Food allergies are quite common. In fact, a good percentage of the population suffers from food allergies. But the surprising thing is that most people just do not realize that they are living with food allergies. This is because in most cases, food allergies lead to symptoms that are ongoing and slightly troubling. Also, allergies may surface many hours after the food is taken in. So, victims do not make the connection. But, food allergies can interfere with your life because it can bring on unexplained problems, forcing you to lead a restricted and sometimes, pain-filled life.
However, in some people, food allergies can trigger an overwhelming, instantaneous reaction. Here are some real life examples of how food allergy can affect the life of people you love.
A 15 year old girl in Quebec, Canada died after she kissed her boyfriend. Examinations revealed that the girl had developed a severe allergic reaction to the peanut butter that the boy had eaten hours ago! The medical team that arrived to help the girl could do nothing to save her life.
Joanna was a healthy woman of 28 when she gave birth to her little daughter Kylie. Up until then, Joanna knew nothing about food allergies. But, 8 months after little Kylie was born, Joanna knew everything about nasty little food allergies. During a weekend vacation, Joanna happened to feed her daughter a formula that contained cow’s milk. Within hours of taking in the formula, Kylie developed angry red rashes all over her face, head and torso. Medical tests showed that Kylie was allergic to oranges and eggs besides cow’s milk.
For 15 years, Susan baffled doctors with her mild but persistent symptoms. She developed mild ear aches, felt listless and would throw up for no reason. Then, one day a chance conversation at a restaurant about food allergies made Susan carry out a food elimination test at home. She eliminated milk, then pepper, then fish, and finally eggs. A week into her egg free diet and Susan was a new woman.
On a night out with friends, Nathan was a little drunk when they decided to order a midnight breakfast. As it turned out, Nathan who knew he was allergic to Tobasco, ordered a pizza and spread tobasco sauce on it. Minutes after biting into the pizza, he developed breathing problems. His friends took him to the pharmacy but the pharmacist refused to give him a medication without a prescription. Nathan called his doctor on the cell phone, but the doctor did not answer. In desperation, Nathan called his mother who directed him and his friends to the doctor’s house, where the doctor gave him a prescription and accompanied him to the pharmacy.
As you can see, food allergies can hamper your lifestyle, whether they trigger immediate or slow, insidious reactions. In any case, it is important to know about your allergies and to carry medications or instructions regarding medications with you so people around you can help in case of a sudden allergic reaction.
