The Peanut: Friend or Foe?

Walnuts, Almonds, Cashews, Peanuts etc. Most people’s reaction would be: “Heavenly Snacks for Everyone.” Oops. Not for everyone and that is because some people are allergic to them. What exactly is Peanut Allergy, the dangers it brings about, and how can we prevent it from occurring?

While a typical allergy results to itching and sneezing, a Peanut Allergy is fatal because one of its symptoms is difficulty in breathing, not to mention other serious health problems that could cost lives. If a person is has Peanut Allergy, the body will treat the peanut as an enemy, and because the body feels that a peanut is harmful, antibodies are produced as protection from it. If the person eats food made with peanuts, suddenly experiences allergic reactions like a runny nose, itchy patches on the skin, vomiting, etc., then that person is allergic to peanuts. The person can even die on the spot because of anaphylactic response, which is something deadly because it makes infections occur all at the same time in the skin, the digestive tract, the lungs, and many other body organs. This reaction causes a life threatening drop in blood pressure, blocked breathing tubes and swelling of other body parts.

A person with Peanut Allergy should never, ever take even a tiny bite of the peanut, or taste food made with peanuts. It sure is hard to do because most of the food nowadays has peanuts on them. It is important that the content/ingredients of the food are checked first before eating. In other words, people with peanut allergy should be extremely careful in choosing the food they eat, if not, they will put themselves on a serious risk.

How come some people have Peanut Allergy, while some people don’t? There are certain risk factors involved in the development of Peanut Allergy.

If you come from a family with a history of asthma, peanut allergy or any other food allergy, then, you have a greater risk of being allergic to it. To be on the safe side, never hesitate to consult a doctor and undergo tests to determine if you have peanut allergy. The doctor will normally probe whether you have the signs or symptoms of the allergy, and then will conduct tests such as skin tests, a test where your skin will be pricked with a peanut substance. If a red patch/bump occurs within minutes, this means your body has allergic reaction to the substance. A blood test may also be done to determine if your immune system has a negative reaction to peanuts.

There is really no way to cure Peanut Allergy, although there are medications such as antihistamines that would lessen the symptoms of the allergy. The only foolproof way is to totally avoid food on the Do Not Eat list that the doctor will give you.

Peanut Allergy is not something to take for granted. It is a serious allergy that needs to be faced with extra care and responsibility. If you feel that you are allergic and are experiencing its symptoms, go and see a specialist today, not next week, next month or next year. Remember, knowledge of the allergy will mean knowledge of its prevention. Knowledge will help save your life.

Marissa is a free lancer publisher of http://www.folkremedy.net/ and she loves to share knowledge on natural remedies on different types of allergies.