Possible Peanut Allergy Cure on the Horizon
Source by Foxnews
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., are hoping a form of immunotherapy that eradicates peanut allergies will be available within five years, according to an article recently published in The Lancet.com
This is important because 12 million Americans suffer from food allergies, said Dr. Clifford Bassett, vice chair of the Public Education Committee of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
“Throughout the world, food allergies are doubling,” Bassett said. “And, it’s a very serious condition that’s here to stay.”
Bassett said he is “gratified” to know that a form of immunotherapy for peanut allergies was on the horizon because the condition can be life-threatening.
“We’re trying to take the risk down to zero,” Bassett said. “Right now, the primary approach is education and awareness.
"Children and adults should be tested for food allergies, especially if there is a medical history of the condition," Bassett added.
Because an immunotherapy approach is not yet available, Bassett said patients should have an emergency plan in place in case they come into contact with a food they are allergic to.
Possible Peanut Allergy Cure on the Horizon
Food Additives Every Peanut Allergy Sufferer Needs to Avoid
Food Additives Every Peanut Allergy Sufferer Needs to Avoid
Peanut allergy is one of the most dangerous food
allergies. It is more likely to cause an anaphylactic reaction than any other food allergy. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most common food allergies in children and adults.
Most individuals who discover they are allergic to peanuts try to eliminate them from their diet. They cautiously read the label on every food item, scanning for the word peanut. Yet, some apparently peanut-free foods still make them feel awful. Or worse, their health never improved after eliminating peanuts and they don’t know why.
If you suffer from an allergy to peanuts you should beware of the following list of food additives. Each of these additives can be made from peanuts and could make you sick. Fortunately, many companies are beginning to print allergy warnings on their food items that say “does not contain …” or “may contain …”.
If the food you pick up does not explicitly state the allergy information then don’t make any assumptions. Print this lengthy list out and keep it in your wallet or purse so that you can check food labels for these hidden sources of peanuts.
Food Additives That May Contain Peanuts:
Calcium stearate
Calcium stearoyl lactylate
Glycerine
Lecithin
Linoleic acid
Polysorbates
Propylene glycol monostearate
Sodium stearoyl fumarate
Stearoyls
Tocopherol (alpha-Tocopherol, vitamin E)
Source:
Farlow, C. Food Additives: A Shopper’s Guide to What’s Safe and What’s Not. 1993.
Nicole Evans is an alternative medicine researcher/developer turned medical student. She also works with King Bio, a homeopathic company dedicated to empowering people to safely and naturally improve their health. Visit http://www.kingbio.com/ for cutting edge water-based homeopathic medicines.
Peanut Allergy Symptoms
A peanut allergy is an illness that is caused by the body's reaction to particular substances. Everytime the body comes into contact with a substance it considers as harmful, it reacts by releasing histamines to fight off these allergens. As the body fights these allergens, the person exhibits the classic symptoms of an allergic reaction. There are many substances that can cause allergy like insect bites, pollen, dust and food. Aside from shellfish, fish and eggs, allergy to peanuts is the most common.
Considered to be one of the deadliest types of food allergy, peanut allergy affects about 3 million Americans. Since this particular allergy can cause death, it is important that you know the facts surrounding this reaction especially if you or someone in your family is allergic to peanuts.
Peanut allergy can be triggered by even the smallest of doses. The allergy is characterized by severe symptoms including anaphylactic shock. The particular symptom causes severe swelling, heart failure, breathing difficulties, circulatory collapse and eventually death. Aside from these, the person also suffers from gastrointestinal discomfort.
Since there is no available treatment for allergies, the same is also true for peanut allergy. Available medications for allergies are only designed to treat the symptoms of the allergic reaction. To prevent any episode of allergic reaction, persons with peanut allergy should avoid peanuts or peanut-ingredients at all cost. In case of an allergic reaction, the individual must be injected by epinephrine or adrenalin. This could prevent or reverse the anaphylactic shock. Adrenalin can increase heart rate, constrict blood vessel, reduce swelling and relax muscles. As soon as the symptom subsides the person must still be taken to the nearest hospital to be checked thoroughly.
Today, people with peanut allergy are given extra consideration. Because of the possible severity of the illness, you should also do your part in making sure that you do not endanger yourself. People with peanut allergies have found themselves having problems when traveling by air.
Peanuts are considered to be a staple in most airlines and if you are not careful, having an allergic reaction while on air will be just a difficult situation. To avoid such situation, you should first check with the airline to find if they do serve peanuts or peanut-ingredient in your flight. For more convenience, you should ask your doctor to give you a document stating your allergy to peanuts.
Before your trip, discuss with your doctor the need for carrying with you extra adrenalin. You should also plan on what food to bring so you are assured of peanut-free food. If you are traveling with your child who has contact sensitivity to peanuts, make sure you wipe the seat, tray table, arm rest and window area. In case an allergic reaction still occur during the flight, you should stay calm and follow all your doctor's instructions in cases like this. Immediately alert the airline crew of the emergency situation so they could contact and request professional medical assistance that would be on standby as soon as you landed.
As you can see, the peanut allergy can be very dangerous. If you have it, it's a good idea to just be aware of it, so you can react in the proper ways to diffuse the allergic reaction. Be alert to especially any peanut allergy symptoms that might arise.
Article by Sven Ullmann, who runs Deserved Health - a site dedicated to different health related articles. Read more about Peanut Allergy Symptoms.
Peanut Allergies...Most Life Threatening Food Allergy
By Marilou Batul-Tayag
Well, what is Peanut Allergies? According to health studies Peanut Allergies can be defined as an allergic reaction to peanuts, which is the number one cause of anaphylaxis, popularly known as the most life threatening allergic reaction.
Peanut allergies are caused by the body’s hypersensitive response to a substance when one eats peanuts or peanut particles and oils. Some of these are peanut butter, expressed peanut oil, mixed nuts, arachis oil, groundnut oil, hydrolyzed plant and vegetable protein and natural flavoring. There are also many foods that contain peanut as their ingredient which include: breakfast cereals, crackers, biscuits, ice cream, desserts, nutrition and energy bars, curry sauce, candies, salad dressings, vegetarian dishes, soups and topical ointments.
Anyone can have peanut allergies. But according to health surveys it is more seen among children. There are several signs and symptoms on how to identify if one has peanut allergies. Symptoms of peanut allergies range from mild to severe. When one has a mild reaction to the said allergies the most common signs are you get stomachache, runny nose, a skin rash, hives or urticaria and if you feel thrilling sensation in your lips and tongue. On the other hand if you’re allergies become severe here are the most common symptoms. There is urinary frequency, hypotension or what we call low blood pressure, inflammation of the brain, flushed appearance, night blindness, sudden swelling of the neck , lips, face and throat, vomiting, erectile dysfunction and frequent itching all over your body, difficulty in breathing and swallowing, diarrhea, dizziness and loss of consciousness.
So when one feels any of these symptoms it’s very important to have an abrupt treatment. It’s better to be diagnosed by your family physician to be able to know if your allergies need a serious treatment. Usually, doctors always conduct a skin test to the patient by injecting a peanut extract to know if there will be swelling or redness which indicates allergic reaction. Afterwards the physician will conduct a blood test to identify antibodies which corresponds to a peanut allergy sample that can be found in the patients sample blood. And to make the diagnosis more effective the physician will conduct a blind food challenge tests which and determines the cause of the food allergy. Lastly is the elimination diet. It is a process wherein peanuts are removed from the patient’s diet for weeks. This method will help physicians to determine if allergic reactions continue and persist.
Now as an individual, it’s very important to have enough information on how to prevent peanut allergies. The most general prevention is avoidance of peanut in your diet. Make sure that when you buy anything that is eaten always to read the labels to be able to know if the products you buy are peanut free. Remember health is wealth!
