Everything You Need to Know About Food Allergies

Physicians from the Turkish National Allergy and Clinical Immunology Association discussed current research on allergies, what needs to be known about food allergies, rare allergies and prevention methods. Both environmental factors and western-style fast food eating habits damage intestinal flora, making individuals susceptible to allergies. Food allergies can even cause serious and life-threatening reactions upon exposure to certain foods. The most important treatment and control method is to avoid consuming these foods. But is this sufficient? Is it possible to build resistance against allergens? On the occasion of 16 October World Food Day, specialist physicians from the Association seeking to raise awareness about allergenic foods shared the most current information on food allergies…

Patients must know first aid treatment

AID Member Prof. Dr. Ayşen Bingöl stated, "People with food allergies are always told to avoid that food, but it is not that easy. You are likely to encounter the allergenic substances in these foods everywhere. There is a high risk of encountering food allergens at any restaurant or in packaged foods. In fact, risk increases in every social setting. Especially for children attending school, precautions should be taken for the school process and the school nurse should be informed. Additionally, in some food allergies, exercise and medications can create a predisposition to allergic reactions. For this reason, it is important that patients know the first aid treatment for allergic reactions as much as avoiding the food. Simple reactions can be controlled with antiallergic medications. However, for severe reactions, it is necessary to carry an epinephrine auto-injector and know how to use it."

Non-food products may also contain food allergens

Bingöl, noting that non-food drugs, cosmetics, vaccines and craft materials may even contain food allergens, continued: "These substances may not have a labeling requirement to disclose food allergens. The allergens contained in these substances can also cause reactions. For this reason, sometimes it may be necessary to contact the manufacturer. For example, vaccines… Some vaccines may contain food allergens such as gelatin, milk and eggs. For this reason, families should remind their pediatrician of food allergies at vaccination time. Vaccines can then be administered according to a certain plan with precautions taken accordingly. At the same time, prescription and over-the-counter medications may contain food allergens. For example, some medications contain lactose. Lactose is actually milk sugar, not a food allergen. However, cases with severe milk allergy may show allergic reactions due to milk proteins that may be mixed in lactose. Cosmetics may contain milk, nuts, sesame, wheat and soy allergens. Craft materials may also contain allergens such as wheat (doughs) and egg white (finger paints)."

Mediterranean diet protects against asthma!

Today, the Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest nutrition models. The Mediterranean diet stands out as a healthy eating style characterized by high consumption of various products such as grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, olive oil and hazelnuts, moderate consumption of poultry and fish, and low consumption of red meat. AID Member Serkan Filiz, noting that the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease through healthy fat intake, low carbohydrates, low glycemic index, high fiber, antioxidant compounds and anti-inflammatory effects, emphasizes that high adherence to Mediterranean diet during pregnancy, breastfeeding and childhood shows protective effects on asthma symptoms. Filiz notes that increasing diet diversity during pregnancy, breastfeeding and early childhood and consuming homemade fermented foods will be effective in preventing allergic diseases and that the consumption of these foods is very important for health.

"Supplementary foods should be introduced without delay to protect infants from food allergy"

Prof. Dr. Bülent Şekerel, explaining that "about fifteen years ago, it was expected that introducing allergenic foods to the diet would be delayed until one or two years of age to prevent allergy development, and that this would prevent allergy development," clarified the matter as follows: "However, contrary to expectations, this approach led to an increase in food allergy. According to our current understanding, food allergens enter through eczematous skin or respiratory tract, leading to food allergy development. Intake of foods through the digestive system, on the other hand, develops tolerance. For this reason, today we recommend introducing all foods with allergic potential in infants between the first 4 to 8 months of life. This is expected to reduce food allergy frequency. Our hope for reducing food allergy lies in standing by our ancestors' preferences."

"Expectant mothers should follow a healthy and nutritious diet containing fruits, vegetables and fish"

Turkish National Allergy and Clinical Immunology Association Member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sait Karaman notes that today there are many supplementary vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and probiotics recommended during pregnancy to prevent food allergy. Karaman stated that while supplemental vitamin D is necessary in pregnant women who consume insufficient amounts of vitamin D or are found to have low serum vitamin D levels, high-dose vitamin D intake does not have a protective effect against food allergy development in infants. Moreover, he notes that supplementation of probiotics, prebiotics or symbiotics, which have an effect by changing intestinal flora, have a protective effect against the development of some allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis. Differing from all these, Karaman states that although the level of evidence is weak, there are studies reporting that infants of mothers who took omega-3 fatty acid, copper and vitamin C supplements during pregnancy are protected from food allergies. He said, "Expectant mothers do not need to eliminate foods with high allergic potential from their diets to prevent food allergy in their babies. If these types of foods are not part of their normal diet, they do not need to consume these foods during pregnancy either. Expectant mothers should follow a healthy and nutritious diet containing fruits, vegetables and fish." Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sait Karaman noted that there has been an increase in the number of children with food allergies in recent years, stating, "Infants born in autumn and winter months have a higher risk of food allergy compared to those born in spring and/or summer months. Cesarean deliveries also increase the risk of food allergy. Changes that expectant mothers make in their eating habits are important to prevent food allergy in their babies. There is scientific evidence that consumption of fruits, vegetables and fish during pregnancy and breastfeeding prevents allergy development in babies."