Common Allergies; Causes, Triggers, Symptoms and Treatment

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Types of Allergies

People who suffer from allergies do so at different levels, just little out of them needs medication or drugs for it, it was seen from research that about 40 million to 50 million people experience allergies like rhinitis ( inflammation of the nose). There are Majorly three types of allergy, they are Grass and pollen allergy, Food allergy and Skin allergy. We have taken our time to explain them below.

Grass and Pollen Allergies

Pollen grains from grasses have the tendency to cause allergies, a lot of people suffer from grass and pollen allergy usually during the summer, people that suffer from grass and pollen allergy tend to avoid locations where these triggers are present, this may have a serious effect and impact in their life because their life might revolve around outdoor activities, for people who cant avoid the triggers because of their lifestyle, various medications are available for use.

The most common symptom of pollen or grass allergy is rhinitis, this is a situation when the nose gets inflamed and is causing a serious build-up of mucus, for some people this might be just an inconvenience or nuisance, for other people it could get so serious that it impedes their work, normal activities and even sleep.( Read on the importance of sleep to your health here)

Skin allergies

Skin allergies vary a lot, the most popular and common symptoms are mostly eczema and hives, they can be caused by various reasons and triggers. For example, Eczema is usually caused by coming in contact with a particular or specific substance like latex or perfumes. Other factors present might also escalate the situation, for example having a dry skin can aid the severity of the allergy.(Read an interesting article on common cold and its effect on health here )

Food Allergies and Intolerances

Food allergies are the most common form of allergies, people who suffer from a food allergy has the potential to suffer from a broad range of foods. People, no matter their age suffer from food allergies and intolerances, the effects of the allergies could be as little as minor comfort and inconvenience or as serious as major pain and sometimes death.

For liability, consideration and safety sake, it is very important to put into consideration everybody’s taste and healths need when cooking for a large crowd, this means you should cook meals that are allergic and tolerant free. Most people do not know the differences between food allergy and intolerance, so we decided to explain each of them in depth for you below. (Read on 5 ways to avoid excess eating here)

Food Allergies

A food allergy is a toxin in the body, it triggers exaggerated and escalated immune system response that that is detrimental to multiple organs in the body in a bid to alert the body to the presence of the toxin. if not quickly controlled, this can trigger more physiological responses and reactions that can cause serious symptoms or death.( read on How the body immune system works here )

Food allergies are serious and not to be joked with because it can lead to severe and serious injury or even death. A Little amount of the trigger food can cause allergic reactions in people with allergies.

Common Causes of Food Allergies

Most common causes of food allergies are

shellfish,
cow’s milk,
peanuts,
soy products,
hen’s egg,
wheat,
tree nuts like Brazilian nut, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, and pistachios.

Effects and Symptoms of Food Allergy

The most common effects and symptoms of food allergy include the following

Respiratory symptoms
Red skin
Vomiting
Itching
Diarrhea
Anaphylaxis
Swelling of the eyes, hands, cheeks, face, feet, etc.
Hives

Food Intolerances

While food allergy affects the immune system, it is the digestive system of the body that is affected by food intolerances, when you consume and eat a food you are intolerant to, your digestive system has trouble breaking it down into absorbable components. Food intolerance can be caused by a lot of reasons which include

Lack of essential enzymes (mostly digestive)
Reactions to naturally occurring compounds in food e.g mycotoxins
Sensitivity to some certain foods and additives

Food intolerances are mostly not fatal or life-threatening but may cause serious illnesses or discomfort, in cases where food intolerance is not serious( minor cases), people can eat small and minute amounts of the food and not experience any issues with digesting it.

Common causes of Food Intolerances

The most common food intolerances are

lactose
glucose
food preservatives
food additives
Tyramine

Effects and Symptoms of Food Intolerances

The common effects and symptoms of food intolerances include

Bloating
Fluid retention
Cramping
Swelling
Migraines
Diarrhea
Flatulence
Hives
Wheezing
Breathing Difficulty
Abdominal Distention

When food is being prepared for crowd consumption, endeavor and be sure to keep in have food allergies and intolerances in mind, in as much you want the food to taste good, the health implication should also be considered.( Read on the importance of food to your health here )

Treatment, Cure and Solutions To Allergies

Allergies are one of the health problems that never go away, except you adapt to the right diet and lifestyle changes ( read about a typical lagos lifestyle here), Naturopathic doctors have been able to come up with various method to treat people with allergies, one of those methods is referred to as the SLIT. The SLIT is a method that works gradually over time is non-invasive.

If you suffer from allergy and its symptoms, you should visit a naturopathic medical doctor for testing, the importance of the testing is to know exactly what are the triggers and why your allergy symptoms are triggered, this information then helps in knowing the appropriate solution to follow. Meanwhile, avoid the things that trigger or causes your allergy.

Common and Popular Allergies Causes and Triggers

Below is a non-exhaustive list of popular or common allergy causes and triggers

Pets : Some people allergies are being caused or triggered by their pet, few are able to put two and two together to quickly, if you notice that your allergy symptoms seem to increase when you are around your pet, then this could be the cause, if you cant get rid of the pet, then you should go for a natural allergy treatment.
Cockroaches (both dead and live ones): Cockroaches are animals that nobody wants to live with, yet they find their way into our lives and homes, For some people, not getting rid of the cockroaches quick enough can lead to allergy symptoms, this is triggered by the saliva and droppings of the cockroaches. for those people the more cockroaches around the higher the severity of their allergies.
Latex (such as gloves, condoms, and Bandages): Some people are allergic to anything made from latex such as gloves, adhesive, condoms, and bandages. Latex is known to be an allergy trigger, it is common for symptoms to start after long exposure to its usage.
Nickel and Gold: These allergy triggers are the number one reason why some people have adverse reactions to fake jewelry, the affected areas will show signs of swelling, rashes, redness and dry patches. Some people’s extreme and serious reaction to nickel might also be triggered when they consume foods like chocolate and fish.( read an interesting article on how to dress well )
Food Colouring: Red food coloring is seen in most processed food like soda, cakes, and candy. This allergy trigger might cause symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, hives, wheezing and itchiness. what causes the allergy to be triggered is the pregnant cochineal bug that grows on prickly pear cacti used to manufacture the pigment. Food allergic reactions can be serious, so it is important to avoid them.
Medications or Drugs: This is funny because medications and drugs are supposed to give us good health, now they are part of the triggers for bad health, some medications cause allergies in some people, these allergies might be life-threatening, so it is of uttermost importance to go to the hospital immediately. The mild medication adverse reactions are usually treated with steroids or antihistamines, more severe and serious reactions need an EpiPen to treat. Make sure to study the side effects of any medication or drugs you are taking.
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