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Show Food allergies strike year around for some people" says Xenakis, the occurrence is rather infrequent On the other hand, the list of foods that can cause sensitivity sensitivi-ty reactions is much longer, including almost anything from chicken, cheese and chocolate to plums, prunes and potatoes. A recent article in the "New England Journal of Medicine' deals with the issue of food allergies and self-deception. Clinical ecologists, who don't always agree with traditional allergists, often use extracts from potentially symptom -provoking foods to either diagnose diag-nose or neutralize an allergy. To date, however, little evidence supports the effectiveness of these procedures. pro-cedures. If you feel poorly after eating a particular food, Xenakis recommends you explain the symptoms to your doctor. Only after a careful history check are tests for food allergies appropriate. Three tests are generally given: a skin-patch test, which is most common and used by most specialists; an 'interdermal" test, which involves injections; andor a blood test (called RAST), used almost exclusively by clinical ecologists. One thing you should know: While testing for allergies is hardly an exact science, the RAST tests are controversial, especially among traditional tradi-tional allergists. Coping with food allergies. If you test positive, your doctor will probably suggest sug-gest either partial or complete avoidance of the food in question. Then, symptoms should go away. However, getting to this point can be frustrating, and separating an actual food allergy from a virus or a harmful substance is often difficult and time consuming. consum-ing. The decision of what type of specialist to see and what type of treatment program to pursue must be made between you and your doctor. "Patients today must be more responsible for their own health than ever before," says Xenakis. "It's extremely ex-tremely important to have some understanding of food allergies in order to make an informed decision. "In a very real sense, information is the best med-lcine. med-lcine. To learn more about the full range of allergies r8VS-22t2495CPing AUergieS" videotaPe. BOUNTIFUL When most of us think of allergies, visions of ragweed, pollen, and molds-culprits molds-culprits of fall and spring-prevail. But for some sufferers, suf-ferers, relief comes not from the "first frost' or the oppressive op-pressive summer heat. For the unfortunate victims of food allergies, it's a year-round struggle. And to further complicate matters, there isn't widespread wide-spread agreement on what exactly constitutes a food allergy, or, once diagnosed, what to do about one. In some surveys, nearly half the adult participants indicate they experience adverse reactions to food. Yet, according to Dr. Alan Xenakis, a nationally respected leader in health care communications and executive ex-ecutive producer of a new consumer video, "Coping With Allergies,' most traditional allergists estimate that fewer than one in 100 adults is actually allergic. Clinical ecologists doctors who contend that the chemicals and pollutants found virtually everywhere, in food, the air, soil and water, cause allergic reactions-claim reactions-claim this figure is much higher. Xenakis says there's a distinction to be made between be-tween "irritants," "sensitivities,' "intolerances, and "allergens." Irritants, such as cigarette smoke or certain cer-tain chemicals, can cause unpleasant reactions in anyone. Coffee, chocolate and many other foods often spur sensitivity reactions, such as nervousness or stomach upset The absence of an enzyme to break down lactose leads to milk and dairy product intolerance. Allergic reactions, in contrast, occur when white blood cells attack an allergen as if it were a disease or infection. The ensuing discomfort, whether it's sneezing, sneez-ing, "hives," or digestive problems, is actually caused by the person's own overzealous immune system. It is suggested that a food allergy is a common cause of such distressing symptoms as headaches, insomnia, palpitations, breathlessness, ankle swelling, abdominal bleeding and fatigue; and in children, bedwerting, poor school performance, and hyperactivity. "Few foods cause such reactions," says Xenakis. "The fact is, a true food allergy characteristically occurs before the age of five. ' Although fruits, eggs, fish, milk, nuts, shrimp, tomatoes and wheat can cause true allergic reactions, |