What is Anaphylaxis?
The main cause or severe food allergy reaction also know as “Anaphylaxis” occurs with the consumption of one of the following allergens: Milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, soy, shellfish, wheat and yeast.

Anaphylaxis is a sudden, severe reaction and involving the entire body. As in a food allergy reaction the IgE antibodies are released causing the tissue to release histamine and other chemicals into the body. As a result, the muscles contract and constrict the airways, resulting in wheezing; difficulty breathing; and gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. Histamine causes the blood vessels to dilate (which lowers blood pressure) and fluid to leak from the bloodstream into the tissues (which lowers the blood volume) resulting in shock. Fluid can leak into the alveoli (air sacs) of the lungs causing pulmonary edema. Hives and swelling of the lips, eyelids, throat, and so on often occur, and angioedema may be severe enough to cause obstruction of the airway. Prolonged anaphylaxis can cause heart arrhythmia.

Anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock is a severe allergic reaction that could be life threatening that occurs within minutes to 2 hours after contact with a food allergen. Some people are not only allergic to eating the allergen, but they can also be allergic to the smell of the food or by touching it to their skin.

Some of the symptoms for Anaphylaxis include:
Difficulty breathing, wheezing, bloating, yeast infection, itching, nausea, redness of skin, itching mouth, cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, increase in heart rate, sudden dip in blood pressure, paleness, feeling of weakness, collapse, unconsciousness, anxiety and impeding sense of doom.

Anaphylaxis is a severe disorder with a guarded prognosis (expected outcome). Symptoms may resolve with prompt treatment. However, death may occur even with treatment. Complications: Shock, Cardiac Arrest (no effective heartbeat), Respitory Arrest (absence of breathing).
 
What are the symptoms?

• generalised flushing of the skin
• nettle rash (hives) anywhere on the body
• sense of impending doom
• swelling of throat and mouth
• difficulty in swallowing or speaking
• alterations in heart rate
• severe asthma
• abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting
• sudden feeling of weakness (drop in blood pressure)
• collapse and unconsciousness

Nobody would necessarily experience all of these symptoms.


After Anaphylaxis:

Sensitivity to Food
After an anaphylactic reaction some of the symptoms may linger for some days. As a result, the individual will be more sensitive to than normal. From personal experience this includes yeast infection, overall weakness, slight swelling of cheeks/ throat, and a feeling of impending doom.  One feels that s/he is all alone, no can understand what s/he is going through. It’s important to know that not only is the person emotionally sensitive but s/he is also physically sensitive.

In some cases the body enters a phase known as “reject mode”. In this phase the body’s immune system skyrockets and tries to protect the body from any other foods that may seem similar to the original food allergen.  E.g. if an individual has anaphylaxis to soy, then s/he may start to react to other beans and/or legumes

That’s why it’s so important to keep a variety by finding alternative ways to get the same nutrients is very important. From personal experience it seems that more and more allergies develop when you eat the same things over and over again. Unfortunately not everyone is aware of this at the time of the occurrence, like in my case. I come from a South Asian background and meals are based on wheat and rice. When I entered reject mode after having anaphylaxis to Soy, my body started rejecting everything I ate, it began with legumes/lentils, then other beans. I then lost nuts, fruits, wheat and even rice. I eventually got to a point in my life where I was only able to eat vegetables and meats (excluding fish and shellfish). This is known as Cross Reactivity.

Longer affecting symptoms
The symptomatic process begins with the action of food materials in the digestive tract and continues into the blood stream, and then affects the function of any target organ which receives the food problem.

For example:

• Symptoms may be limited to the digestive tract-indigestion, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
• Symptoms may be general or systemic - fever, fatigue, sweating, and chills.
• The lungs are the target organ in food-induced bronchitis and asthma.
• The joints are target organs in food allergic arthritis.
• Muscles and connective tissue react with pain, stiffness, and swelling.
• Weakness and reduced exertional tolerance are associated with pain.
• The skin reacts with itching, rashes, hives, thickening, redness, swelling, and scaling as in eczema and psoriasis.

The brain is the target organ when disorganized, disturbed thinking, feeling, remembering, and behaving occur.

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