Food Allergy Living Blog Tagged Results

If you or a family member has seasonal allergies, which are triggered by environmental allergens like pollen, you probably know that spring can be a rough time of year, especially if you live in an area with a high pollen count. Here at Neocate, we hear from some parents that their children’s food allergy symptoms seem worse at this time of year. Let’s take some time to review the similarities and differences between food allergy and environmental allergy symptoms.

Seasonal Allergies

Allergies that show up in the spring are also called hay fever or allergic rhinitis. They are usually caused by pollen: the body recognizes proteins in pollen as “foreign” and mounts an immune response, like it does to bacteria or viruses. This causes the symptoms associated with seasonal allergies. Most of these symptoms are “above the neck” and include sneezing, itchy eyes, or a runny nose. Some folks are allergic to only one or a few types of pollen, whereas others are sensitive to many types of pollen. Symptoms can show up after a move to a new geographic area where the plants, and the pollen, are different. It seems that allergic rhinitis isn’t limited to older children and adults: infants can have it too.

Food Allergies

Food allergies are a response to the proteins in food. When that food (or even a trace amount of that food) is consumed, the body mounts an immune response. In this way, food allergies can be similar to seasonal allergies. Most of the food allergy symptoms fall “below the neck” because the body responds to the part of the body where the food is: the gut. In older children and adults these symptoms include bloating, diarrhea, and an itchy sensation in the mouth, among others. The symptoms are different for infants who have a milk and/or soy allergy than those of older children and adults.

Similarities

Food allergies and seasonal allergies share some of the same symptoms. For instance, both can cause a runny nose, headache, and congestion as a result of exposure to allergens that are foods or pollen. The two are also similar in that their symptoms can both be minimized by avoiding their respective triggers. Here are tips for minimizing symptoms of seasonal allergies and our past blogs for preventing symptoms of food allergies.

Differences

Fortunately seasonal allergies can also be treated with medications. This is nice because pollen can make symptoms persist constantly, often for weeks at a time. Unfortunately, there aren’t any widely used medications to help treat mild to moderate food allergies. The best treatment for food allergies is avoidance. Along those lines, it’s easier to avoid food allergens than it is to avoid the triggers for seasonal allergies. Even if there were a medication that helped with mild food allergies, some food allergies are so severe that the only treatment is to entirely avoid the food in question.

If your child is exhibiting symptoms that aren’t clearly one allergy or the other, ask yourself these questions:

-Monitor the pollen count: are the symptoms worse as pollen counts go up?

-Monitor the diet: has anything new been added that could cause the symptoms?

-Is your child exhibiting new symptoms, or are the same symptoms getting worse?

If your child has food allergies and his or her symptoms seem to get worse at a certain time of year, it may be that new or worsened symptoms could be due to seasonal allergies, which aren’t helped by avoiding food allergens. Ultimately, it’s probably best to see an allergist, especially if your child has symptoms that are making them miserable. Allergists can help by identifying the cause of a seasonal allergy, suggesting ways to minimize symptoms, and prescribing drugs that might help as needed. Check with the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology to locate an allergy center near you.

Did you have a tough time telling what was causing your child’s allergy symptoms?

- Rob

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As allergy season approaches and the layer of pollen builds on our cars, patio furniture and everything in between, going outside can become downright miserable for allergy sufferers. On days with peak pollen levels, sometimes its best for those of us with seasonal allergies to avoid the outdoors as much as possible, at least until a good rain helps wash away some of the pollen.

If you or your child has indoor allergens, avoiding allergy triggers is not so easy. Indoor allergens include pet dander, diet mites, mold spores and even (gasp!) cockroaches. They may float in the air or may rest on surfaces like counters, furniture, rugs, carpet, etc. It’s impossible to have a totally allergen-free home but you can minimize indoor allergens using the following tips.

Tips for Minimizing Indoor Allergens in Your Home:

• Cover pillows and mattresses with allergen-proof covers.
• Each week, wash bedding (and your little one’s stuffed animals) in hot water (130 degrees F); Dry on hot.
• Dehumidifiers and air conditioners should be used to keep indoor humidity below 50 percent.
• If possible, try to avoid wall-to-wall carpeting; Area rugs are okay if cleaned regularly.
• Vacuuming can just stir dust around… Consider buying a vacuum cleaner with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter.
• Wear a dust mask when vacuuming to avoiding inhaling airborne dust.
• Keep dust levels low by mopping hard floors with a damp mop each week.
• Clean flat surfaces (counters, furniture, window sills, blinds, etc.) weekly using a damp cloth.
• To avoid mold, fix any leaks in the roof or pipes. Clean any visible mold.
• If cockroaches are a problem, block all possible entrances (cracks, windows) and hire an exterminator to clear out any cockroaches in the home.
• Always seal food and use covered trash cans to help prevent cockroaches from returning.

Pet Allergies:

It is especially difficult if someone in the family develops a pet allergy. Pets are often part of the family so getting rid of the allergen is not so easy. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology provides some tips on managing pet allergies in the home.

Allergy-Friendly Cleaning Products:

Cleaning can be tricky for allergy-sufferers because certain cleaning products can actually make allergies worse. Plus, if you have little ones playing on the carpet, touching surfaces and putting everything in their mouth, you want to make sure you use a safe, non-toxic cleaning product. Here are some tips for choosing safe, allergy-friendly cleaning products.

• In general, environmentally-friendly, “green” cleansers will have less harsh chemicals. Look for products that say “non-toxic”, “petroleum-free”, “biodegradable”, “phosphate-free”, “VOC-free” and “solvent-free”.
• Avoid cleaning products with strong odors, like ammonia.
• Avoid aerosol sprays.
• Spray-on carpet cleaners contain chemicals that remain on the carpet so you should avoid these as much as possible, especially if you have little ones crawling around. Steam cleaners are a safe alternative. Another idea is to sprinkle baking soda on the carpet, let it sit for half an hour or so and then vacuum.
• If you want to really minimize chemical exposure, clean with items from your kitchen. Vinegar, baking soda or good old-fashioned soap should do the trick! This website has some good recipes for various types of homemade cleaners.
• Hypoallergenic laundry detergents are a good idea if your family has allergies. Keep in mind that no detergent is hypoallergenic for everyone so you may have to try a few different kinds before you find one that works best for your family.

I hope this article gave you some helpful ideas for keeping your home clean, safe and allergy-friendly. Have tips or homemade cleaner recipes to share? Please send them our way! Mallory

We’ve discussed the Top 8 Allergens which account for 90% of all food allergies. These allergens are the main offenders but there are certain food allergies that are unique to certain regions of the world. EuroPrevall was a global research project funded by the European Union that looked at food allergy prevalence and patterns among various countries around the world. EuroPrevall revealed that there are major differences in the types of food allergies that are seen in different countries.

The main theory behind these differences is that people are most likely to develop a food allergy to the foods that are most commonly eaten. Milk and eggs are common foods worldwide so it’s not surprising that these are two of the most universally frequent food allergies (mostly in children).

However, different regions have unique cuisines that are influenced by their geographical locations and their cultural history. As a result, there are some notable variations in food allergy trends around the world.

Let’s look at some examples of specific food allergies that vary around the world.

• Seafood Allergy: Fish allergy is more common in countries where fish consumption is high, such Scandinavia, Norway, Portugal and Japan. Shrimp allergy is fairly common in Iceland and Spain but almost non-existent in Bulgaria and Poland.
   
• Sesame Allergy: Sesame allergy is not considered a Top 8 Allergens however; it is common in Israel, where sesame consumption is high[1]. In fact, milk, egg and sesame are the 3 most common food allergies among children in Israel and second to milk, sesame is the second leading cause of anaphylaxis in Israeli children[2].
   
• Rice Allergy: Rice allergy is rare in most countries and is usually considered one of the foods that is least likely to cause an allergic reaction. That’s why rice cereal is usually the first food we’re introduced to as infants. However, rice allergy is fairly common in countries of Eastern Asia, where rice is commonly eaten, such as in Japan. People who are allergic to rice can have an allergic reaction when they consume rice or when they inhale rice pollen.
   
• Peanut Allergy: Peanut allergies are quite common in the westernized countries such as the US and the UK but fairly rare in other areas. For example, in Greece, peanut allergies are almost non-existent. This may be partly due to different rates of peanut consumption among different countries but consumption trends can’t completely explain the differences in the rates of peanut allergies. Although peanut consumption is very high in Indonesia and parts of Africa, these areas have an extremely low incidence of peanut allergy.
  
  There is even variation among the characteristics of peanut allergies in different countries[3]. A study on peanut allergies among children in the US, Spain and Sweden found that there are some differences in the characteristics of peanut allergy among the different countries. In the US, peanut allergy usually manifests in the first year of life whereas children in Sweden and Spain usually develop a peanut allergy at age two or older. The study also found that children from the three different countries react to different components of the peanut protein.

Pollen’s Role:

Certain pollens may influence the foods which someone is allergic to. For example, an allergy to birch pollen can cause a cross reaction to proteins in apples or hazelnut. Therefore, allergies to apples and hazelnut are more common in geographical areas where birch pollen is abundant.

Allergy Trends: A Product of Genetics and Environment

Although scientists are still unsure of what exactly leads to the development of food allergies, it is theorized that the development of food allergies is influenced by infant feeding habits, environmental factors and of course, genetics. Early exposure to the commonly consumed foods and inhaled allergens in a certain region is likely to play a strong role.

I had never thought about how geography and culture might affect food allergy trends so I found this topic especially interesting. I hope you found it interesting too!

-Mallory