Do You Actually Have Allergies?
We all know someone who is affected by a food allergy, the most common being nuts, peanuts, eggs, and fish. The epidemic has gotten to a point where a lot of schools have actually banned some of these allergens from entering their campus, the most common one being peanuts. Yes, this means that what was a common lunch staple in Americans schools is slowly being eradicated from American lives. The question is, do you actually have a food allergy?
More and more studies done this past year have concluded, much to everyones surprise, that the answer is no. Most people being diagnosed with a food allergy do not have one, in fact, studies have concluded that while 80 percent of people are sensitive to certain foods, only 5 percent of them are truly allergic to the food.
The problem is that when tested, a lot of people will have reactions similar to those of food allergies, however, allergies may not be the case. Some people develop a mild sensitivity to certain foods throughout their lives, this could be due to a variety of different factors, such as:
- Age
- Weight
- Environmental Conditions
- Alcohol Consumption
- Smoking
- Diseases and Conditions
- Pregnancy
It is important to note that food allergies should have an immediate effect with reproducible symptoms every time the certain food is ingested, where food sensitivity may change over time.
To properly diagnose a food allergy, it is important to visit a physician who is well trained on allergies and has experience reading the tests effectively to determine the validity of the results. If you or a loved one has been having symptoms stemming from food, please call The Carlos Santos Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Center at (305)653 0425 today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced technicians.