A Study Of Uncommon Food Allergy - Dissertation Example
1.0. Introduction A true food allergy, according to Duyff (2003), is also referred to as food hypersensitivity, where the immune system to react to harmless substances present in food even though a person is not technically sick. These substances are generally termed as allergens, are usually proteins from some food which sets off the body’s immune system to react by the production of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. The IgE antibodies activate the release of natural body histamines to counter the allergic reaction. An individual experiences these internal bodily processes as the uncomfortable symptoms associated with allergy, such as itching, running nose, nausea, palpitation, and in worst cases anaphylaxis (Duyff, 2006) Statistics gathered by Duyff (2006) revealed that one in every three adults are allergic to milk, whereas the National Health Institute estimated that only four out of 100 or about 11 million Americans have food allergies.
