.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.
This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.

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What is food allergy?

Food allergy is an allergic reaction, that is a hypersensitivity reaction to something in the food, which we can not tolerate.
Food allergy is not the same as food intolerance, which is something quite different. In both cases you get symptoms when you eat a certain food in a normal or small quantity, so it can be easily confused.

Food allergies are actually very rare. Many refrain from eating things that they mistakenly believe they are hypersensitive to without being properly examined.
If you believe that you or your children suffer from food allergy, it is therefore very important to have the right diagnosis made, including a systematic review of diet and the symptoms. This is done best at one’s own doctor or a specialist in allergic diseases.

Why do you get food allergies?

In order to develop food allergies your immune systems must overreact to foreign proteins in the surroundings. The response must be carried out with specific IgE antibody. It is called a Type 1 allergy. Antibodies are the body’s antidote to foreign substances.

When exposed to proteins in foods, your body may develop specific IgE in such large quantities that it triggers an allergic reaction the next time you eat that particular type of food.

As a general rule you can not have an allergic reaction the first time you eat a new type of food. But this is only a qualified truth. Sometimes an allergic reaction is not due to a genuine food allergy, but to the fact that you already are allergic, for example to birch pollen. This phenomenon is called cross allergy.

Examples of food allergens

In principle, you can react allergic to all foods, but the most common allergens are:

• Seafood
• Milk
• Fish
• Soybeans
• Wheat
• Egg
• Nuts
• Fresh fruit
• Vegetables
• Peanuts

Cross reaction allergens

• Birch cross reacts with hazelnut and other nuts, apple, pear, cherry, walnut, almond, plum, kiwi, potato peel, tomato and carrot.
• Grass cross reacts with beans, lentils and green peas and peanuts.

How does food allergy feel?

The allergic reactions are very diverse and can start immediately after eating the food or may start several hours later. Typical symptoms are:

• Swollen lips, face and / or throat
• Tingling in the oral cavity and on the lips
• Vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea
• Headache
• Fatigue, irritability
• Hay fever
• Asthma
• Skin eruption, deterioration of child eczema, (atopic dermatitis), or hives
• Very rarely anaphylactic shock, which is a circulatory collapse that requires emergency treatment with epinephrine.

The symptoms may one time be mild, the next time be life-threatening because of Asphyxia or anaphylactic shock.
It is therefore important not to expose yourself for provocations, only because you “will not be a burden”.
If you feel starting shortness of breath, you must immediately under medical treatment. Call 911 if necessary.

What you can do to prevent food allergies?

• Pay attention to the things you are allergic to, and on whether any cross-reactions arise.
• Get advice of a specialist in allergic diseases (an allergist).
• Please note the symptoms and contact your doctor at the slightest doubt.

How does the doctor diagnosed food allergies?

The examination largely depends on how annoying the symptoms are.
Often it is possible to find another causes of the symptoms, such as the inability to digest certain foods (among other coeliac disease and laktose intolerance), non-immunological reactions (eg. histamine in shellfish) and minor food-poisoning. This is seen in about two percent of the population. It may also be a irritated colon or a chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract (ulcerosa colitis and Crohn’s disease) which can give similar symptoms.

If the symptoms are pronounced, and the suspected food allergy is justified, a proper clarification of what caused the disease will usually take place in a specialist in allergic diseases.

Allergy tests with, for example skin prick test or RAST (blood test) can be good to rule out allergies, but unfortunately, they often show reactions, which has no practical significance.

It is important that the allergy tests are made and examined by experts.

The allergist will often take you through the following program:

• Two weeks on a normal balanced diet, with a carefully diary on the diet and the possible reactions.
• If you during those two weeks observe relevant reactions, you should probably go ahead with a two-week period without the suspected food, where you keep a diary as before.
• If the symptoms improve significantly, is the next step a food provocation. To begin with an “open” provocation in which both you and the examiner knows what you are eating. If symptoms appear, you will then be exposed to a number of double-blind placebo-controlled food provocation (DBPCFC), where neither the examiner or you knows what kind of food you are eating

In order to be diagnosed with food allergies, you should in most cases, go through the program outlined above.

Possible deterioration

• Mucous membranes in the mouth and throat may swell so that breathing is troubled.
• Asthma attacks and / or anaphylactic shock may be triggered.
• It is getting increasingly difficult to get a proper nutritionally balanced diet.

Prospects for the future

Food allergy is a rare disease that primarily affects young children. Around three percent of young children are affected. Most grow from their allergy before the age of three years. Only about one percent of the adult population suffer from food allergies. Most of these can live a normal life with some limitations in their diet.

How are food allergies treated?

If, after a thorough investigation a food allergy diagnosis has been made, the main treatment is of course to stop eating the foods in question. The desease can not be cured medically, but it may possible to alleviate the symptoms by different measures. Typically antihistamines are used to alleviate the itching. But it is doubtful whether the anti-histaminerne have a preventive effect.

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