Tag Archives: Allergy

Woman with nut allergy has severe reaction after sex with man who ate nuts

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In a new meaning for ‘peanut,’ a U.K. woman has, according to this story, which really needs to be verified, become the first person to suffer an allergic reaction to nuts triggered through having sex.

The boyfriend of the 20-year-old, who has not been named, had eaten a handful of Brazil nuts just before the couple’s passion took hold.

Having recently found out she was seriously allergic to the food, she asked him to take extreme precautions.

The man brushed his teeth, rinsed his mouth out, washed his hands and scrubbed under his fingernails, according to science-technology website io9.

But what happened next has alerted scientists to the fact that the nut proteins can get into the seminal fluid.

After the pair had sex, the lower part of the woman’s body swelled up and she became short of breath.

Doctors at St Helier hospital in Carshalton, Surrey assumed it was a severe allergic reaction to nuts, from kissing or skin-to-skin contact.

But after the pair explained their precautions, researchers doubted that the nut proteins ended up in sweat or saliva, because the allergic reaction would have started earlier, and would have been triggered in other couples.

It is the first recorded case of an allergic reaction to Brazil nuts through intercourse.

To be absolutely certain, doctors brought the man back in and took two semen samples – one before, and one four hours after eating Brazil nuts.

They then performed a test on the girl, where they give a small injection with a needle covered in semen underneath the skin.

This is a common way to test for particular allergies.

It appears that Brazil nut proteins resist digestion, which is why they generally end up in the immune system, triggering immune reactions.

They discovered the woman’s skin swelled up and his semen caused a reaction just three to four hours after eating the nuts.

But because the couple split up after the reaction, scientists were not able to carry out further tests.

Tragic: Seventh-grader dies of food allergy at Chicago school

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Chicago Public Schools sent grief counselors to Edison Regional Gifted Center on Monday after the death of a seventh-grader who had an allergic reaction to food she ate at school.

The Chicago Tribune reports Katelyn Carlson, 13, of the Sauganash neighborhood, was rushed from the Albany Park school at 4929 N. Sawyer Ave. to Swedish Covenant Hospital on Friday afternoon and transferred to Children’s Memorial Hospital, where she died of anaphylaxis, a severe reaction to a food allergy, according to Fire Department officials and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

CPS officials said they were conducting an investigation and could not provide details. Two parents of other students said they had been told by school officials that Katelyn had a severe allergic reaction to peanut oil from Chinese food ordered from a restaurant for a class party.

Matthew Akinrinade, whose daughter was a classmate and close friend of Katelyn’s since kindergarten, said his daughter also has a peanut allergy and assured him earlier last week that a teacher had called the restaurant several times to make sure peanuts would not be used in the food. Akinrinade said his daughter did not have a reaction to the food Friday, but she saw that Katelyn was having trouble breathing.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, food allergies affect approximately 1 in 25 school-aged children, and 16 percent to 18 percent of children with these allergies have had a reaction in school.
 

Kevin Smith got kicked off a Southwest airplane for being fat; should pet owners be kicked off for being inconsiderate?

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Movie director Kevin Smith, known for the witty and obscene dialogue in movies he’s penned like Clerks, Chasing Amy and Dogma, was deemed a flight risk by a Southwest airlines pilot last weekend and ordered off the plane.

"I know I’m fat, but was Captain Leysath really justified in throwing me off a flight for which I was already seated?" he ranted through his Twitter account to over 1.6 million followers.. "Again: I’m way fat… But I’m not THERE just yet. But if I am, why wait til my bag is up, and I’m seated WITH ARM RESTS DOWN.”

Smith posted this pic of himself (above, right, exactly as shown) puffing out his cheeks and captioned it, "Look how fat I am on your plane! Quick! Throw me off!"

Another emerging issue on airplanes is those travelling with small pets.

An editorial in the current issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal notes that air travel has become increasingly difficult, with tightened security restrictions and a decreased number of services. But now Air Canada is adding to the difficulty by allowing small pets to travel airplane cabins.

Pets can be accommodated comfortably and safely in airplane cargo holds, which is where they belong. Airlines must choose to put the needs of their human passengers first, or be forced to do so.

Flying should not include avoidable health risks, especially, for passengers with allergies to pets. Many people with allergies to animals will have a reaction when they’re trapped in an enclosed space, often for hours.

The Canadian Transportation Agency ruled that people allergic to nuts should be considered to have a disability under the Canada Transportation Act and must therefore be accommodated. The agency is now receiving passenger complaints about pets on airplanes and considering whether those with allergies to pets should also be considered as having a disability. Such a finding would force Canadian airlines to safeguard passengers with pet allergies.
 

Dairy-free brownies and other sacrifices

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It has been almost three months now that my diet has been more or less dairy free. Shortly after Sorenne turned two months old, she became plagued with eczema. Her pediatrician never recommended I change my diet, as he was satisfied that she continued to gain weight, but I couldn’t stand watching her turn red and try to scratch herself with little hands that she could barely control. A friend of mine, and many articles I read, suggested cutting dairy. My first reaction was – that will be the end of nursing. I am a cheese addict, I love butter, and really, dairy is one of my main sources of protein. Soy is fine – but giving up cheese? How cruel can life be?

I eventually decided that cutting dairy for a couple of days would not kill me, and Sorenne did seem to get a little better. But Doug and I were really not sure if it was the dairy or any number of other variables in our daily life that could be affecting her. I had changed detergents and soaps and made sure she wore only 100% cotton material in the meantime.

The first two weeks of avoiding dairy were very difficult. Giving up cheesecake was almost painful, but I eventually found substitutes and cheated a little here and there when necessary. Sorenne had flare ups that I attributed to a dairy allergy, but we really have no way of knowing for sure. Sorenne doesn’t complain – neither does Doug – and I brought this challenge entirely on myself. After I discovered tofutti cream cheese and (yes it’s gross) veggie cheddar, quitting milk no longer seemed like such a big deal. I noticed I’m generally less gassy (pleasant for everyone around me) and Sorenne vomits significantly less.

For the past week Sorenne’s skin has been almost entirely clear. Today, while contemplating the dairy-free brownies I was about to make, I realized that living dairy free is a challenge I enjoy. I still salivate thinking about Roquefort, but I lived without most of my favorite cheese throughout my pregnancy due to the risk of listeria. (At least now I can eat pâté without much worry.) Finding substitutes has been somewhat enjoyable with some pleasant side effects. For those who cannot enjoy dairy due to serious allergies or lactose intolerance, the diet may feel more like a burden. Worse yet, it’s scary to not know if an allergen has contaminated your food when you’ve been careful to protect yourself or your child. I’m fortunate to have a choice and a knowledgeable partner tolerant of my neurotic parenting.
 

Don’t let allergies ruin the enjoyment of Christmas treats

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Of all the holiday feasts our family has each year, Christmas is my absolute favorite.  Sure the turkey and stuffing are wonderful during Thanksgiving, but nothing can beat the wonderful sweets that are available during Christmas season.  Chocolate-dipped pretzels, sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles, peppermint bark, homemade fudge… Chocolate chip cookies are a staple at our house during the holidays.  We keep some around in case of a chocolate emergency (Quick! I need a cookie!), or if my Uncle Scott and his family come over.  Uncle Scott loves my Mom’s cookies; they taste terrific and are guaranteed to be nut-free.

Uncle Scott is one of nearly 7 million Americans that suffer from a true food allergy, and one of 3 million who are allergic to peanuts and treat nuts.
While many people often have gas, bloating or another unpleasant reaction to something they eat, this is not an allergic response, it’s considered a food intolerance.
In people suffering from food allergies, some foods can cause severe illness and, in some cases, a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) that can constrict airways in the lungs, severely lower blood pressure, and cause suffocation by the swelling of the tongue or throat.

The most common foods to cause allergies in adults are shrimp, lobster, crab, and other shellfish; walnuts and other tree nuts; fish; and eggs.  In children, eggs, milk, peanuts, soy and wheat are the main culprits. Children typically outgrow their allergies to milk, egg, soy and wheat, while allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shrimp usually are not outgrown.

Uncle Scott is allergic to tree nuts, so he is extra careful to avoid certain homemade Christmas treats that typically have nuts in them.  He also has the lucky ability to tell if something has nuts in it within the first few seconds he puts it in his mouth, which allows more time to get the Benadryl.  Not everyone is so lucky, many don’t know if the food was contaminated with allergens until their throat starts to close up or they break out into hives.

If you or someone you know suffers from food allergies, there are a few different steps you can take to help them enjoy the holidays worry-free.  First, knowing what allergen to avoid allows a host/hostess to prepare a special side dish or treat for the allergic individual so be sure to let your host know of any allergies.  Cross-contamination must be taken into account when preparing the allergen-free dish.  Preparation surfaces and tools should be cleaned thoroughly to remove germs and also any trace of the allergen.  For example, it’s not a good idea to prepare sugar cookie dough in the same place that walnut cookie dough was prepared.  It often doesn’t take much of the allergen to affect an individual.

Enjoy those holiday treats, just prepare them safely and make sure allergic individuals are aware of the contents.  For some food-allergy-friendly recipes, you can visit the websites below:
Food Allergy-Free Holiday Recipes from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Food Allergy Recipes and Special Diets from About.com Home Cooking