gillybob

Hi Jane

A bit of an odd one for you here;

I love humus but I seem to be terribly allergic to it. Whenever I eat it (within seconds) my tongue breaks out in painful red lumps and my tongue swells up. Once I stop eating and have a cool drink the breakout settles down and within an hour or two it is as though it never happened. I know I am silly and should just accept that there is something in humus that doesn't agree with me but as I said I do like it very much. I wonder if it could be the chickpeas that I am allergic to? I eat garlic, olive oil etc. in plenty other dishes and it doesn't effect me.

Dear gillygob, I don’t think you’re silly at all! Allergic reactions to any food can make you feel lousy at best and as you will have read in my latest Gransnet blog, can be life threatening. You’re completely right to question what it is in hummus that could be causing the issue. It could be the tahini, which is a sesame-seed paste, as seeds can be a very common allergen, but it could also be the oil used in the hummus. You could try making your own, hummus-like spread without adding the tahini – take the chickpeas and garlic, then just use olive oil and some natural yoghurt to make it all creamy. Try a small amount to see if you react to it, then experiment with different variations. Or make a salad with chickpeas and see if they are the culprits. You could use butter beans as an alternative to make a hummus-like spread, or try my recipe for broad bean and carrot hummus. As your reaction seems quite severe, you may like to discuss with your doctor if you should carry an Epipen around with you.

cangran

Both my son and 6yo grandson (his nephew - my son calls him his 'food tester!') have an allergy to peanuts. I look after my grandson occasionally and he always has a bag with an Epipen. It's not had to be used to date, only anti-histamine. I am a little nervous of having to administer the Epipen so my question is really how to do it and can it be injected anywhere on his arm? And I presume I'd only need to do this if the allergic reaction gets worse after giving him anti-histamine?

Dear cangran, I hope you don’t have to use the Epipen, but if you do it is very easy to administer. The instructions on the side show you exactly how, but I have always found that introducing it in the thigh muscle is easiest and I don’t need to remove any clothes – I just put it against the leg and then follow the instructions. Do check that the Epipen is in date. You might like to talk to any of your grandson’s relatives who have had to administer it, to see how he reacted and which site he prefers.

grandMattie

My family are allergic to fish/seafood/shellfish etc., like the OP. I had an intolerance, but was able to have de-sensitising injections - it was a real palaver, but i am able to eat fish/seafood,etc.
I also have an allergice [though not anaphylactic] reaction to any perfumes in skin preparations - make-up, soap, shampoo... makes life a little complicated, but I manage it well.
Are people more allergic these days, or are they more aware of them?

Hi grandMattie. I’m sorry that your family is so affected by allergies but it’s good news that you are finding effective remedies and managing your own symptoms so well. In answer to your question, the charity Allergy UK reports that the number of people affected by allergies is indeed increasing around the globe. Current figures show that 30-35 per cent of people will be affected by allergy at some stage of their lives. The pattern of allergy is also changing. Initial increases were in asthma and hay fever but now recent studies have shown a significant increase in the number of people with food allergies, particularly among children. In the UK, up to 50 per cent of children are diagnosed with an allergic condition.

There are a number of theories about why allergy incidence is rising. The first is genetics – children born into families with allergies have a higher risk. There’s also the hygiene hypothesis, which suggests that our use of anti-microbial cleaners, etc, reduces our exposure to micro-organisms and develops a tendency to allergy. What we eat has changed, with more processed food, fewer fruits and vegetables and reduced nutrients – there are studies looking at how a lack of vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids may contribute to development of allergy. Pollution and other environmental factors may also be implicated in allergies, although there isn’t definitive research on this yet. One exciting area of research is epigenetics, which is looking at how the factors above may regulate gene behavior to develop allergic-type immune systems. By understanding this, we may find new strategies to prevent allergy in the future.

NfkDumpling

I have an intolerance to garlic. Very slimming. Bloat up and throw up! And these days it's in EVERYTHING! Eating out is becoming so difficult. Luckily I'm fine with onions - but this makes people think I'm telling porkies as they're the same family. I wonder if it's because the garlic used and sold is foreign and stronger?

I've been experimenting with Ransomes (wild garlic) and am fine with the flowers, leaves and stems. (The flowers are delicious.). Best Beloved is going to slip a little bit of a bulb into my dinner when I don't know it's coming - but hasn't dared yet!

Hi NfkDumpling. I’m glad your beloved hasn’t dared sneak some into your dinner, as the symptoms are, as you say, horrid. And whilst it can be a way to lose weight, we agree it’s far from ideal! There is a real fashion for garlic in foods, as I suspect that it is being used to add depth to dishes as food companies crack down on using salt as a flavour enhancer. I’m glad you’ve had some success with wild garlic, as it is delicious and patients of mine have similarly found that they’re okay with it. If you can’t garlic, and as an alternative to salt, add lemon or lime juice to add extra flavour to dishes. Or chop and freeze fresh herbs in ice cube trays, ready to be popped into food during cooking. It’s a handy way to preserve them, as bunches of fresh herbs can easily go to waste.

Thirdinline

It's interesting that you ate a lot of mackerel, strawberries and melon and then developed an allergy to them, Jane. I became sensitive to wheat (although not gluten) and lactose 15 years ago when my life was incredibly stressful and I realise that wheat and dairy products were in practically everything I ate at that time.

I have occasionally tried eating food with wheat or dairy products in since then and now feel that the symptoms they caused are negligible, so am cautiously reintroducing them to my diet. I am far less stressed now too. My question is, is it usual for sensitivities to subside over time? Also, do you think that stress is a factor with food sensitivities?

Hi Thirdinline, thank you for your question. Although the academic jury is out as to whether stress has a direct impact on food sensitivities, my clinical and personal experience suggest that it has. There is a condition called leaky gut syndrome that is impacted by stress. Leaky gut syndrome increases the quantity of food allergen or molecule you’re intolerant to, which then causes and explains why you experience greater symptoms when you’re stressed. Interestingly, I’ve found with my patients that their symptoms can be worse when they’re overtired. It could mean that we need to be particularly careful about eating foods we’re sensitive to at times when we know we’re not at our best. I find that it’s best if I avoid certain foods on a Friday evening, at the end of a busy week!

Tennisnan

A friend said her mum greatly improved her arthritis symptoms after having a food intolerance test and altering her diet. We were sceptical but now DH has osteo arthritis and needs knee replacement. Cld getting tested help improve his symptoms during the 6 month wait for the op? And maybe stop other joints getting affected. Can you recommend where/how to get a genuine test done pls?

Hi Tennisnan. There is a great deal of scepticism over laboratories that claim to test, so the best way would be to ask your GP to refer him to an allergist. The GP may also do intolerance blood tests, which are far more accurate than hair analysis tests. At home, he may want to keep a detailed food and symptom diary to see if specific foods aggravate his symptoms. If he notes what foods he eats and when, and how his joints feel in the hours after, he may be able to build up a clearer picture of which foods to limit to reduce joint pain.

NanKate

Our youngest grandson has allergies to egg, fish, all seeds, and coconut. Even though he is only 4 he copes well even when his skin erupts with eczema.

We have details of his medication but I worry I will gave to use his epipen one day.

So here are my questions

1. Is an epipen easy to use on a child, any tips please?
2. Do children usually grow out of allergies ?

Thanks.

Dear Nankate, I’m going to answer your second question first. Many children do grow out of allergies, so fingers crossed your grandson is one of the lucky ones. Be reassured in the meantime that using an epipen is easy. It is painless as the mechanism is so efficient (the needles are very fine) – please see my reply to cangran, above, for some tips. I’ve had to use epipens on young patients many times and once you’ve got over the fear, and you’re in the situation where you just have to do it, you’ll manage perfectly, I’m sure.

JoyBloggs

When sudden-onset dairy/lactose intolerance follows a bout of diverticulitis is it likely to be permanent?
When attempting to gradually re-introduce dairy items which foods would you recommend that are least likely to cause problems?
Thank you!

Hi JoyBloggs, it is very likely that you will be able to tolerate dairy and lactose once the gut is in less trauma. I suggest trying a small amount of mature cheese, such as Parmesan shavings on a salad, and see how you get on. If you feel fine, on another day try some natural yoghurt and, again, assess how you feel. It’s often a glass of milk that’s most difficult to digest and tolerate, so this is perhaps the last thing to try. Remember that quantity has an impact just as much as the actual food, so small quantities, at infrequent intervals and keeping a detailed diary will help you navigate your way through the re-introductions. If symptoms flare up, step back and wait a few days before trying again, but hopefully you should soon be able to tolerate dairy and lactose with no issue.