Allergy News from ALerCHECK, Inc., Summer 2010
Dear Customer:
Summer is wrapping up quickly as we prepare for a beatiful New England Autumn. With a change in season, comes a change in temperature, plants, and pollens. During the harvest season, ragweed is the biggest allergy trigger. People and pets that are allergic to spring pollen-producing plants are usually allergic to ragweed. Mold is another culprit which thrives in damp areas, both indoors and outdoors. The piles of damp leaves are breeding grounds for mold, as well as basements and bathrooms. Turning on your furnace in the fall? If so, dust mites may trigger sneezes, wheezes, and runny noses. Food allergies also become worrisome as children return to school cafeterias and those pies and baked goodies begin to present themselves.
We at AlerCHEK, Inc. want to personally thank you for your business. We have had a great, busy, and successful year which would not be possible without you! Thank you for your support and we welcome any suggestions or thoughts you wish to share with us.
Updates in Food Allergy Research:
Food Allergies vs. Food Intolerance: One of the most confusing relationships with food and allergies is whether or not an individual suffers from an allergic reaction to a particular food or an from intolerance. What is the difference? Food allergies can often be inherited. They can also be triggered by even a small amount of the food, and a reaction occurs every time the food is consumed. Those suffering from food allergies are advised to avoid the food completely. Food intolerance on the other hand, is usually dose related and does not generate an immune reaction. If one can eat something in small amounts or infrequently, one is most likely dealing with an intolerance rather than an allergy to that particular food. People with food intolerance may not have symptoms unless they eat a large portion of the food, or eat the food frequently enough.
Food allergies and intolerance are also diagnosed differently. If an allergy exists, it will yield a positive result on an allergy test. Most food intolerances are found through trial and error. Most individuals are asked to keep a food diary to record what they eat, how much, and when they get the symptoms. Another way is to go on an elimination diet. This involves completely eliminating any suspect foods from one's diet until one is symptom free. Then an individual may slowly reintroduce the foods, one at a time.
The strategy for dealing with food allergies and food intolerance is also very different. If symptoms arise due to an allergy then the food must be avoided completely, no "if's", "and's", or "but's" about it! Even the smallest amount of that food will generate a response, which worsens in severity each time it is consumed. There is a very small clinical trial in the works lead by Dr. Richard L. Wasserman in Dallas, TX, which is using immunotherapy to treat food allergies, but this is very rare and well outside mainstream practice. It offers promise to a select few suffering from life-threatening food allergies. The only accepted method to treat food allergies is to avoid the food completely! However; with food intolerance, once the food is identified, it may be consumed with caution in small amounts over time. Some types of food intolerance may be treated. For example, lactase tablets are available without a prescription for lactose intolerance. Lactose free products are also available for consumption. One should always seek the advice of a health care professional if a food allergy or intolerance is suspect. A registered dietitian should also be consulted prior to beginning an elimination diet to ensure proper nutrition.
Pediatric Food Allergies on the Rise: In the United States from 1997 and 2007, pediatric food allergies increased by 18%, according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics. This article also states that in 2007, approximately 3 million U.S. children reported a food or digestive allergy. In a study by Dr. Susan Rudders, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, it found that between 2001 and 2006, visits to the ER for allergic reactions at Children's Hospital Boston more than doubled, even more interestingly, more of these reactions were severe, resulting in children experiencing anaphylaxis. Fellow physicians agree in the increased trend, though some of this may be due to better detection by parents, pediatricians, and primary care physicians.
According to a recent article "Healthy Eating" by Justine van der Leun, some doctors and scientist wonder if children should be exposed to allergens like nuts and shellfish earlier than ages two or three. Another theory is that our "Western" diet makes children more susceptible to allergies and illnesses. Studies show that diets rich in meat, fat, sugar, and junk food make kids more prone to allergies. Whereas, children who ate mostly grains, beans, nuts, and vegetables, had flourishing "good" bacteria in their guts; cutting down their risks of obesity, indigestion, and infection. There's also the popular "hygiene" hypothesis which states that growing up in a sparkling-clean environment doesn't allow a child's immune system to develop properly. Studies have shown that children raised on farms have a decreased prevalence of hay fever and allergic rhinoconjunctivits, implying that growing up in a non-sterile environment can help ward off some allergies. Of course, some believe very little can be done to prevent children from developing allergies since they are hereditary.
Food Choices and effects on Asthma: Burger and fries are not only bad for the figure; they may also aggravate asthma symptoms. A new study, lead by Lisa Wood of the University of Newcastle, found that patients with asthma who ate a high-fat meal had increased inflammation in their airways soon afterward, and did not respond as well to albuterol treatment as those, who ate a low-fat meal. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology suggests that cutting down on fat might be one way to help control asthma. Previous studies have shown that eating fatty foods can trigger the immune system, increasing the cells in the blood responsible for inflammation. Analysis of serum samples from the patients in Woods' study revealed that those who had eaten a burger meal had an increased number of neutrophils (which cause inflammation) in their airway. Researchers further suggested that the fatty acids may interfere with albuterol but the mechanism(s) are unclear.
Author: Kimberly Newcomb, Director of Research and Development
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