FOOD ALLERGY AND FOOD INTOLERANCE IN MY COMMUNITY

     Some people see eating as a pleasant experience;  however others treat certain foods as "enemies".

<centre In recent past, there has been a rise in reported food allergies and intolerance.Some studies suggest
that only a small portion of those who think they have food allergy have been definitely diagnosed.

                                             **   WHAT IS FOOD ALLERGY?**

    Food allergy has no universally accepted definition. According to a group of Scientist led by Dr. Jennifer 
    J. Schneider Chafen in their report published in The Journal Of the American Medical Association, 
    However, most experts believe that allergic reactions are triggered by the immune system.
   An allergic reaction to a certain food is typically a response to protein in that food. the immune system
   erroneously identifies that protein as harmful. When a particular protein enters the body the immune
   system may create a type of antibody known as IgE to neutralize the perceived invader.
   When the food allergen is again ingested, the antibodies that were created earlier can trigger a release
  of chemicals, including histamine.

   Histamine plays a beneficial role in the immune system; but for reasons not clearly understood the 
  presence of igE antibodies and the subsequent release of histamine provoke an allergic reaction in
  people who are hypersensitive to a particular food protein.
  This explains why you could eat a new food without any apparent reaction but eat the same food 
   again and experience an allergic reaction.

                                          ** WHAT IS FOOD INTOLERANCE?**
   
 A food intolerance like food allergy may be an adverse reaction to a food item. But unlike food allergy
 which is triggered directly by the immune system; food intolerance is a reaction of the digestive system
 and thus no antibodies are involved.
 Basically, a person may have trouble breaking down a food, perhaps because of enzyme deficiencies or 
 because of chemicals found in the food that are difficult to process.