Food Allergy Awareness

What you should know about food allergies.

What are food allergies?

What are food allergies?

Food Allergies are when the immune system recognizes a normal food as a
allergen or something harmful. The immune system, in response, produces
histamines and other chemicals to attack the allergen. In the next slide, I will
explain the allergic response of someone who consumes an allergen.

The allergic reaction

1.

The immune system first makes contact

with the allergen.

2.

The allergen enters cell known as B

lymphocyte cell.

3.

The allergen is identified and Ige

antibodies are released.

4.

The IgE antibodies attach to Mast cells.

5.

The allergen next makes contact with

the receptors and Mast cells.

6.

Finally, histamines are produced.

What causes the immune system

to react this way?

What causes the immune system to react this way?

A gene called FOXP3 is found in a type of white blood

cell whose job (in non-allergic individuals) is to
modulate and suppress other cells that are becoming
inflamed or overactive in the case of an allergic
reaction. The FOXP plays an important role in
regulating the immune system of non-allergenic
individuals. In food-allergic individuals this gene is
disabled by a chemical coating that prevents it from
being expressed (a change not in the genetic code
itself, but in the way the gene functions known as an
epigenetic change). In allergic individuals, because of
this, the genes SKP2 and p27 become overactive in
the case of an allergic reaction, and are are not
suppressed by FOXP3.

What is anaphylaxis and what are

its symptoms?

What is anaphylaxis and what are its symptoms?

Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs within minutes of consuming or being
exposed to an allergen. Less severe allergies that are not life-threatening are not anaphylaxis.

Trouble breathing
Hives or swelling
Tightness of the throat
Hoarse voice
Nausea
Vomiting
Abdominal pain

Diarrhea
Dizziness
Fainting
Low blood pressure
Rapid heart beat
Feeling of doom
Cardiac arrest

How many people have food

allergies?

How many people have food allergies?

6 Million
children

How many people have food allergies?

1 in 13
children

How many people have food allergies?

9 Million
Adults

How much more prevalent have

food allergies become?

How much more prevalent have food allergies become?

50%
increase
in cases from 1997 to 2011 according to the CDC.

How many people have food

allergies or sensitivities:?

How many people have food allergies/sensitivities?

50 million
people

What foods trigger allergic

reactions?

What foods trigger allergic reactions?

There are 8 main triggers of food allergies:

What treatments are used for

allergic reactions?

Treatments for food allergies

In the case of an allergic reaction, where the immune system produces histamines,
antihistamines are used to treat the allergic reaction. The severity of food allergies vary, just as
the strength of anithistames. To treat an allerigic reaction, you may need 5 ml of benadril, and 2
doses of epinephrine (Epi-pen auto injectors). For severe allergies, either an EpiPen or Auiv-Q
is used. For less severe allergies, benadril, zyrtec, or a similar antihistamine is used.
Less severe allergies

More severe life-threatening allergies

Are there any cures for food

allergies?

Cures for food allergies

There is a cure that is currently being
researched, known as oral
immunotherapy, or OIT. The way it
works is small amounts of the allergen
is given, the amount given gradually
increases. This builds us a tolerance
to the allergen. The only problem is
that if the allergen is not consumed for
the rest of person's life daily or the
person gets sick, the tolerance built up
is destroyed and the allergy returns.
The cure is not yet approved by the
FDA.

What can you do to support

individuals with food allergies?

What can you do?

How can you Protect A Life from food allergies?

Know that food allergies are very serious. Over 40% of

individuals with food allergies have been bullied or teased.

Don't share your food with friends who have food allergies

Wash hands after eating

Help all of your friends and classmates have fun together

If a friend who has food allergies gets sick, get help right away.

What can you do?

Wear your teal ribbon!

What can you do?

Participate in a
support group!

Thank you!

Works cited

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db121.htm

https://www.niaid.nih.gov/research/role

https://www.foodallergy.org/

http://med.stanford.edu/allergyandasthma/news/news-from-our-center/better-bloo
d-tests.html

http://atlasgeneticsoncology.org/Genes/FOXP3ID44129chXp11.html

https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/FOXP3

http://www.momsacrossamerica.com/rise_of_allergies_in_the_national_news_but
_what_is_the_real_news

Any Questions?