So, this is something that I keep seeing brought up a lot (not so much on Magistream, but in general), particularly in schools. This thread will be to discuss this particular topic and for me to see what everyone's opinion on it is.
cdc.gov wrote:What is a Food Allergy?
A food allergy occurs when the body has a specific and reproducible immune response to certain foods. The body’s immune response can be severe and life threatening, such as anaphylaxis. Although the immune system normally protects people from germs, in people with food allergies, the immune system mistakenly responds to food as if it were harmful.
Eight foods or food groups account for 90% of serious allergic reactions in the United States: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts.
foodallergy.org wrote:Food allergy is a serious medical condition affecting up to 15 million people in the United States, including 1 in 13 children.
So...to start off...
1. Do you have any food allergies? If so, what are they?
2. If you have food allergies, what measures do you take to avoid coming in contact with the food/s? (Ex. Do you carry an epipen, do you check labels on everything you buy, do you avoiding eating out at restaurants and/or at friends/family homes, etc.)
3. Food allergies are reported to be on the rise. While there is no clear answer yet as to why, I would like to know your opinion and why you believe the number of people with food allergies is increasing.
4. Schools are consistently brought up when the topic of allergies among children is discussed and how schools should take a better stand protecting children with allergies. What do you think about this? Do you believe schools should take measures towards making their premises safer for children with allergies? Why/why not?
Okay, fire away everyone. Remember to follow all Magistream rules and please be polite and courteous to your fellow magi. Ie. no fighting if you disagree with a fellow magi's opinion.
1. Do you have any food allergies? If so, what are they?
Not specifically. I'm allergic to penicillin, so I'm particularly careful with breads (I inspect them to make sure there's not the tiniest spot of mould) and I avoid blue cheese, as it can trigger a reaction.
2. If you have food allergies, what measures do you take to avoid coming in contact with the food/s? (Ex. Do you carry an epipen, do you check labels on everything you buy, do you avoiding eating out at restaurants and/or at friends/family homes, etc.)
I inspect any bread I eat to make sure it's not started to get mould spots, and I avoid blue cheese of all sorts.
3. Food allergies are reported to be on the rise. While there is no clear answer yet as to why, I would like to know your opinion and why you believe the number of people with food allergies is increasing.
I believe this is down to a couple of different things. First and foremost, people who have severe allergic reactions are no longer removed by natural selection--they have treatment options, and survive to pass on those genes, as do their children and their children's children. This will inevitably lead to an increase in the amount of people allergic to certain foods.
Additionally, I believe that the rise of hyperprocessed foods has led to less consumption of normal foods, which results in less exposure to the food groups in question. This is just my theory, but we know that exposure to local pollens in the form of consuming local honeys can reduce allergic reactions such as hayfever, as the body becomes tolerant to the presence of the pollen within it. Smaller, less lethal reactions may not have occurred at all had there been more exposure to these types of foods when the person was a child.
4. Schools are consistently brought up when the topic of allergies among children is discussed and how schools should take a better stand protecting children with allergies. What do you think about this? Do you believe schools should take measures towards making their premises safer for children with allergies? Why/why not?
I believe this is the "wrapping them in cotton wool" effect. When I was going to school, I remember that there was a kid with diabetes and a kid with lactose intolerance. They usually bought their own lunches, because they knew what was safe to eat, and if they did buy something at school, they made sure that whatever it was wouldn't aggravate their condition. It was common sense, and I don't see why today's parents and children can't apply the same. If a child has allergies or any other condition which can be triggered by certain foods, it is the parents' responsibility to educate that child on what is and isn't safe to consume, and what can happen when they eat the wrong things.
As long as the school has an option like a fresh garden salad and juice available, or meats that are not in gravys or sauces, I don't see that further action is necessary. Banning outside food to prevent allergic reactions to trace amounts of nuts, etc, sounds like a knee jerk reaction and will leave children woefully unprepared for the real world, where they will most likely at some point come in to contact with trace amounts of their allergen. They will attend parties and work meetings as adults where there will probably be food containing allergens available. Children with allergies need to be taught what is and isn't safe to consume, and to be vigilant with things like hand washing--not put in to plastic bubbles.
Not gonna comment much on 3 and 4, since I don't feel competent on the subject, just share my own experience with allergies, of which I have a lot and it seems like I keep developing them.
I'm allergic to egg white, all seafood, chicken meat (which I only found out last year), several fungal genera, including Penicillum. I don't develop anaphylaxis, I get hives, teary eyes, eczema, have constant allergic rhinitis due to my mold allergies. On top of that, while my blood tests were negative for these, I experience unpleasant tingling in my mouth and rapid development of specifically patterned red spots if I eat food containing nuts or citrus fruits.
I do eat out, but I will usually read through the whole menu until I find, depending on the restaurant, a couple meals to choose from, and I will usually ask about ingredients. In fact, I tend to have more awkward experiences with my relatives - the last time I went to my great aunt's, she had specifically bought chicken meat so that I would have something to eat because she usually serves fish. She had forgotten that I had poultry allergy. On top of that, the salad that was prepared contained blue cheese. So, on that occasion, I ended up only eating breadsticks and being made fun of by my other relatives, including parents, because apparently your family's illnesses are a good source of amusement and how dare I ruin it by calling them out for it. /rolls eyes
Outside family I usually just make it clear that I'm allergic to a lot of things before visiting and warn to not be upset if I'm not eating a lot or anything. I'm aware that I can't always avoid foods that may contain traces of what I'm allergic to, but that doesn't mean that I have to eat large amounts of a known allergen just to show how polite I am.
I will also always ask if they're allergic to anything or have other dietary restrictions before cooking for others. In shops, I usually just read all the labels, am mindful of what I buy, and how I store food. Like Intempestivity, I'll also usually check any carbohydrate products for mold, and will wash fruit before eating, even if I know that they've been washed at some point before.
Last thing - I've noticed that whenever a person discloses that they're allergic to several things, the assumption is that they must have a very restricted and/or bland diet, which just isn't true - yes, there is the inconvenience of often being safer off making most of your meals yourself from scratch, but it's usually possible to substitute one ingredient for another, experiment with spices etc.
Intempestivity wrote:I believe this is the "wrapping them in cotton wool" effect. When I was going to school, I remember that there was a kid with diabetes and a kid with lactose intolerance. They usually bought their own lunches, because they knew what was safe to eat, and if they did buy something at school, they made sure that whatever it was wouldn't aggravate their condition. It was common sense, and I don't see why today's parents and children can't apply the same. If a child has allergies or any other condition which can be triggered by certain foods, it is the parents' responsibility to educate that child on what is and isn't safe to consume, and what can happen when they eat the wrong things.
As long as the school has an option like a fresh garden salad and juice available, or meats that are not in gravys or sauces, I don't see that further action is necessary. Banning outside food to prevent allergic reactions to trace amounts of nuts, etc, sounds like a knee jerk reaction and will leave children woefully unprepared for the real world, where they will most likely at some point come in to contact with trace amounts of their allergen. They will attend parties and work meetings as adults where there will probably be food containing allergens available. Children with allergies need to be taught what is and isn't safe to consume, and to be vigilant with things like hand washing--not put in to plastic bubbles.
Agreed.
You would think it easier for a child with food allergies to find their own lunch instead of working school lunches around so these children can eat them. Not to mention, not all children are able to get the school's lunch. Growing up, my best friend often shared her packed lunch with me because I hardly ever had one. My family was really poor and my father refused to sign the papers required for me to get into the school's free lunch program for whatever reason. Not saying this is a common thing, but if packed lunches are banned, and in some schools, even sharing a packed lunch with a fellow student is now not allowed either because of food allergies, it will likely leave some children going hungry.
Niverdia wrote:Last thing - I've noticed that whenever a person discloses that they're allergic to several things, the assumption is that they must have a very restricted and/or bland diet, which just isn't true.
No worries there about me making that assumption. I too have an allergy. Coconut. When I tell some people that they are generally like, "Coconut? You're lucky. That's easy to avoid eating." Which is not true. Coconut (more commonly coconut oil) is found in a good many foods, from cereals and granola bars to cakes, chocolates and icecream. I find myself having to read the label on near everything I buy. Thankfully I don't have a severe reaction if I eat small portion of coconut, but I do become very nauseous, and if I eat it in larger quantity, my tongue starts to swell up, my throat tightens, and sometimes I will even vomit. Foods are not the only thing I have to watch out for either. My skin will break out into a rash if I use products containing coconut such as shampoos and lotions. I am fortunate though that I do not have multiple food allergies. Avoiding them all would prove rather difficult I think, at least for me.
I find it sad that your family finds amusement in your allergies. For some people, food allergies can kill them. It actually reminds me of the school board meeting video that I came across the other day with a board member joking about the topic of students with food allergies stating that they "should just shoot them." Apparently she was was joking. I however was not amused as I do not find food allergies to be a laughing matter.
1: I don't personally have food allergies, but several of my friends' kids do.
2: N/A
3: I agree with Imp that some reasons for the rise in persons with food allergies are that people with allergies are surviving to reproduce and that the change in our diet has affected things as well.
4: I do agree that some measures need to be taken in schools to protect kids from deadly allergens. Kids, especially younger ones, are not as aware of what damage an allergic reaction can do. With nut allergies especially, just airborne particles can trigger an anaphylactic reaction that can lead to death. I was in school with a boy who had multiple food allergies and I can remember it being a game with some kids to try and trick him into eating or drinking something he was allergic to. I have also heard of a little girl chasing a boy and trying to kiss him after she'd eaten a peanut butter sandwich. In either of these cases, success on the part of the tormentors could have caused death to the bullied child. It is better to limit exposure to potential death threats for a few children than to risk a tragedy.
Feel free to click my entire keep. Anything I don't want to grow is protected.
1. Do you have any food allergies? If so, what are they?
Onions- if they aren't cooked completely clear. Raw is right out, I avoid onions on pizza. If they crunch at all, I have to spit them out. I can't be in the same room when onions are being cut, let alone be the one cutting them, my eyes will swell completely shut. If I do eat too much (like when McDonalds doesn't hold the onions, like I asked them to) I will get extremely sick to my stomach, as my body tries to get rid of the irritant. I'm usually ok with onion powder, but I use it lightly.
Melons: cantelope, honeydew, water melon, etc. Just getting the juice in a hangnail will result in swelling, itching and burning of the finger. Eating them results in burning and itching in my throat and lips. The last time I tried a tiny sliver of cantelope- no larger than my thumbnail and not much thicker, my throat was sore for THREE DAYS after! (I knew it was a bad idea, but it smelled SO GOOD, and I thought maybe that tiny bit would be ok... NOPE!)
I have tons of other allergies too. I didn't have ANY until I was 16, and I've gotten more every year since then. Even to the point of getting the scratch tests done, and the nurse was all "Ok, lets see... what... you're... let's see what you're NOT allergic to!" Feathers, molds, and supposedly one kind of pine tree. I even tried the shots, but didn't get nearly enough relief after 2 years of getting poked weekly, so when my insurance decided to not cover it any longer, I stopped the regime.
2. If you have food allergies, what measures do you take to avoid coming in contact with the food/s? (Ex. Do you carry an epipen, do you check labels on everything you buy, do you avoiding eating out at restaurants and/or at friends/family homes, etc.)
I always keep Benedryl in my bag. The first time I realized watermelon was now on the NEVER AGAIN list, I was up in the mountains having a picnic with two non-drivers. We had watermelon for dessert, and my whole mouth started to swell. I had just ONE benedryl left and I took it, and it was able to curb the reaction so that it wasn't a medical emergency, but it was still scary. A year or so later, Mom had cut up a watermelon and left it on the counter, and it smelled SOOOO good. I gave in to temptation and ate one piece. Less than a minute later, I was taking two Benedryl and told Mom so that she could keep an eye on me in case we needed to go to the emergency room.
So, now I just know that I have to avoid those, no matter how much I may like them - the horror of late onset food allergies.
When it comes to family dinners, I just try to make it clear that I am allergic to onions, and ask that at least part of some dishes be prepared without them. My Mom, for the longest time didn't believe I was actually allergic to the onions until she saw my eyes swell up from helping her in the kitchen while SHE was cutting onions. Since then, the whole family has been pretty good about putting up with my issues. When it comes to the melon, I just avoid fruit salad. Fortunately, so far anyways, the melon allergy isn't so bad that I can't pick out other fruit from a mixed salad and am ok eating it.
When I go out to eat, I just make sure to ask if there are onions in a dish if it's not clear that there are. If there are, I ask if they can be left out. If not, then I order something else. If they can, I tell them that I am allergic and they're usually good about leaving them out- Fast food drive-thrus notwithstanding.
My biggest problem is that the melons are very good for my herbivorous and omnivorous pets, so I HAVE to work with them every few weeks. And they always smell SO GOOD! My boyfriend is on orders to not let me eat any, under ANY circumstances. I can't even lick juice off my fingers (and I should probably wear gloves) and I have to wash frequently. Just having him watching over me helps me remember to be extra careful.
3. Food allergies are reported to be on the rise. While there is no clear answer yet as to why, I would like to know your opinion and why you believe the number of people with food allergies is increasing.
Studies have shown that by not allowing children to be exposed to actual germs early in life, the body starts responding to non-threats as though they are. So all this "anti-bacterial everything!" is doing more than allowing super germs to take over, they're keeping otherwise healthy people from developing a strong immune system. On the other hand, I was always encouraged to play outside in the dirt and grass and trees and rivers, we've always had furry pets, and as I got older I added feathery and scaly and slimy pets too. So, there's really no reason that I should have developed so many allergies.
Aside from that, I have to agree with what Intempestivity said about people with severe allergies are living longer and passing those genes down. It sounds horrible, but I believe it's true.
I hadn't thought about the processed food thing, but that's a very likely reason too.
4. Schools are consistently brought up when the topic of allergies among children is discussed and how schools should take a better stand protecting children with allergies. What do you think about this? Do you believe schools should take measures towards making their premises safer for children with allergies? Why/why not?
I don't think schools should be forced to cater to every whim of each parent. If your own child is allergic to stuff, educate them, provide their own lunch. Schools need to allow kids to bring their own lunch. My family was never poor enough to qualify for reduced or free lunches, but we couldn't afford school lunch either. If I didn't bring my own, I went hungry that day. But more often than not, my home lunch had more food and probably healthier options than the school lunches did.
Parents need to remember that children are THEIR responsibility, not the school's or society's.
Hawke's IRL fiance, Lunaroki, suffered a massive stroke and died on Tuesday, March 31st, 2015.
Hawke needs to concentrate on other things, and is leaving MS permanently.
So I don't have any food allergies (lots of other ones!) but I would like to talk about these:
3. Food allergies are reported to be on the rise. While there is no clear answer yet as to why, I would like to know your opinion and why you believe the number of people with food allergies is increasing.
As mentioned, there are two main factors:
a) The lack of natural selection. Many, many of us should not be alive right now. I should not be alive right now. Current society makes it so that it's difficult for us to die anymore. So natural selection can no longer work. Genes/adaptations that should die out are instead increasing.
b) Definitely the anti-bacterial thing. This isn't just affecting food allergies but other allergies as well as implicated in the whole superbug thing. Dirt is not a bad thing. Bacteria is a not a bad thing. In fact, many bacteria live in symbiotic relationships with us; without them, we'd not function very well. If we don't expose kids to these things, they can't form protection that they should and instead go over into the super-sensitive reactions. It's like having an autoimmune disease but it's brought on by dirt.
4. Schools are consistently brought up when the topic of allergies among children is discussed and how schools should take a better stand protecting children with allergies. What do you think about this? Do you believe schools should take measures towards making their premises safer for children with allergies? Why/why not?
To be honest... the bit of me that knows evolution and biology wants to say no. I don't think we should make things safer. We're promoting the increase in these allergies and I do not think that is good for the human population as a whole.
But... no one wants the kids die from food allergies. That said, it shouldn't have to be the schools' responsibility. I think schools should label things clearly but that it's mostly the parents who should be dealing with it. Your kid can't eat something? Pack them lunch. Make sure they know what they're allergic to. It is your kid, you're the one who should be taking care of all of this.
Maybe parents should be better educated? But I'm guessing parents who have kids with food allergies are pretty educated or they wouldn't have the kids for very long.
I wish there was some way we could actually have human breeding programmes without everyone going "Nazis!". I think it would help the population a lot in terms of diseases, allergies, etc. Having a child is one thing... there are so many out there who need homes. But do we all have to pass on our genes? If people were more willing to adopt, it might work?
I know it isn't possible but it would be nice... we'd still ensure genetic variability and a large gene pool but we could weed out some of the deleterious adaptations.
Working on getting back into things after a forced hiatus. LTS: Shards at 50k each.
GrowlingCupcake wrote:I wish there was some way we could actually have human breeding programmes without everyone going "Nazis!". I think it would help the population a lot in terms of diseases, allergies, etc. Having a child is one thing... there are so many out there who need homes. But do we all have to pass on our genes? If people were more willing to adopt, it might work?
I know it isn't possible but it would be nice... we'd still ensure genetic variability and a large gene pool but we could weed out some of the deleterious adaptations.
Hmm, interesting point.
I actually have decided that at some point, if I decide to have kids, I likely will adopt. First off, I am not entirely sure if I can even have kids. My uterus is a bit...wonky. Secondly, I have a load of health problems and I decided I shouldn't run the risk of passing these problem on by having my own child. As you say, there are so many kids in the world that need homes, and even if they are not blood, I would treat one of these children as my own. Plus it's better if I don't pass on my health problems to another generation.
In terms of a breeding program, while it seems quite unlikely to ever happens, at least in our lifetimes, one thing I would go for would be a limit on the number of children you can have, like China has. Yes, it is population control, and with the world's ever expanding population and decreasing resources I am all for this, especially since, at least within the US, having children seems to be highly encouraged. The government actually pays money for people to have children. I look at my local social services for example. When I went in to receive some assistance to buy food and whatnot, the social workers actually told me that if I was pregnant or had a child age 5 or under, they would be able to give me more benefits. Is this right? Not in my opinion. But that's a different debate. My point on this is that it encourages people to have children, health problems be damned, thus adding to the population of less than healthy people. So I do agree with everyone so far that the increase in allergies (and other medical issues) does likely seem to be from people passing their genes on. Perhaps putting a limit on the number of children people can have would help to lessen the number of unhealthy children.
1. Do you have any food allergies? If so, what are they?
2. If you have food allergies, what measures do you take to avoid coming in contact with the food/s? (Ex. Do you carry an epipen, do you check labels on everything you buy, do you avoiding eating out at restaurants and/or at friends/family homes, etc.)
I have lived with food allergies all my life, and would like to share my experience in the hopes that it helps!
In 1st grade I had allergies to soybeans and peanuts, but between 3rd and 4th grade is when I developed most of my allergies. No one knew what specifically triggered them (something we are still trying to figure out), because of the nature of the allergy breakouts and their side effects. Currently I am allergic to wheat and related grains like spelt, oats, yeast, gluten, peanuts, tuna, and shrimp. No, I do not need to carry an epipen. I've never really liked peanut butter but ate it as a kid, and so when I got the allergy I didn't feel like missing out much. It's not a severe allergy, but I suspect I will probably get hives and asthma problems if ate some- tuna and shrimp will probably do the same. The severe allergies are in the wheat, yeast, and gluten. I have been tested several times for celiac, and I do not have it- but the reactions my body has to these foods are similar in celiac persons. Recently I tested positive for high ige-autobodies and are probably the cause of my hives, while IBM probably explains the horribleness that happens when I eat gluten or yeast or whatever. Don't know yet
3. Food allergies are reported to be on the rise. While there is no clear answer yet as to why, I would like to know your opinion and why you believe the number of people with food allergies is increasing.
In my opinion, more tests = more allergies. When a person is sensitive to foods, has seasonal allergies, or are some histamine-blocking medication like Claritin, getting a simple food skin test can often result in a wide range of allergies that may not really be there. 1- take a blood test and not a scratch titer, and 2- do not jump on the gluten-free, lactose-free etc. bandwagon.
4. Schools are consistently brought up when the topic of allergies among children is discussed and how schools should take a better stand protecting children with allergies. What do you think about this? Do you believe schools should take measures towards making their premises safer for children with allergies? Why/why not?
Imagine you're going out to breakfast, and all of the excitement of not having to cook and eating some delicious breakfast food.
But because of your allergies, you're stuck eating scrambled eggs over and over again every time you go to an IHOP or First Watch.
I feel very protected and cared for by people who know my allergies! I usually have options when it comes to eating at events, parties, etc. When it comes to schools, I have that range of options food-wise and greatly appreciate it. Besides, it's the school's responsibility to make sure EVERY child is safe, and that goes for kids with life-threatening allergies like peanuts.
I'd like to add something to the whole dying-off conversation. Yes, healthy people in the past most definitely had a greater advantage to surviving- but did you know many of our allergies comes from domesticated food? We were never meant to eat cultivated grains! Wheat was grown by man, and that variety was different from wild grains that our foraging ancestors ate. We began eating food grown by ourselves that didn't grow naturally in the wild and were introducing new proteins into our systems.
1. Do you have any food allergies? If so, what are they? Peanuts. (goddamnit)
2. If you have food allergies, what measures do you take to avoid coming in contact with the food/s? (Ex. Do you carry an epipen, do you check labels on everything you buy, do you avoiding eating out at restaurants and/or at friends/family homes, etc.) I always carry an EpiPen, and always check the ingredients of anything I buy. (carefully, obviously)
3. Food allergies are reported to be on the rise. While there is no clear answer yet as to why, I would like to know your opinion and why you believe the number of people with food allergies is increasing. Many people in the US and anywhere else may have had immigrants who had allergies. Also, I've heard that people in specific countries (say, Asia) develop different allergies in others (say, US).
4. Schools are consistently brought up when the topic of allergies among children is discussed and how schools should take a better stand protecting children with allergies. What do you think about this? Do you believe schools should take measures towards making their premises safer for children with allergies? Why/why not? I think they should take far more careful measures, but making people sit in a seclusive area with no one else is just cruel, in my opinion. I think those people should be able to sit where they like without any prohibits based on allergies, and without any sort of harm coming to them, whether it be anaphylaxis or death.
thank you, gifters!
