Nut Allergies
Do You Have Nut Allergies?
Unfortunately, nut allergies tend to show themselves while the victim is quite young, and this can cause a great deal of danger. Because there are trace amounts of nut oils, extracts, and probability of exposure in so many of our most common supermarket finds, it is extremely important for those with nut allergies to read all of the fine print around the nutrition labels. This is a time consuming task, but definitely worth while for those who have severe nut allergies. Here is a bit of information on the basic causes of nut allergies, what to avoid should you be diagnosed with this type of allergy, and how to cope with the rare cases in which you may be accidentally exposed to the cause of your allergic reaction.
The peanut, which is not a nut at all but rather a legume, has within it the same types of proteins which are present in all tree nuts. It is this protein which causes nut allergies, and your body’s reaction to it may be far different than the next nut allergy sufferer. This protein, even in trace amounts, causes an almost immediate defensive reaction in those who suffer nut allergies, as the body senses that this protein is a threat and begins to attack it right away. When your immune system kicks into defense mode, you will begin to experience any number of the symptoms listed below, and often three or more of them at once. Doctors project that at least 9% of children outgrow their tree nut allergies, while one in five will grow out of their allergic reactions to peanuts.
Nut allergies can cause a huge flare in histamine within your body, causing many reactions that you may not have associated with this illness before. A wide spread, itchy rash can be a common sign of nut allergies, as are hives, soreness and discomfort around the mouth and face, and redness wherever the nut has been touched to the body. There are also some severe digestive tract reactions which occur in association with nut allergies, and these include nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. These symptoms should be carefully monitored and given medical attention should they persist.
Other common symptoms involving nut allergies are in the form of respiratory irritation or distress. Often mocking dander or pollen allergies, only more severe, one suffering a respiratory attack may experience runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, scratchy throat, wheezing, and sometimes a more dangerous asthma attack. Those with severe allergies run the risk of anaphylactic shock within minutes should they be exposed to even the most minute amount of nut protein. Those prone to these types of reactions are encouraged to be extremely careful about not only what they eat, but where they choose to do so.