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Blood Testing For Food Allergies

A simple food allergy can change the way a person live his or her life for it basically makes this person a little altered than his or her allergy-free contemporaries. Allergies with certain types of food are caused by a specific chemical that is a common chemical ingredient in that same food. So, it is not surprising that an allergy to food may also cause a reaction to medications which subsequently leads to an alteration in medications, too.

As a result, medical professionals have been finding ways to detect food allergies as early as possible before the reactions take place. There are numerous testing processes that they utilize in finding out whether a patient is allergic to certain types of chemicals. One of these tests includes blood testing.

But before going further about blood testing, you should first understand what goes on inside the body during the allergic process.

There are two ways that the immune system reacts to an allergy. One approach is that the body, after the detection of allergens, generates immunoglobulin E or IgE which is a kind of antibody. IgE is then disseminated in the blood stream. The other approach is the occurrence of mast cells. Mast cells appear in the body tissues particularly in common allergy sites like the throat, nasal cavity, oral cavity, skin, lungs, and the organs of the gastrointestinal system.

There are cases that the capacity to produce immunoglobulin E to fight off a certain food allergen is in inherited. Individuals who are at higher risk in being afflicted with food allergies are those who have blood relations who have suffered from asthma, eczema, and hay fever.

Furthermore, an individual must initially be in contact with the potential food allergen before his or her body produces the antibody IgE. As the individual is finally exposed to the allergen the IgE is then produced and consequently fastens itself to the mast cells. This team up will eventually cause body chemical reactions the next time the allergen is eaten by the hapless individual.

Now, this immunoglobulin E is important in the detection for allergies through blood testing. The most frequently utilized blood tests are Radioallergosorbent test (RAST) and CAP-RAST (which is basically similar to RAST but more advanced).

In blood tests, the outcome is ranked from one to six, with one the least positive and six the most. Blood tests can be utilized in individuals afflicted with a severe case of eczema since this type of testing can not be influenced by antihistamines.

Following the drawing of blood samples, it is then sent away to the laboratories for further evaluation. Blood tests can be pretty much expensive and results are not immediately available for the patient to know whether they are allergic to certain food or not.

Eventually, an allergy is diagnosed when the medical professionals detected the presence of the immunoglobulin E or IgE in the patient's blood. But the results of the blood test can not identify if there is a close connection between the existence of IgE and the allergy's intensity. There are even cases wherein the results are negative although the patient manifests symptoms of food allergy.

In case, blood tests fail there are still other tests that the medical professionals may utilize to size up your allergy. These tests may include skin prick tests, elimination diets, and food challenges.

Furthermore, feel free to ask questions to the medical professionals concerning the results to better understand your condition.

About the Author

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Period Pains - Why We Must Fight Against Stereotypes And Negative Perceptions

At best, periods are seen as a monthly inconvenience for most women. It's true that menstruation is often accompanied by painful cramps or mood swings, yet this entirely natural, healthy process suffers from unnaturally negative associations in modern society. These squeamish, almost superstitious attitudes seem to be cultivated by the so-called feminine hygiene industry which claims to serve women during their periods.

Tampon companies have a vested interest in maintaining long held cultural perceptions of menstruation as dirty or something requiring protection. This means they can keep selling disposable sanitary products (note the word sanitary which implies the need to take precautions against dirt, infection or disease, as if menstrual blood was some kind of bio-hazard !) Tampons and pads are always bleached white which adds to the sterile image. Blood is even bizarrely replaced by a blue liquid during TV commercials. And of course, the big hook with commercial pads and tampons is that they have to be bought each month, then thrown away after a single use, increasing profits while perpetuating the notion that menstrual blood is something that must be sanitized and disposed of untouched.

The other subtle yet powerful message is that your period is embarrassing and shameful . Adverts often use words like 'discreet' or claim that no-one will ever know you have your period. Sometimes tampon boxes and wrappers have neutral designs in order to disguise their contents. While women usually have no trouble discussing menstruation amongst their close female friends - most would never mention it to an acquaintance, and would be horrified if a tampon box or pad happened to spill out of their handbag in public. This programming starts early when a girl first menstruates in her early teens. Formal sex education in schools is often accompanied by free samples and commercial pamphlets with the same vaguely negative messages. Teenagers tend to be self conscious about the changes in their body during puberty, so it is easy to add menstruation to the long list of things for girls to be anxious or ashamed about - and unfortunately this shame often persists unquestioned into adulthood.

If you want to start rejecting these attitudes and the industry which fuels them, there are several alternatives to commercial pads and tampons. Tampons made from non-bleached cotton are available for those with allergies, eczema or prone to irritation caused by bleaches in tampons. Another option is to use washable cloth pads, which is actually what women have always used historically anyway. Some women use reusable menstrual cups such as the Diva Cup, Mooncup or The Keeper. They are soft cups usually made from medical grade silicone that sit inside the vagina and collects the blood. They are then emptied, washed and reinserted. Sea sponges are also used as tampon alternatives as they are very absorbent and sit inside the vagina. The difference with sea sponges is that they are entirely natural and, like the menstrual cup they can be rinsed and re-inserted.

Some of these alternative menstrual products mean you need to become more comfortable with your vagina and more familiar with its processes and unique rhythms. The fact is - menstruation is not dirty or unhygienic, or shameful or weird. It's a wonderful sign that your body is working - something you'll never hear on a tampon ad.

About the Author

Lydia Clark is a writer with a particular interest in female health and wellbeing. You can read more about the
Mooncup
Menstrual Cup by clicking the link.