Allergy to nuts
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Allergy to nuts is a subtype of food allergy, which is considered the most common.
An allergic reaction can occur on any variety of nuts: walnuts, brazilian, cedar and others. Some people think that peanuts are also nuts.
But, if you carefully look at the structure of peanuts and on its "pod", which in its design resembles peas or beans, which means that peanuts are a family of legumes, and not nutty. But, nevertheless, if a person is allergic to peanuts, then it is possible that such a process can extend to nuts.
If a person has noticed that he is allergic to nuts, what should he do?
- Consult with a physician.
- Do not eat food that can provoke an allergic reaction.
Causes of allergy to nuts
The eternal question of "why"? Expressed in simple terms: the nutty protein is perceived by the body as a dangerous foreign element, and accordingly, a protective immune reaction occurs, resulting in an allergy to nuts.
As for the protective reaction, it is expressed in its own way for everyone, which will be discussed in the section on symptoms.
Diagnosis, treatment and prevention are of great importance in this sense, and we will talk about this later.
In addition to all that said, the allergy can spread to all kinds of nuts, and maybe only one specific species.
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Symptoms of allergy to nuts
Like any food allergy, allergy to nuts has a number of symptoms that can be this:
Symptoms of allergies can be more complex, including Quincke's edema and anaphylactic shock. Such symptoms can not be eliminated by any means. Only medical assistance is able to resolve this situation.
There are also possible exacerbations of chronic dermatological diseases, for example, eczema, psoriasis, neurodermatitis and others.
In any case, the symptoms just do not appear, so, consultation with a doctor (immunologist, dermatologist, allergist) is mandatory.
Allergy to Pine Nuts
As a rule, pine nuts can create a strain on the digestive tract as a result of improper storage. Such consequences include a distinctive feature: a bitter taste. And such signs do not mean that a person is allergic to nuts. The rules for storing such nuts require you not to clean the kernels from the shell. Unfortunately, in our countries such a rule is not always respected.
An allergic reaction is possible if a person has a tendency to food allergies, namely to nuts.
Symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and precautions are the same as with allergies to others or to all nuts in general.
Allergies to nutmeg
Allergy to nuts has nothing to do with nutmeg, as nutmeg is essentially not a nut, but a spice extracted from a seed. It is logical that an allergic reaction to nutmeg can not be. It is possible that the allergy is related to another food product, and a person takes it for allergies to this type of spice.
Although, among some physicians there is an opinion about the existence of a danger concerning the influence of nutmeg on the body. But in practice this version is not proved.
In case of suspicion of allergy to muscat, it is necessary to pass tests that determine the presence of food allergies. If there is one, then after diagnosis, the patient is convinced that the matter is not in nutmeg, but in another food product.
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Allergy to Brazil Nut
Allergic reactions to nuts differ in species, forms, and symptoms. For example, an allergy to the Brazil nut arises because the fruits themselves contain a whole variety of nutrients: iron; zinc; calcium; potassium; manganese; phosphates; betaine; choline; copper; magnesium; phosphorus; selenium; thiamine; riboflavin; niacin; omega 3.6; amino acids; flavonoids; protein; cellulose; vitamins В 6, С, D, Е - a reaction of a human body to which can bear allergic character.
In addition, the Brazil nut has the properties of lowering cholesterol in the blood. It also has a positive effect on the human body in that it can normalize the sugar content in the blood; for the prevention of cancer of the intestines, lungs, breast prostate. But! To get involved with the use of Brazil nut is also not recommended, because a large concentration of nutrients can provoke a so-called overdose that can act as an allergy. Daily rate is: 2 nuts.
Allergy to nuts, namely Brazilian, can appear on the soil:
- high concentration of radium, which is a harmful radioactive component,
- the presence of aflotoskinov in the fetal membrane, the use of which in large numbers can cause a number of serious diseases. Therefore, before you eat a nut, you need to peel it from the skin - a thin shell.
Brazilian nuts should not be consumed by people who already have an allergy to nuts, mangoes.
Symptoms for allergies caused by a Brazil nut are the same as for other species, that is: urticaria, burning, itching, shortness of breath, sneezing, vomiting and so on.
Completely eradicate the disease is almost impossible. Therapy has a purely symptomatic direction.
Diagnosis of allergy to nuts
Allergy to nuts on the first visit to the doctor is determined by relying on the patient's complaints. Immediately the doctor, interrogating the patient, sets the duration and nature of the symptoms of a possible allergy.
The task of the allergist is to identify the type of reaction to a given food product. And for this it is necessary to make an analysis of the skin. This makes a small scratch on the skin, where a small amount of liquid nut extract is dripping. On other cuts of skin areas, allergens of different origin are dripping. This procedure is performed to identify the allergic reaction, and the product in relation to which it appears. The area of the cut where the skin changes are formed is the answer to the allergic test.
Allergy to nuts is also checked using a blood test that mixes with some possible allergic substance.
Who to contact?
Treatment of allergies to nuts
The allergy to nuts is not treated. In the treatment process, only symptoms that are easier to prevent than cure are eliminated. And for this you should avoid the use of nuts and products made on a nut basis (walnut oil, cakes with nuts and so on).
In case of serious allergic reactions, you should always carry some antiallergic drugs:
- "Epinephrine" - injection helps with anaphylaxis, which can be entered independently. This medicine is given in prescription pharmacies.
- Antihistamines: "Alergothal" - eye drops (prescribed for allergic conjunctivitis), "Loratadin", "Alerpriv", "Suprastin", "Agistam" - antipruritic, antiallergic tablets for treating various allergic reactions: skin reactions related to respiratory organs.
We have described standard drugs for the treatment of the symptoms that allergies to nuts. But medicines should be purchased by those who are recommended by the attending physician.
More information of the treatment
Prevention of allergy to nuts
Prevent allergic reactions to nuts is almost impossible, as most often, this is a hereditary disease or arises from the characteristics of the body. But, as for the symptoms, the occurrence of which provokes an allergy to nuts, you can avoid. To do this, it is necessary to exclude foods containing an allergen from the diet.
Consider the list of forbidden food products:
- peanuts and peanut butter,
- nuts in general,
- food products of Asian origin, for example: piedtai, satay,
- sauces on a nut basis, for example, pesto,
- marzipan,
- confectionery products with nuts or with their components,
- Bakery products even without the contents of nuts. Here you need to know exactly what is included in the product,
- cereals, muesli, nougat, praline,
- vegetarian food on a nut or soy basis,
- salad dressings and ready-made salads,
- ice cream (any).
Other Precautions:
- avoid contact with the causative agent of an allergic reaction throughout life is almost impossible, because friends, acquaintances, family members sooner or later will cause somehow to face an allergen. Therefore, it is very important to control personal utensils and utensils for cooking, to keep clean in the kitchen. Why is this necessary? There is a cross-contact, that is, not a direct hit of the allergen in the body, but a product that has come into contact with it. Let's say one person cut a nut cake with a knife, and a person with an allergy with the same knife, without first washing it, for example, cut the sausage. From which you can see the contact of the knife with the cake → contact sausage with a knife, where, respectively, there was a contact of sausage and a nut cake,
- exclude products of unknown origin,
- carefully read the contents of the product packaging. Hydrolysed vegetable proteins are contraindicated.
- shows a diet for allergies.
Observing all the precautions, no allergy to nuts will not be terrible.