Environmental and Food Allergies

Environmental and Food Allergies

Food Allergies

Food allergies are immune-mediated reactions that occur shortly after eating specific foods. Unlike food intolerances, food allergies can cause systemic and potentially life-threatening reactions.

Common Food Allergens:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts (e.g., walnuts, almonds)
• Fish and shellfish
• Soy
• Wheat

Types of Food Allergic Reactions:

IgE-mediated reactions: This has rapid onset, and includes anaphylaxis

• Non-IgE-mediated reactions: In this type, we can see delayed onset, and it may involve gastrointestinal symptoms
• Mixed-type reactions: It has features of both mechanisms

Causes of Food allergies

Some of the causes of food allergies includes:

• Family history of allergies
• Immune system mistakenly reacting to food proteins
• Gut microbiome imbalance (dysbiosis)
• Delayed exposure to allergenic foods in infancy
• Processed foods and preservatives
• Cross-reactivity with environmental allergens

Symptoms of Food Allergies

Food allergies have following symptoms:

• Hives, itching, or eczema
• Swelling of lips, face, tongue, or throat
• Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting
• Wheezing or shortness of breath
• Anaphylaxis (life-threatening emergency)

Diagnosis of Food Allergies

Food Allergies can be diagnosed based on the patient’s detailed medical and diet history and also your healthcare providers may order a few investigations including:

• Elimination diet and food challenge
• Skin prick testing
• Serum IgE testing
• Atopy patch testing (for non-IgE-mediated reactions)

Management of Food Allergies

Food Allergies can be managed by:

• Complete avoidance of known allergens
• Use of epinephrine auto-injectors for anaphylaxis
• Education on reading food labels and emergency management
• Dietitian support to ensure nutritional adequacy

Prevention of Environmental and Food Allergies

Some of the preventive measures to avoid environmental and food allergies include:

• To educate patients and caregivers about allergen avoidance strategies.
• Encouraging early recognition of symptoms.
• Promoting timely intervention and emergency preparedness, especially in cases at risk of anaphylaxis.
• Considering early introduction of potential allergens during infancy (as per current guidelines) to reduce allergy risk.