Healthy Options

Is It Food Allergy Or Intolerance?

2010-11-20T16:36:00.000-08:00

A food allergy is an abnormal response of the body to food (usually a protein) or a component of food triggered by the immune system. It happens when the body mistakes a substance in food as harmful and produces a defence system to fight it. Food allergy symptoms start to appear when this defence system that includes histamines, are fighting the "invading" food.

While an allergy involves the immune system, an intolerance affects the digestive system. It occurs when a person is unable to breakdown or digest something in food or when a food substance irritates the digestive system.

Causes of Allergies and Intolerances

Food allergies run in the family. The most common food allergens are peanuts, trea nuts, fish, shellfish, soy products, milk, eggs and wheat. Most food allergies tend to disappear with age like milk, soy, wheat, and eggs. Some people however, will have food allergies for the rest of their lives.

Intolerance, like lactose intolerance happens when a person lacks a certain enzyme to properly digest some proteins in food. Also common are intolerances to certain food dyes and MSG, a flavour enhancer.

Symptoms of Food Allergy

Rash or hives
Nausea
Stomach pain
Diarrhea may occur
Itchy skin
Swelling of the lips, face and throat
Breathing difficulties
Tingling on the tongue
Confusion
Loss of consciousness

The most severe reaction is anaphylactic shock which can involve obstructed airway and significant swelling. This type of reaction can be fatal and an emergency treatment (like Epipen) is critical.

Symptoms of Food Intolerance

Nausea
Stomach Pain
Gas, cramos, bloating
Vomiting
Heartburn
Diarrhea
Irritability
Headaches

Difference of Food Allergy and Intolerance

Food allergies are triggered even by minute amounts of the food and it happens every time the food is consumed. On the other hand, food intolerance are dose related meaning a person has to consume a large portion of the food or eat it frequently.

Please contact your doctor or pharmacist to determine if you have food allergy or intolerance.

Management

The only way to avoid an allergic reaction or food intolerance is to avoid consuming the food causing the allergy or intolerance. Learn as much as you can about the chemicals or food that you are allergic to. Read the product labels and ingredient list carefully. Breastfeeding can also protect a baby from developing allergies later in life.

Antihistamines are generally recommended in case of mild allergies. These medications are bought over the counter and includes Benadryl, Claritin, Reactine and Aerius. People with more severe allergies must carry injectable epinephrine (Epipen or Twinject) at all times in case they come in contact with the allergens.

People with lactose intolerance can use Lactaid or any lactase enzyme tablet just before they consume any lactose containing products.

Quitting Smoking Improves Good HDL Levels

2010-11-19T11:22:00.000-08:00

People who quit smoking may have beneficial increase in their "good" HDL cholesterol within one year according to a University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health study.

HDL levels went up despite the weight gain that is associated with kicking the habit. According to Dr. Adam D. Gepner, UW physician and the study's lead author, the increase in HDL levels, although not a huge improvement is still enough to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke by 6%.

The study which involved 1504 smokers from Milwaukee and Madisson, were all part of a smoking cessation program. The study involved various cessation programs including nicotine lozenges and patches. At the end of the year, 923 came back for a follow up and 324 patients quit smoking.

The same kind of improvement was noticed no matter how much they smoked or what type of cessation strategy they used.

This study has not undergone the "peer review" process yet but whether the medical experts praise it or not, there is still a lot of benefit to quitting the habit. So go ahead, quit now and be healthy.

Options For Colds And Flu

2010-11-13T21:51:00.000-08:00

Is it a cold or a flu? Most people do not know the difference between the two. This is probably due to the fact that both affect the respiratory tract and cause similar symptoms.

The common cold is a respiratory infection causing symptoms like runny nose, sneezing sore throat and cough. A dry cough may turn into a productive one and pulmonary secretions may become more present as the infection progresses. If your cold symptoms do not seem to be better after a week, visit your doctor to see if you have developed a sinus infection.

The flu, also called influenza, is a much more serious infection and can make you quite ill for a few days. Usual symptoms include fever, shivering, muscle pain and soreness, sore throat, fever, generalized weakness and headaches. Flu symptoms gradually improve over a few days but its not uncommon to feel run down for a week. Complications may include bronchitis or pneumonia.

Treatment

To help you feel better, drink lots of fluids, use a vaporizer/humidifier and soothe your irritated nose with saline solution. If these non-pharmacological treatment are not helping then you can try some medications that you can buy at your local pharmacies.

There are a lot of over the counter sinus and cold preparations available over the counter but in reality, most people do not need all these ingredients at the same time. Symptoms should be addressed one by one using the best product at the right dose for the right patient.

Do not give any cough and cold preparations for children under 6. Please consult your doctor if symptoms persist.

Decongestants

These are moderately effective in relieving nasal congestion. Decongestants are available in oral and topical formulations. The oral preparations usually contain psuedoephedrine and phenylephrine while the topical nasal sprays usually have oxymetazoline and xylometazoline (Otrivin, Dristan).

Be cautious using the oral preparations because they tend to increase the blood pressure in hypertensive patients. The safer alternative for hypertensive patients would be to take Corricidin since it doesn't have any decongestants in it. For the topical sprays, do not use it for more than 5 days because it will cause rebound congestion.

Antitussives and Expectorants

Antitussives are used to stop the cough (Dextrometorphan) while Expectorants will allow a more effective removal of secretions from the respiratory tract (Guaiafenesin).
There is little evidence to show the efficacy of these 2 medications. Good hydration and an air humidifier is still the best expectorant while honey can help soothe the throat and stop the cough.

Advil and Tylenol

Plain Advil (Ibuprofen) and Tylenol (Acetaminophen/Paracetamol) are most commonly used to reduce pain associated with headaches, sore throat, and fever. Please refer to the product monographs of both preparations for proper dosing and frequency.

Prevention

Since the mode of transmission of the cold virus is thru direct contact (hand to hand), the best way to decrease the incidence of the common cold is by frequent hand washing. Wash your hands with warm soapy water for 20 seconds to help slough germs off the skin.

Annual flu vaccination is the most effective way to prevent flu. Vaccination helps reduce illness rates and physicians visits in healthy patients. Please contact your doctor if you are a candidate to receive the flu shot.

Natural Products

Some people swear on the effectiveness of natural products like echinacea, zinc and vitamin C. The evidence regarding the efficacy of these products is inconsistent so consult your doctor or pharmacist if you are planning to try them.