Allergy Relief Resource and Guide

Fruit allergies and OAS go hand in hand.  OAS stands for Oral Allergy Syndrome and refers to allergic reactions to fruit, nuts and vegetables.  This tends to develop in adults with hay fever otherwise known as seasonal allergies.  The correlation doesn’t seem to make sense but fruit grows in and on the earth which is also surrounded by the wonderful pollen that can affect so many allergy sufferers.  The production of antibodies associated with hayfever interact with parts of the fruit to cause the fruit allergy reaction.

Tree pollen seems to be one with a bigger association with fruit allergies but according to Wikipedia grass pollen and ragweed pollen can also be culprits.  Since the reaction is associated with the allergic reaction to the pollen fruit allergies may not be as dramatic outside of the times when we experience seasonal allergies.

Though there are not that many suffer from fruit allergies the impact for those folks can be significant.  Think of all the nutritional advice regarding increasing your consumption of fruits and vegetable for better health.  Those with oral allergy syndrome are limited to the amounts of these nutritious foods they can eat since the symptoms are quite uncomfortable and possible deadly.

Usually you can easily tell whether you are experiencing a fruit allergy because the reaction is fast.  The symptoms can also be quite dramatic with swollen lips and itchy throats.  The more severe fruit allergy reactions can range to anaphylaxis which can cause asphyxiation.  Wherever the fruit comes in contact with your mouth and throat are areas that can react including your tongue.

Though some of the nutrients in fruit and vegetables can be “cooked away” it seems that cooking fruits and vegetables minimizes and even eliminates your fruit allergies.  Processing the food also seems to do the same with canned fruits  and applesauce as examples.

The good news for some fruit allergy sufferers is that just because you are allergic to one type of fruit like oranges does not mean you are allergic to all.  As stated earlier Wikipedia shows a correlation between the type of pollen you are allergic to and the fruits and vegetables that may cause you fruit allergies.  An allergy to ragweed for example may make it more likely that you will react to bananas and different kinds of melon like watermelon.

Fruit allergies are treated like many food allergies with the primary approach being to avoid the food that is causing the problem.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are at least easy to identify unlike some other food allergy triggers that are found in many foods.  Also in this case at least you can have the fruits and vegetables cooked.  Otherwise you may want to consider allergy shots to manage your fruit allergies.  They basically train you until your allergic reactions are tolerable for you.  The nutritional benefits may be worth it to you.

When my son was around 2 years old my pediatrician started to suspect that he might have a possible gluten allergy. I, of course, had never heard of this. I didn’t even know what gluten was. It was a scary diagnosis because the more research I did the more I knew this could change my son’s life forever. I was even further terrified by the possibility that it could go beyond a gluten allergy into the realm of celiac disease.

What is Gluten?

There is a rubbery like protein in various grains that is causing a many problems for a growing number of across our country and around our world. This substance has been around for thousands of years, and is a naturally occurring one. This protein is called gluten and is found in wheat, rye, barley and a low level in oats as well. This protein helps bind the dough together, causing it to rise when baked. These grains can cause a gluten allergy in those who are sensitive, yet other proteins in the grains can also cause symptoms as well. There are four primary proteins that are found in gluten-containing grains. These are albumin, globulin, gliadin, and glutenin.

Symptoms of Gluten Allergy

The symptoms from any of these proteins can be quite similar.

Symptoms of gluten allergy can include:

• abdominal cramps
• swelling
• vomiting
• asthma

Symptoms could potentially be life threatening if you are very sensitive.

Diagnosis and Treatment Options

Often, many people have gone many years with problems from gluten allergy before being properly diagnosed. It is very important to locate a trained professional who is skilled in these types of issues when dealing with gluten allergy. My pediatrician sent me to a specialist to dig into my son’s symptoms further.

A skin prick can sometimes be used to detect an allergy to wheat but a true gluten allergy is more often confirmed through a blood test. Since wheat is found in so many daily food items, it is difficult to find the true culprit of the symptoms sometimes. Yet, with diligence, it can be done. If a gluten reaction is very severe, then the patient should be told to eliminate all gluten-containing products from one’s diet. However, some doctors suggest that if the gluten allergy is minor, that small amounts may be introduced with time. More people agree that an elimination diet is a far better approach.

Gluten Allergy versus Celiac Disease

Gluten allergy should not be confused with gluten intolerance or celiac disease, which is a hereditary disorder and is auto-immune in nature. The gluten actually damages the intestinal lining in this disease, causing food to be improperly absorbed by the body. Celiac disease requires that gluten be eliminated from the diet totally and for life. Celiac disease is more prevalent in certain races and since I am married to an Irish man I thought this could explain why I had never heard of it since I am of Latin descent.

Luckily for us when the dust settled my son was diagnosed with a mild lactose intolerance but the experience opened my eyes to the challenges someone could have if they had a gluten allergy or worse yet Celiac Disease. While living with a gluten allergy or intolerance can be a challenge learning how to manage it through your diet is definitely worth it.