INTRODUCTION The world of cuisine is incredibly diverse. From noodle and pork soup in China to vegetarian pizza in downtown Manhattan, people have found numerous ways to use natural resources to create tasty, nutritious food. Because of immigration and globalization, many people now eat dishes that originate a world away from their homes. For people with food allergies, access to the entirety of the global buffet is a distant dream. They are physically unable to consume many of these foods without suffering reactions ranging from itchy eyes to impaired breathing. This is due to a complex series of immune system reactions to certain, normally innocuous, proteins. Predisposition to these reactions is becoming more frequent, ensuring that an increasing percentage of American families will be impacted by considerable dietary restrictions. Fortunately, methods ranging from increased food safety standards to new medical treatments are being used to help the allergic community. Experts in the medical, technological, and hospitality sectors are working to develop and implement protocols. Encouraged by advocates such as AllergyEats CEO Paul Antico, the food industry is becoming more accessible to people with dietary restrictions and their families. They are training employees in allergy safety and working on preventing cross-contamination of foods with common allergens. Adaptation in the food industry is not the only response to the rise in allergies. Innovative work is being done in the medical field to reduce or eliminate allergies. Medical experts such as Dr. Kari Nadeau of Stanford University and researchers from the Consortium of Food Allergy Research are designing treatments and exploring methods of changing the immune system’s reaction to allergens in order to widen dietary options and improve the quality of life for people with food allergies. In order to do this work, researchers are applying the scientific method. They are coming up with ideas on how to combat allergies, gathering data on the efficacy of these ideas, and making their results available to the scientific community. As a result, they have been able to develop new treatments such as oral immunotherapy (OIT). These treatments could one day enable people with severe food allergies to eat a plate of bacon and eggs, spread peanut butter on their sandwiches, or eat a slice of cake at a friend’s birthday party. On this page, you will learn about all of these facets of food allergies. You will read about the process, causes, and societal impacts of food allergies. You will hear experts talk about treatments and prevention. You will see how little Hollywood knows about anaphylaxis. Hopefully, you will leave this page with more knowledge about a condition that affects millions of people around the globe. Welcome to Allergy World, my humble abode.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Aug 2013 16:43:05 +0000
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