Saturday, September 28, 2013

Food Allergy Triggers, Common and Uncommon

Reviewed by Hansa D. Bhargava, MD, FAAP on June 27, 2011
Sources: © 2011 WebMD


Peanuts



Peanuts cause more life-threatening allergic reactions than any other food. They’re a legume, like soybeans, rather than a true nut.  But among people with a peanut allergy, 25%-50% will also react to tree nuts, such as walnuts. Foods and ingredients to avoid include beer nuts, goobers, arachic oil, and some hydrolyzed vegetable proteins. Baked goods, sauces, even chili can contain hidden peanut proteins.


Milk and Dairy Foods



A milk allergy is the most common food allergy in children, but 80% outgrow it. Infants may need hypoallergenic or soy formula, and sometimes breastfeeding mothers need to avoid drinking milk. Milk proteins, including casein, are ubiquitous in processed foods, even found in canned tuna. If you’re allergic to cow’s milk, goat’s milk may not be safe, either. Lactose intolerance is not an allergy, but a digestive problem.


Eggs



Eggs are the second most common cause of food allergy in children, although they usually outgrow this allergy, as well. Read the labels carefully for noodles, mayonnaise, and baked goods. Eggs can also be found in some unlikely products: the foam topping in drinks or the egg wash on pretzels. Eggs are used to produce the influenza vaccine, so check with a doctor before getting the flu vaccine.


Shellfish



An allergy to shellfish most often develops in adulthood, and it is a lifelong allergy. Shrimp, crab, crawfish, and lobster — crustaceans — produce the most severe allergic reactions. Mollusks can trigger reactions, too: clams, mussels, scallops, escargot, octopuses, and squid. People allergic to shellfish should avoid steam tables or stovetops where shellfish is cooked because the vapors can trigger a reaction.


Tree Nuts



Walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, and pine nuts may all be off limits if you have a tree nut allergy. These must be clearly labeled in packaged foods, but nuts are more difficult to avoid in restaurants and bakeries. Nutmeg, water chestnuts, sunflower seeds, and sesame are not nuts and can be eaten safely. Be aware that tree nut oils, such as shea oil, may be used in skin lotions.


Finned Fish



The protein in finned fish can cause severe allergies, most commonly from eating salmon, tuna, or halibut.  If you’re allergic to one type, you may react to others, too.  Many ethnic restaurants flavor dishes with fish sauces.  So tread carefully in Thai and Chinese restaurants, and beware of Caesar dressing and Worcestershire sauce, made from anchovies. Some people can safely eat canned tuna and salmon, but not fresh fish.


Soy



If you’re allergic to soy, you need to read the fine print very carefully on food labels. Soy protein is widely used in breads, cookies, canned soups, processed meats, and snack foods. Foods  to avoid include edamame, (young green soybeans), tofu, soy milk, miso, and soy sauce. Most people with soy allergy can still eat soy oil and soy lecithin. Soy allergy is more common among babies and children.


Wheat



Wheat allergy is an allergic reaction to one of four proteins in wheat. You do not necessarily react to the gluten. People allergic to wheat can usually eat other grains, including barley, oats, rye, corn, and rice. Wheat allergy is more common among children and is often outgrown. Bulgur, couscous, and farina contain wheat protein, and many products, including beer, salad dressing, and processed meats, may contain wheat.


Contrast: Gluten Intolerance



People with celiac disease have an autoimmune disorder that is triggered by gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley. Eating gluten actually damages the small intestine. Symptoms include diarrhea, bloating, weight loss, chronic fatigue, and weakness — but not the skin rashes, swelling, or wheezing seen with a food allergy. Some people may have gluten intolerance that is a digestive problem and not immune-related. Celiac disease can be diagnosed with a blood test.


How a Food Allergy Begins



With the first exposure to a trigger food, your body treats it as something harmful and creates immunoglobulin E antibodies in your blood stream. You won’t notice symptoms at the first exposure, but your body is primed to release histamine the next time. Although some food allergies are more common among young children, food allergies can develop at any time in life.



Symptoms usually occur within a few minutes to two hours after eating the food. Reactions range from mild to severe and can include:



  • Hives or other skin rash


  • Tingling or itching in the mouth


  • Swelling of face, tongue, or lips


  • Coughing or wheezing


  • Vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal cramps


  • Swelling of throat and vocal chords


  • Difficulty breathing




Anaphylaxis: Severe Reaction



Mild symptoms can sometimes progress to a dangerous condition known as anaphylaxis, so it’s important to act quickly. This life-threatening reaction involves constricted airways, throat swelling that may cause suffocation, and a large drop in blood pressure. Doctors often prescribe epinephrine injections such as EpiPen or Twinject to carry and use at the first sign of a reaction. You should still go to an emergency room for evaluation.




Myth: Food Allergy Is Predictable




If one bite of seafood went down OK last time, will you always be safe with one bite? Maybe, maybe not. In general, your reaction will depend on the extent of your allergy and the amount of the food you eat. But reactions can be unpredictable, so you may have hives once but vomiting or breathing problems on a different occasion.




Contrast: Food Intolerance



Trouble digesting a food isn’t the same thing as a food allergy. An allergy occurs as an immune reaction. Food intolerance, such as lactose intolerance, can cause bloating, cramps, and diarrhea, but it doesn’t cause an immune system reaction. Lactose intolerance occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose, the sugar found in milk and dairy products.




Contrast: Food Additives



A reaction to food additives also can be confused with food allergy. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer, can cause flushing, warmth, headache, and chest discomfort. Sulfites, sometimes used to prevent mold growth, can cause breathing problems for people who have asthma. Sulfites also are found in wine and other products. The FDA requires labeling of sulfites and bans their use as a preservative on fruits and vegetables.




Variant: Oral Allergy Syndrome



An allergy to certain raw (not cooked) fruits and vegetables is known as oral allergy syndrome. It occurs most often in people who have hay fever, especially hay fever triggered by birch or ragweed pollen. Raw produce such as apples, cherries, kiwis, celery, tomatoes, and green peppers may cause tingling, itching or swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, watery or itchy eyes, a runny nose, and sneezing.




Exercise-Induced Food Allergy



This food allergy only occurs when the food is eaten just before exercising. The rise in body temperature and the food trigger the reaction, which can range from itching, hives, or lightheadedness to anaphylaxis. The foods most often associated with exercise-induced allergy are crustacean shellfish, alcohol, tomatoes, cheese, and celery.




Elimination Diet

Sometimes a reaction is immediate after eating a particular food. But if you’re not sure what caused your reaction, you may begin by keeping a diet diary and working with a health professional. In an elimination diet, you eliminate one food at a time from your diet. This may help you figure out which food is causing your problem.




Allergy Testing



In a skin prick test, an allergist places a drop of solution on your skin, then pricks the skin to allow it to penetrate. A negative result means you are not allergic, but there are sometimes false-positive results. A blood test measures antibodies to a particular food and also can produce false positives. Your doctor also may give you a medically supervised food challenge to see if you react to a food.




Outgrowing Allergies



Children are likely to outgrow allergies to milk, egg, wheat and soy but to have lifelong allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. Blood tests for food-specific antibodies may help determine whether the child has outgrown an allergy. A doctor may supervise a “food challenge” to see if the child has outgrown the allergy. Do not try a food challenge on your own. Even a small amount of a food may produce a life-threatening reaction in some people.




Living With Food Allergies



There is no cure for food allergies, so you need to avoid the food that causes a reaction. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act requires labeling of the eight major causes of food allergy. Call 911 at signs of anaphylaxis (wheezing, trouble breathing, dizziness) and use an epinephrine injection.  Maintain a food allergy action plan for yourself or your allergic child. You may want to wear a medical ID bracelet indicating the allergy.




GEORGIA CENTER FOR JOINT CARE MACON GEORGIA The Medical Center of Central Georgia, JOINT CARE, Macon GA. Bibb County www.Center4JointCare.com


The Medical Center of Central Georgia, JOINT CARE, Macon GA.      

World class joints health care in Bibb County Georgia, Billboard sign

777 Hemlock Street | , Georgia 31201 | Phone: (477
878 | Toll Free: 1-866-681- 

GEORGIA CENTER FOR JOINT CARE Macon Georgia


777 Hemlock Street
Macon, GA 31201-2102

Joint Care Macon Phone Number

478-633-7878 
 




The Georgia Center for Joint Care is designed for people in need of shoulder, hip or knee restoration. 

The goal of the program is to safely and quickly restore pain-free mobility after surgery and facilitate improved quality of life.








BRITISH GUIDELINE ON THE MANAGEMENT THE OF ASTHMA

GUIA BRITANICA PARA EL MANEJO DEL ASMA PUBLICADA EN JULIO DEL 2007




PARTICIPANTES:


British Thoracic Society
Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network





TIPO: GUIAS

FORMATO: PDF

DESCARGA DIRECTA: DOWNLOAD

Acute coronary syndrome: Symptoms and treatments

Acute Coronary Syndrome or ACS in short is a condition of the heart which occurs due to inadequate supply of oxygenated blood to the heart musculature. The cause for such an event would be a rupture of a cholesterol plaque and the exposed surface gives rise to platelet aggregation and formation of a thrombus or a blood clot. The event will take place suddenly, thus is named acute. The usual patients might be suffering already from angina and will feel a sudden worsening of the symptoms.




Accordingly there are three types of progression of ACS based on clinical and investigation findings. These are names Unstable Angina, ST elevation Myocardial Infarction and Non ST elevation Myocardial Infarction.




A patient with ACS will complain of following symptoms:





  • Angina pain: typically this will be a described as tightening, burning or pricking kind of pain and will last for several minutes. It even appears at rest and following exertion due to exercise, heavy meal or stress.

  • Referred pain: the pain will be noticed in the left shoulder or towards the left jaw and would be described as a shooting pain.

  • Shortness of breath

  • Nausea

  • Light-headedness

  • Associated sudden heavy sweating is also noticed



Following making a clinical diagnosis the treatment should follow quickly and this will have enormous contribution towards improving the mortality of such patients. There are several treatment options available, one such option is medical management.




Medicines:




Aspirin: Aspirin will act on the platelets and prevents the clots being formed and thus alleviating further complications through dislodging of such clots if allowed to form.


Thrombolytics: These drugs will help in the process of dissolving the platelet clots which are already formed and the earliest it is administered the better the outcome and chances of survival.


Nitroglycerines: These would act on the blood vessels by dilating the circumference and releasing any pressures from against which the heart has to pump. Therefore, it puts the heart at ease.



Beta blockers: It will relax the heart muscle, slow the heart rate and reduce the blood pressure. ACE inhibitors: These also will make the heart pump blood more easily.




Surgery: 



When medical treatment options are no longer doing the job or is not effective based on the level of narrowing of the blood vessels, a surgical option would be more suitable. At present two options are widely in use.




Dilatation and stenting: In this procedure a tiny wire will be inserted through an artery of the arm or the leg and guided towards the heart and reaches the blocked segment of the coronary artery. Upon arrival a balloon will be inflated and a supporting stent will be places in that position which will support the vessel walls and prevent narrowing again.




Bypass surgery: When this procedure is undertaken, a different route will be made through open surgery using a leg vein and thus bypassing the narrowed segment of the coronary artery.




Apart from the above mentioned acute management, the patient should have a healthy balanced diet which is low in fat. They also need to be engaged in healthy practices of living by avoiding smoking and other harmful habits. Regular exercises will also help in the long term care of these patients.



Educating Your Children on Good Oral Health




According to the Surgeon General, tooth decay is one of the most common chronic childhood disease. To prevent your child has tooth decay and oral exercise great care, it is important for you to educate your child about the importance of their teeth. It can be difficult to stay on top of their children to make sure that you are brushing, flossing, but this guide can help you out a bit!


to start early


before you start, the easier it is. When you start seeing increases in the teeth a little one, you should start brushing your teeth twice a day. Although these are just the primary, or baby teeth will help keep your gums clean and healthy. Already starting to instill in your child the importance of routine care of their teeth. It is usually recommended to start the teeth around the age of 4.


educate them about the process


It is important to patiently describe why and how to brush your teeth. Without frightening them, be sure to explain that when one neglects the mouth they can get cavities, bad breath, rotting teeth, gum disease and other dire consequences.


them through the


Be sure to show the size of peas put toothpaste on the toothbrush and the way your brush in the morning and evening. Show them the proposals and all areas, including top, side and back teeth as well as their language and the mouth. It is equally important to show them how to floss and use mouthwash.


Set a good example


best way to train your child to take care of their teeth to be a good role model. Show them that Mom and Dad brushing his teeth and keeps their teeth clean and white.


is fun


easiest way to get kids on board with the things that is fun for them. Have them pick their own toothbrush and toothpaste. Challenge your child to brush the entire length of his favorite songs. Some brush their doll or stuffed animal teeth too. Another helpful tip is to emphasize the positive for your child. They say things like, “Oh I can not wait to brush my teeth and have a smooth, clean feeling!” This will help them get enthusiastic about brushing as opposed to dreading.


Food & Wine Health


One of the best ways to take care of your child’s teeth to create a healthy diet for them. Staying away from starchy or sugary foods and drinks is a great way to keep plaque and bacteria away. We recommend fresh vegetables, low-fat yogurt, fruit, and low-fat cheese. We also encourage children to drink water that has a natural flushing and cleansing element. It also keeps your child’s mouth with water and hydrated.


take them to the dentist regularly


It is important that your child has a dentist twice a year, starting at the age of one. Prepare your child for the experience by explaining that professionals will be looking into the mouth and examine your teeth and mouth health.


How to stop coughing in minutes!

Someone emailed this to me and I thought I might post this up just in case anyone had a bad cough that might want to try this out to see if it worked. I’m over my flu so I cant even try it out. Let me know if it works!


How to stop cough in 5 minutes!!!


“This is a must try…We have all been kept awake by our own or someone else’s cough. Try this and pass it on. The tip and not the cough. ANYTHING is better than antibiotics. Even babies could benefit from this and the parents wouldn’t worry about the safety of their child. And of course, it is harmless and free from any type of side-effects. WOW! I was raised, and raised my kids with Vicks. How come I never knew this? I can’t wait for my next cough. Amazing!READ IT ALL. It works 100 percent of the time, although the scientists at the Canada Research council (who discovered it) aren’t sure why.


Treatment:To stop night time coughing in a child (or an adult, as we found out personally), put Vicks Vapor Rub generously on the bottom of the feet at bedtime and then cover with socks.Even persistent, heavy, deep coughing will stop in about five minutes and stay stopped for many, many hours of relief. This works 100 percent of the time, and is more effective in children than even very strong prescription cough medicines. In addition it is extremely soothing and comforting and they will sleep soundly. I heard the head of the Canada Research Council describe these findings on the part of their scientists when they were investigating the effectiveness and usage of prescription cough medicines in children, as compared to alternative therapies like acupressure. I just happened to tune in to a.m. Radio and picked up this guy talking about why cough medicines in kids often do more harm than good due to the chemical makeup of these strong drugs, so I listened. It was a surprising finding and found to be more effective than prescribed medicines for children at bedtime, and in addition to have a soothing and calming effect on sick children who then went on to sleep soundly.


My wife tried it on herself when she had a very deep constant and persistent cough a few weeks ago, and it worked 100 percent! She said it felt like a warm blanket had enveloped her. The coughing stopped in a few minutes, and believe me this was a deep (incredibly annoying!) every few seconds, uncontrollable cough and she slept cough-free for hours every night she used it. If you have children or grandchildren, pass it on. If you end up sick, try it yourself and you will be absolutely amazed.”


It sounds unbelievable but if it works then that would be awesome. No more cough medicine or antibiotics. I’m sure the doctors wont like this idea.


Allergic Asthma Triggers - 7 Allergens To Avoid

Most people who have allergic asthma are sensitive to a variety of allergens. Here are the top 7 most common and disruptive irritants. More…