|
People suffering from soy allergy are said to be suffering from a  contact allergy. There are 16 different proteins in soy that can have the ability to trigger various allergic reactions. When soy is consumed, its proteins will set off a wide range of adverse reactions in the person’s immune system. These allergic reactions occur because an immune system may see the soy proteins as being harmful thus trying to attack them by producing histamines and antibodies. A person suffering from soy allergy is highly likely to also be allergic to peanuts, lima beans, lentils, green peas and chick peas because soy comes from the same family as all the previously listed foods. When a person is allergic to more foods coming from the same botanical family, this situation is referred to as a cross reactivity. The strength of a soy allergen depends on the way that particular soy was grown, harvested and processed. For instance, it has already been noted that the most allergenic soy beans are the raw ones whilst the soy beans that have already been exposed to higher temperatures during their processing are likely to be not as allergenic when compared to the raw beans. However, even this kind of soy beans is likely to cause some allergic reactions too. Avoiding soy in one’s diet can be quite tricky because various soy derivatives are used in the most popular processed foods such as pizza, hamburgers, bagels, cheese and even doughnuts. Soy allergies affect mostly infants and they can be outgrown by the age of 4 or 5. However, soy allergies may also affect adults. The main symptoms of the soy allergy include nasal congestion, acne like rashes and eczema, asthma, fever blisters, canker sores, swelling, low blood pressure, hay fever, breathing problems, itching, diarrhea, vomiting and fatigue. The most severe cases of soy allergy may end up with an anaphylactic shock. Depending on your own allergic reaction to soy, you may have to rush to the ER once you notice that your respiratory passages are starting to close up and you find breathing difficult. Also, you should consult your medical care provider even if you are experiencing milder reactions. The doctor will prescribe you the necessary drugs or creams that you will have to take orally or have them applied locally within your skin rashes. Prevention is the key factor when it comes to dealing with a soy allergy. You will have to make sure that there are no soy ingredients in any of the foods you eat on a daily basis. You will have to read the labels carefully because soy is integrated in different foods and beverages mainly because it can bring so many benefits. Plus, you will have to be additional careful when it comes to eating in restaurants and fast food centers and make sure that your food intake does not contain any soy ingredients. Photo - Flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotoosvanrobin/2244739883/
|