Peanut allergies?

[dhoward]

Originally posted by masraum
I have a friend who is allergic to nuts, especially peanuts. She lives in San Francisco (helluva place to be allergic to nuts, huh ) and has been eating almost completely organic food for several years now. She says that some of her nut allergies are gone.

I think that most of the problems these days are due to the heavily processed food that is everywhere these days.

Peanuts are not nuts.

[vash]

right. they are legumes or something like that right. peas?

anyways, anyone know if there are peanut allergies in a place like China?

[KFC911]

I've always heard that San Francisco was full of legumes ....just kidding, I love the place!

[ronb]

Yes, peanuts are legumes (peas) and not really nuts - and they grow underground. A theory, that I for one believe, is that what one is allergic to is the MOLD that is in the earth they're grown in, and becomes an integral part of the peanut. Mold has changed due to all the pesticides and fertilizers being used. That said - organic yields are higher than chem farming...amazing how much poison is in everyday produce now due to chem farming and contaminated groundwater.

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by RallyJon
I was allergic to cats as a child. We tried to force all my classmates to have their cats put down so there would be no chance of cat hair on their clothes.

Very brave. I know of several people that given the choice between their cat and a childhood friends friendship, would have told their childs friend to never come back for a visit.

I cannot imagine any family telling other families at school to put their animals down because one child is allergic. I bet it was not easy on you but where I lived the kid would have had a very rough time.

JoeA

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by vash
anyways, anyone know if there are peanut allergies in a place like China?

Good idea and anyone know of anyone living in Japan or China? Would be interesting to find out if they have this problem.

I lived in Germany and Denmark and we never heard a thing like this, but will email some friends there and see if they have this problem.

JoeA

[RickM]

Lots of info on the subject...


From the National Institutes of Health (NIH):

-Experts estimate food allergy occurs in 6 to 8 percent of children 4 years of age or under, and in 4 percent of adults. 16,21 Approximately 150 Americans, usually adolescents and young adults, die annually from food-induced anaphylaxis. 16

-Peanut or tree nut allergies affect approximately 0.6 percent and 0.4 percent of Americans, respectively, and cause the most severe food-induced allergic reactions. 18

-Severe allergic reactions caused by foodstuffs have been reported in Sweden since 1993, 60 cases, five of them fatal, occurring during the first 3-year period. More than 70 % of all reactions reported were caused by peanuts, soya beans, nuts or almonds. In only 13% of reported cases were the patients over 17 years of age...with extremely severe reactions including asthma4.

Conclusions: Peanut and/or tree nut allergy affects approximately 1.1% of the general population, or about 3 million Americans, representing a significant health concern. Despite the severity of reactions, about half of the subjects never sought an evaluation by a physician, and only a few had epinephrine available for emergency use.

[dhoward]

Originally posted by Joeaksa
Very brave. I know of several people that given the choice between their cat and a childhood friends friendship, would have told their childs friend to never come back for a visit.

I cannot imagine any family telling other families at school to put their animals down because one child is allergic. I bet it was not easy on you but where I lived the kid would have had a very rough time.

JoeA

Um , Joe, I think he was joking...