The Connection between Food Allergies and the Immune System Response

by Kelley Lindberg


This week, I'm happy to host guest blogger Valerie Johnston, a health and fitness writer for Healthline.com. Her article examines the immune system's role in food allergy reactions, as well as the difference between a food intolerance and a true food allergy. Thanks, Valerie!

People who are genetically predisposed to have food allergies will not experience an allergic reaction until they are exposed to the food they are allergic to. In other words, the tendency to develop food allergies is already inherent, and the allergies then develop upon exposure to the allergen.

The body of a person who is genetically predisposed to allergies will produce a type of protein called immunoglobulin E (IgE) after being exposed to the specific food that they are allergic to. When the food is consumed, the body’s immune system is triggered to produce specific types of IgE in larger quantities than normal. After IgE is released, it attaches to the mast cells of the body. Your body’s mast cells occur in all of the tissues of the body, but are more commonly found in areas of the body that are associated with allergic reactions, including the skin, gastrointestinal tract, throat, and lungs.

In most cases, a person with food allergies will not experience symptoms until the second time they are exposed to the food allergen. This is because, after the IgE attaches to the body’s mast cells after the first exposure to a food allergen, they are now prepared to combat any foods that the body is allergic to the second time the food is consumed. When the allergen is consumed, the IgE on the mast cells triggers the release of chemicals known as histamines. It is these chemicals that cause a variety of food allergy symptoms.

For example, many people with food allergies have difficulty swallowing or breathing when they consume the foods they are allergic to. This is because the mast cells in the throat and mouth release histamine, which produces these symptoms. Histamine can be released wherever mast cells are located, including the throat, ears, nose, and gastrointestinal tract.

Food Allergy Vs. Food Intolerance

Most people who have food sensitivities (food intolerances) will say that they have a food allergy. It is very important to distinguish between these two problems, since food allergies can have life-threatening consequences and are related to the body’s immune system response.

As described above, a food allergy is a response to a food allergen by your immune system. In most cases, the body is responding to a specific protein in a type of food. Histamine antibodies are produced to fight against a specific protein that the body mistakes as harmful. Common food allergies include, but are not limited to, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, wheat, and soy products.

Symptoms of food allergies include:

• Nausea
• Hives or a rash
• Itchy skin
• Abdominal pain
• Chest pain
• Difficulty swallowing or breathing
• Anaphylaxis

Food intolerance is not an immune system response. Instead, a food tolerance is a response made by the digestive system. Some people have difficulty digesting certain types of foods, such as lactose (dairy intolerance).

Symptoms of food intolerances include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Bloating, cramps, or gas
• Heartburn
• Headaches
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Irritability

While a person with a food allergy and a person with a food intolerance may share a few similar symptoms, the symptoms of a food allergy are usually a lot more severe and can even lead to death if the condition is not diagnosed properly. A proper diagnosis from your doctor or allergy specialist will allow you to prevent symptoms whether you have an allergy or intolerance to certain types of food.

Valerie Johnston is a health and fitness writer located in East Texas. With ambitions of one day running a marathon, writing for Healthline.com ensures she keeps up-to-date on all of the latest health and fitness news.

 

Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis

by Kelley Lindberg


Here is a great new online food-allergy resource for teachers, parents, kids, and other community members, sponsored by the pharmaceutical manufacturer who produces EpiPens. They even have an interactive tour traveling to major cities in the U.S. (unfortunately, none in Utah, however).

 

Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis^TM Unveils Interactive Digital Resources to Educate School Communities about Potentially Life-Threatening Allergies

 

“Modern Family” Star Julie Bowen Encourages Americans to Visit Anaphylaxis101.com and Traveling Augmented Reality Exhibit

 

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Oct. 17, 2012 – Mylan Specialty L.P. today announced the launch of a comprehensive, community-inspired resource for families, school staff and students designed to raise awareness of and preparedness for life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) in the school setting: www.Anaphylaxis101.com.  The enhanced website, which is part of the Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis™ initiative, now includes a personalized, virtual tour to access resources provided by leading patient, professional and advocacy groups.  This fall, the educational tools will be brought directly into communities via an augmented reality exhibit that will travel the country to drive home the importance of raising awareness about anaphylaxis and being prepared when anaphylaxis occurs.

 

When logging on to www.Anaphylaxis101.com, visitors will have the option to enter a virtual experience or find useful resources and materials tailored to their role in the school community and where they live.  The goal is for students, parents, teachers, administrators, school nurses and other community members to be able to access information specific to their needs and to learn how they can contribute to raising anaphylaxis awareness and preparedness in their hometown.

 

“We each have a role to play in helping those at risk for life-threatening allergic reactions avoid their triggers, recognize the signs of a life-threatening allergic reaction and know what to do when anaphylaxis occurs,” said Emmy award-winning actress and “Modern Family” star Julie Bowen, who learned of her son’s life-threatening allergies only after he experienced an anaphylactic reaction as a toddler.  “I’m asking people to go to www.Anaphylaxis101.com to become better informed and prepared than I was when my son experienced anaphylaxis.”

 

To introduce the resources available at www.Anaphylaxis101.com, an interactive exhibit using animated videos and the latest “augmented reality” technology will tour the country.  At the Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis: An Interactive Experience exhibit, visitors will activate images on a 120-square-foot mural through use of the provided tablets or their personal smartphones after downloading the free Anaphylaxis101 mobile application.  They also will receive educational materials and giveaways, with a special offer for the first 100 people who visit the exhibit on each stop of the 10-city tour.

 

“Proper response to anaphylaxis can be a matter of life or death, so knowing what part we can each play in furthering awareness and preparedness, particularly in the school community, is critical,” said Hemant Sharma, M.D., Associate Chief of the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.  “Having digital tools centralized and tailored to support those in the school-based setting is a tremendous asset that will help educate the public about this significant public health issue.”

 

About www.Anaphylaxis101.com

The expanded website includes an extensive library of downloadable tools and resources from leading patient, professional and advocacy organizations to support personal and school-based anaphylaxis education.  The site is designed to help meet the information needs of the extended community impacted by potentially life-threatening allergies.

 

Visitors can access the information through easy-to-use, online toolkits tailored to the specific needs of:

• Teachers: Posters, lesson plans, brochures, template forms, checklists, guidelines and an “Assembly in a Box” to address school safety in and out of the classroom.
• School Administrators: Template forms, letters, a poster, and links to resources that can be adapted to improve awareness and preparedness among school staff, parents and students.
• School Nurses: Family allergy and allergic reaction health history form, checklists and tip sheets to help ensure nurses know which students might be at risk for anaphylaxis.
• Parents: Medical forms, checklists, guidelines, at-home tools and family tips to help educate themselves, loved ones and school staff about how to be ready to respond if anaphylaxis occurs.
• Students: Worksheets, backgrounders and presentations designed to promote peer-to-peer education about anaphylaxis.
• Community Members: General anaphylaxis education materials to drive broad knowledge, including an overview of federal laws that protect students at increased risk for anaphylaxis.

About Get Schooled In Anaphylaxis: An Interactive Experience

The coast-to-coast tour will hit key cities across the nation including:

• Los Angeles, Calif. – Del Amo Fashion Center – Oct. 19-20
• Denver, Colo. – Park Meadows Mall – Oct. 22
• Baltimore, Md. – Arundel Mills Mall – Oct. 25
• Chicago, Ill. – Orland Square Mall – Oct. 27-28
• Dallas, Texas – Grapevine Mills Mall – Oct. 31
• Houston, Texas – The Houston Galleria – Nov. 2-3
• Orlando, Fla. – The Florida Mall – Nov. 8
• Atlanta, Ga. – Lenox Square Mall – Nov. 10
• Charlotte, N.C. – Concord Mills – Nov. 13
• Philadelphia, Pa. – King of Prussia Mall – Nov. 16-17

For more information on the tour schedule visit www.Anaphylaxis101.com.

 

About Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis^TM

The Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis™ initiative offers practical information to educate the school community to help those at risk for life-threatening allergic reactions avoid their triggers, recognize anaphylaxis signs and symptoms and understand how to quickly get appropriate treatment and immediate medical care when anaphylaxis occurs.  Visit www.Anaphylaxis101.com to explore how anaphylaxis can affect the entire school community and learn more about life-threatening allergic reactions.  You can also download practical tools, learn more about Julie Bowen’s family story and watch a public service announcement (PSA) featuring the actress and sign up to receive news about activities and events.  Follow the Twitter handle @Anaphylaxis101 to get the latest news about the initiative.

 

Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis brings together information from leading patient, professional and advocacy organizations, each with the common goal of improving anaphylaxis education, and makes them accessible through www.Anaphylaxis101.com.

 

About Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that can occur when the body is exposed to an allergen.  Anaphylaxis causes an estimated 1,500 deaths each year.  The prevalence of food allergies among children is on the rise, now affecting one in 13 U.S. children.

 

Children and adolescents are among those most at-risk for anaphylaxis due to increased exposure to potential allergic triggers.  Symptoms may include trouble breathing, chest pain, skin hives or redness of the skin, tightness in the throat, swelling of the lips and/or tongue, nausea, dizziness, a decrease in blood pressure and/or fainting.

 

Anaphylaxis symptoms may progress rapidly and become life-threatening, requiring prompt recognition and treatment initiation.  While avoidance of allergic triggers is the critical first step in managing life-threatening allergies, allergens are not always obvious and accidental exposure may still happen.

 

Food allergy guidelines developed by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), recommend epinephrine as the only first-line treatment for anaphylaxis management and that it be available at all times to those at risk for anaphylaxis.  If experiencing anaphylaxis, a person should use an epinephrine auto-injector and seek immediate emergency medical attention.

 

About Mylan Specialty

Mylan Specialty, a subsidiary of Mylan Inc. (Nasdaq: MYL), is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacturing and marketing of prescription drug products for the treatment of respiratory diseases, life-threatening allergic reactions and psychiatric disorders.  For more information, please visit www.mylanspecialty.com.

 

About Mylan

Mylan is a global pharmaceutical company committed to setting new standards in health care.  Working together around the world to provide seven billion people access to high quality medicine, we innovate to satisfy unmet needs; make reliability and service a habit, do what’s right, not what’s easy and impact the future through passionate global leadership.  We offer a growing portfolio of more than 1,100 generic pharmaceuticals and several brand medications.  In addition, we offer a wide range of antiretroviral therapies, upon which approximately one-third of HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries depend.  We also operate one of the largest active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers and currently market products in approximately 150 countries and territories.  Our workforce of more than 18,000 people is dedicated to improving the customer experience and increasing pharmaceutical access to consumers around the world.  But don’t take our word for it.  See for yourself.  See inside. Mylan.com.

 

Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis™ is sponsored by and a trademark of Mylan Specialty L.P. © 2012. All rights reserved. MYS12-8088