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Soy allergies are abnormal immune responses to soy. A person's body may believe that soy is harmful and it has to be removed. Once the immune system recognizes soy as a really harmful substance, this natural defense system will start creating antibodies in order to get rid of the soy within. The chemicals that are released during the process will affect mucous membranes and blood vessels thus producing the allergic symptoms. Allergic symptoms may affect your respiratory system, skin, gastrointestinal tract and even the cardiovascular system. One of the most dangerous and possible symptoms when it comes to dealing with soy allergy is anaphylaxis. This is to be regarded as the most extreme allergic reaction possible. It can be manifested quite suddenly and it also may be fatal to the person suffering from soy allergy. It is an allergic reaction that involves different areas of the body and may occur within a couple of minutes of contact with an allergy-causing substance. The main symptoms that can be encountered in the case of this extreme allergic reaction include facial swelling, itching, muscle spasms and even a really serious drop in the blood pressure. It is this severe drop in blood pressure that can lead to a possible collapse and even death unless treated in the quickest way possible. Such an allergic reaction requires immediate and professional medical help. Unfortunately, soy allergy cannot be cured but there some common ways of treating and alleviating its minor symptoms. Such ways include antihistamine medication, avoidance of soy and soy based products and anti-inflammatory agents. Heredity can be at fault as well when it comes to developing soy allergies but there are people who have developed this condition even if they have no previous family history regarding soy allergy. Soy allergy is diagnosed through blood tests, skin tests and investigation of the patient's medical history. If it's the first time when you consume soy products, you should keep in mind that it's always a wise idea to introduce such soy products gradually in order to see whether you have allergic reactions to them or not. Also, if you believe that you suffer from soy allergy, you may try and find out the truth by eliminating the soy products from your daily diet for a period of time, let's say several days. Then, you should continue by consuming just one soy product in order to see whether you develop any allergic reaction or not. Just keep in mind that such allergic reactions to soy may occur even as long as forty-eight hours after you have ingested them. The only solution when dealing with a soy allergy is avoidance of the soy products. A soy free diet can be adopted and once you adhere to such a diet, you will have to learn how to read the labels of the foods you eat and how to become familiar with all the words that are used in order to signal the presence of soy or soy derivatives in foods. Here are some of the main terms that are used in order to signal the presence of soy among the ingredients of a particular food – tamari, miso, ganjang, edamama, tempeh, doenjang, soy sauce, tofu, G. max or natto. Learning how to identify and avoid the soy allergens may become a quite challenging task. This is the reason why you should consult a nutritionist or qualified healthcare professional before starting to make decisions about a soy free diet and your health condition. Photo - Flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/kankan/33346213/
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