Did you know that an estimate of 15 million Americans have food allergies, out of which 5.9 million are children below the age of 18?
As its name suggests, food allergy is your body’s allergic reaction to certain consumed food – and it could be something you have been eating for years with absolutely no problem at all!
What happens is that your immune system overreacts to a food considering it as harmful and triggers a protective reaction resulting in symptoms, such as hives, digestive issues, or swollen airways. In some cases, a food allergy can cause more severe symptoms or even a life-threatening reaction.
With the industrialization of the food industry over the past 100 years, our bodies have had to deal with a lot of changes. Potential stressors, such as processed foods, confusing dietary recommendations, and drastic changes in food production methods has resulted in the human body’s inability to keep up!. This manifests physically as allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances to various foods. Issues occur with digestion, as well as the absorption of nutrients needed for optimal health.
The most common food allergies and sensitivities include:
• Gluten
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Nuts
• Soy
• Fish
Signs and symptoms of a food allergy
The symptoms of a food allergy may range from mild to severe. For many people, reaction to an allergic food may be uncomfortable but not severe while for others, it can be quite frightening and even dangerous for their life.
Symptoms may target the skin, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, or respiratory tract. They may even involve more than one area.
Here are some signs of a food allergy:
- Tingling sensation or itching in the mouth
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea and vomiting
- Abdominal pain and stomach cramps
- A repetitive cough
- Hives
- Weak pulse
- Swollen tongue, making it difficult to talk or breathe
- Dizziness or faintness
- Skin turning pale or blue
- Tight, hoarse throat, causing trouble swallowing food
- A shock or circulatory collapse
- Wheezing and nasal congestion
- Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction to a food characterized by life-threatening symptoms, such as:
- Constricted or tightened airways
- Rapid pulse
- A swollen throat or sensation of a lump in the throat that makes breathing difficult
- Shock accompanied by a sharp drop in the blood pressure level
- Dizziness, light-headedness or a loss of consciousness
This condition warrants emergency medical attention and treatment. If left untreated, it can cause a coma or even death.
The most common food allergies and sensitivities include:
- Gluten
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Nuts
- Soy
- Fish
How Can Functional Medicine Help?
Instead of just removing the symptoms (bloating, gas, skin rashes, etc), functional medicine focuses on the CAUSE of these imbalances. For instance, if someone with a nut allergy eats nuts and their skin breaks out, functional medicine will provide a natural solution to not only the skin swelling but also the immune system response. The overreaction to the proteins ingested can be combated by increasing immune efficiency through dietary and lifestyle changes.
If you’re seeking to eliminate adverse food reactions and boost your overall immune health, functional medicine WILL help you. By explaining things such as elimination diets, environmental stressors, and evolutionary changes in organic human health, functional medicine will aid in the relief of your allergy symptoms as well as ensure they will not hinder your life going forward.
As previously mentioned, in order to ensure your body is protected against allergens, it is vital to strengthen the immune system. If you’re curious about which foods might be causing your reactions, eliminating one food at a time (for at least two weeks at a time) will help you properly identify what could be causing your discomfort.
The following recipe does not contain any of the common allergens (dairy, gluten, and eggs) and is a healthy immune-boosting meal the whole family will love!!
Chili Lime Marinated Chicken Bowls
- 1 ripe mango
- Orange or pineapple juice
- Lime
- Spicy chili sauce
- Onion and garlic
- Olive oil
- Chicken breast
- Rice
Full recipe found here: https://www.cottercrunch.com/chili-lime-mango-marinated-chicken-bowls/
