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Is It Food Allergy? Then What?
HEALTH
is it food allergy? then what?
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FOOD ALLERGY IS INCREASING IN THE UNITED STATES with a stunning 377 percent increase in the treatment of diagnosed anaphylactic reactions to food between 2007 and 2016. In fact, food allergy sends someone to the emergency department every three minutes. It is estimated that 32 million Americans have some type of food allergy.
What is food allergy? Food allergy can occur when your body’s immune system overreacts to harmless food proteins. In the U.S., the most common food allergies are to milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, sh, and shell sh. Most food allergy is caused by antibodies (IgE) that bind to food proteins. When the food allergen is eaten, IgE can bind to food protein and cause release of histamine and other chemicals. is can lead to rapid symptom development.
What are the symptoms of food allergy? IgE mediated food allergy symptoms can occur quickly and can be very dangerous. After the food allergen is eaten, symptoms can occur in minutes, up to two hours with most reactions occurring within the rst hour of consumption. Symptoms may include: skin — itching, redness, hives, red bumps, swelling under the skin, rash eyes — itching, tears, redness, swelling around the eyes upper respiratory — runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, hoarseness, dry cough, itching lower respiratory — chest tightness, wheezing, shortness of breath, cough mouth — swelling of tongue, palate, or lips, itching gastrointestinal — nausea, re ux, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain cardiovascular — rapid or slow heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, low blood pressure, loss of consciousness
What are acceptable tests for food allergy? Food allergy, by de nition, requires an adverse reaction after the food is ingested. It is very important to understand that food allergy tests do not diagnose food allergy but rather show allergic sensitivity (the presence of IgE against the food). While these tests help us to con rm food allergy when they match the clinical history, these tests are not perfect and false positives can occur.
How do I get rid of my food allergy? ere is no cure for food allergy. Some food allergies—such as milk, eggs, wheat, and soy—often resolve during childhood. Food allergy to peanut, tree nuts, and seafood are less likely to be outgrown. While not a cure, oral food desensitization is a new therapy to help build tolerance to food and reduce the risk of severe allergy symptoms on accidental food ingestion. In 2020, the FDA approved an oral immunotherapy (OIT) product for peanut allergy, but it is not appropriate for all peanut-allergic patients.
What should I do next? At times, some doctors or other healthcare providers may recommend tests that are not scienti cally proven to diagnose food allergies. For many food intolerances, the exact mechanism is unclear and thus it makes sense that there are not diagnostic tests available. Your best option is to see a board-certi ed allergist to help determine if your adverse food reaction is in fact due to food allergy. ey can then provide an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan for you. w
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You can reach Douglas T. Johnston, D.O., FAAAAI, FACAAI, and his team at Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center via their website at www. carolinaasthma.com, or to schedule an appointment at one of their 14 area locations, call them at 704.372.7900.
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UPCOMING AUDITIONS
Aug. 23-24
Auditions @ Arts Unlimited 228 N Main St.
MTI’s All Together Now! - A Global Event Celebrating Local Theatre is an opportunity for schools and theatres around the world to locally produce and perform an exclusive musical revue featuring songs from beloved MTI shows! We will be participating in the event with a fundraiser to benefit the Clayton Miller Scholarship! We’d love to have MCT and surrounding young artists be a part of the project! Details to come!
Dec. 5-6
Auditions @ Arts Unlimited 228 N Main St.
Directed by Wrenn Goodrum.
Performance dates are February 10-14 at Charles Mack (Joe V Knox) auditorium.
“Anne Frank and Me” is a 2001 novel by husband-wife writing team Cherie
Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld. Inspired by the life of Anne Frank, it follows the story of a teenage girl named Nicole
Burns. The story was adapted as a play in 1996 in New York City, written and directed by Cherie Bennett.
www.mooresvillechildrenstheatre.org www.mooresvillechildrenstheatre.org
Please vote for us for Best Theatre! Please vote for us for Best Theatre! Go to lakenormanpublications.com to vote! Go to lakenormanpublications.com to vote!
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A NEW WAY TO renovate your home
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IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A
cost-e ective option to boost your home’s value, there’s a new, innovative and eco-friendly trend in home renovations, thanks to Spray-Net.
Spray-Net o ers homeowners in North Carolina a smarter way to paint homes, and it isn’t with a fancier brush.
rough a patented process, Spray-Net has invented a way to renovate and paint the exterior of your home. Whether your home is clad with stucco, brick, or siding – or you want to update the look of your windows and doors, SprayNet can restore a factory-quality nish to your home’s exterior and make it look brand new. Spray-Net was born out of the problem with traditional painting that many Lake Norman/ Charlotte homeowners know all too well. “ e issue with painting homes in this area using traditional paint is that the paint doesn’t last very long after sitting through the long, hot summers and can quickly fade and expose the underlying surface to harsh elements,” says Spray-Net’s founder Carmelo Marsala. “Once these two things happen, other issues can a ect the look of the home and can lead to unexpected renovation costs.”
rough a combination of custom chemistry and a relentless focus, Marsala discovered a way to create more durable and longerlasting paint and process. In fact, Spray-Net’s paint is so durable the company o ers a 15-year warranty on peeling or chipping. is guarantee is transferable, a valueadded feature for anyone looking to sell their home.
e best part is that SprayNet’s cost to paint your home is comparable to that of a professional painting company. Spray-Net manufacturers all its paint to ensure its high-quality standards are always met.
"Using our proprietary line of industrial-strength coatings and patented application processes, we renew and transform existing surfaces that most people think can’t be painted but, instead, replaced," he said. "We revamp and
- Spray-Net’s founder Carmelo Marsala
transform stucco, brick, aluminum and vinyl siding, front and garage doors, aluminum and vinyl windows, and even kitchen cabinets. "In just one day, we deliver a permanent, factory nish that won’t peel and that looks just like new, not repainted," Marsala continued. "We’ve taken the process of factory painting and optimized it for application outside the controlled environment of the factory. By bringing factory results directly on-site, we give property owners a real alternative to replacement. e cost of our solution is immediately outweighed by the increase in curb appeal and overall property value. Unlike some renovations that don’t pay o , our renovation solution allows property owners to literally see a return on their investment."
Spray-Net’s proprietary paint and service have caught the attention of many high-pro le home renovation and interior design professionals. HGTV stars on “Property Brothers” have collaborated with Spray-Net to revamp homes. Also, HGTV star Sarah Richardson, has worked with Spray-Net to share SprayNet’s transformational bene ts with homeowners. In fact, if you visit Spray-Net’s website, you’ll nd some speci c advice from Sarah on color trends for 2021 and beyond.
“We are excited about helping homeowners throughout the entire Charlotte area nd a high-quality and cost-e ective solution to transform and update their homes,” says Marsala. “While we o er a unique solution, customer service is our true passion. e smiles on our customers’ faces after they see their home for the rst time is what drives and inspires us.”
A local Lake Norman entrepreneur has partnered with Spray-Net to open the greater Charlotte location.
To book a free consultation with a Spray-Net professional, call (704) 885-2470 or visit their website at www.Spray-Net.com.
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