Food allergies are becoming an extremely important issue as more suffer.According to a Columbia University study, approximately 40 million Americans may have food allergies Food Allergies Definition Food allergies are the body's abnormal responses to harmless foods; the reactions are caused by the immune system's reaction to some food proteins. . Other sources estimate seven to 10 million Americans with food allergies. While there is a discrepancy in the actual number of individuals with allergies, the one thing that is not in dispute is that the number is increasing. Every year 100 to 200 Americans die due to food allergic induced anaphylactic shock anaphylactic shock n. A severe, sometimes fatal allergic reaction characterized by a sharp drop in blood pressure, urticaria, and breathing difficulties that is caused by exposure to a foreign substance, such as a drug or bee venom, after preliminary , 30,000 more are hospitalized, and millions more suffer symptoms ranging from stomachache stom·ach·ache n. Pain in the stomach or abdomen. stomachache Vox populi Gastralgia , vomiting, diarrhea, chest pains, anaphylaxis anaphylaxis (ăn'əfəlăk`sĭs), hypersensitive state that may develop after introduction of a foreign protein or other antigen into the body tissues. , or possibly death. For the highly allergic, consumption of even 1/44,000 of a peanut is enough to provoke a severe, potentially lethal reaction. The "Big 8," or most common, food allergens are: peanut; tree nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, etc.); shellfish; fish; egg; wheat; milk; and soy. You want to make sure that you keep your members and their guests safe so they return to the club. Even one mistake can affect your member's health, the club's reputation, and possibly the club's liability insurance. For more information visit the Food Allergy food allergy Allergy medicine A condition, the incidence of which–0.3-7.5%–is obscured by controversial data and differing disease definitions; food-induced reactions of immediate-hypersensitivity type are common and include anaphylaxis, angioedema, Awareness Institute at www.fdalrgy.com. |
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