Risks Associated with Nut Allergies

If you recognize that you have food allergies because of reactions that you're having after you eat, you would probably be surprised to find out how many times it is actually nuts that you are having a reaction to.  As a matter of fact, there is a very short list of foods that has been put out which pose extreme risks for individuals that have an allergy to them.  One of the leading foods on that list is different types of tree nuts as well as peanuts.

Whenever an individual has an allergy to nuts or peanuts, there is actually something that is going on behind the scenes which you may not be aware of.  There are various types of protein that are in these nuts which invoke a response in our body that is quite unusual.  Our body releases a chemical that is known as histamine in response to any of these proteins.  The reason why it does this is because it is actually reacting to them in an improper manner.  Instead of ingesting them and getting nutrition from them, it actually feels as if they are a foreign body and needs to be attacked and removed.  It is not the protein that we are having a reaction to, it is our own body that is causing the reaction as a result of the histamine that is releasing.

If a person is having a problem with nut allergies, there are several different risks that need to be taken into consideration.  The most common problem that occurs as a result of this release of histamine is respiratory distress.  As a matter of fact, a person can have a severe reaction to nuts which is known as anaphylaxis and this can cause their airways to swell shut, killing them if appropriate action is not taken.

Other problems can occur as a result of nut allergies which include gastrointestinal distress, skin reactions and even reactions within our cardiovascular system.  That is why it is important for anybody that is dealing with nut allergies to avoid them altogether if they are going to be successful in overcoming them.  It is not simply enough to avoid them sometimes because you never know whenever one of these reactions is going to occur severe enough that it will threaten your life.  Make sure that you do what is necessary in order to avoid the problem with nut allergies and be prepared should an accidental ingestion happen to occur.