What is a food allergy?
What are food intolerances?
What foods can cause an allergy?
Can a person die from a food allergy?
Is there a cure for food allergies?
How can I tell if my child or I have a food allergy?
What is thyroid?
Is the thyroid gland important?
What happens if there is a problem with my thyroid gland?
What is Hypothyroidism (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis)?
What is Hyperthyroidism (Graves’ disease)?
Is thyroid disease hereditary?
Is there a way to find out if my thyroid gland is okay?
What is Celiac Disease?
What is gluten?
What does gluten do to the body?
Should you consider a gluten-free diet?
What foods are gluten-free?
What is a food allergy?
Food allergies develop when the body’s immune system reacts to certain foods that are harmless. When this reaction occurs, the body produces antibodies to the food and releases various chemicals in the body, which triggers allergic reactions such as hives, nausea, swelling, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, etc. [ TOP ]
What are food intolerances?
Food intolerances, unlike food allergies, do not involve the immune system; instead it is a food reaction in the digestive system. [ TOP ]
What foods can cause an allergy?
There are many foods that could cause an allergic reaction, but only 8 of them account for over 90% of all food allergies.1,2 These foods are dairy, soy, eggs, wheat, fish, shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, etc.). [ TOP ]
Can a person die from a food allergy?
According to the Center for Disease Control each year hundreds die from food allergies (about 150 deaths annually). Also, over 30,000 people receive life-saving treatment in emergency rooms due to food induced anaphylaxis (a serious allergic reaction). [ TOP ]
Is there a cure for food allergies?
Unfortunately, today there is no medicine to cure people with food allergies. The best prescription that many doctors give is for the person to avoid all food that they are allergic to. Some sources state that people can grow out of their allergies; however this is not always true for everyone. [ TOP ]
How can I tell if my child or I have a food allergy?
You cannot look at someone to determine if he or she has a food allergy. Besides a person breaking out in immediate hives, swelling, difficulty breathing, etc., the first thing to do is to see your health care provider for consultation. He/she may require that you do a food allergy panel test either via saliva, finger prick or some other form of testing. [ TOP ]
What is thyroid?
The thyroid is a gland that sits in the neck and is shaped like a butterfly. [ TOP ]
Is the thyroid gland important?
The main function of the thyroid gland is to produce thyroid hormone, which regulate the functioning of the body including regulating mood, emotions, and many other brain functions. In fact, this gland controls the body’s metabolism; specifically it controls the amount of energy the body burns. [ TOP ]
What happens if there is a problem with my thyroid gland?
If the thyroid gland is not performing correctly, people will either be diagnosed as hypothyroid active or hyperthyroid active, these are the two most common problems. [ TOP ]
What is Hypothyroidism (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis)?
Hypothyroidism occurs when there is not enough thyroid hormones thus causing the thyroid to become underactive. According to many studies this affects about 10 percent of the population and is the most common cause of an underactive thyroid. Some of the signs include the following: weight gain, tiredness, increased sleepiness, hair loss including loss of eyebrows, joint pain, constipation, forgetfulness, decreased ability to pay attention and focus, cold intolerant, depression, dry skin, etc.
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What is Hyperthyroidism (Graves’ disease)?
Hyperthyroidism occurs when there is an excess of thyroid hormones thus causing the thyroid to be overactive. Some of the signs include the following: weight loss, Fatigue, shakiness, increased bowel movement, restlessness, warm intolerant, rapid heartbeat, anemia, increased sweating, irregular menstrual periods, decreased fertility, etc. [ TOP ]
Is thyroid disease hereditary?
Thyroid disease is an autoimmune disorder, and there is a high percentage that it could be hereditary, but it is not always the case. There could be other factors that trigger this disease and it differs for everyone. [ TOP ]
Is there a way to find out if my thyroid gland is okay?
If you are uncertain about whether your thyroid is not properly functioning, please make an appointment with your general physician and ask to have your thyroid levels checked. This is not traditional tested in the yearly physical exams, it is only ordered if necessary or upon patient request. If your thyroid levels indicate that you are hypo or hyperthyroid active, then please make an appointment with an endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in the endocrine system which includes the thyroid gland, or a naturopathic doctor who specializes in thyroid disorders. [ TOP ]
What is Celiac Disease?
When there are intestinal disorders in the body, whereby the body cannot tolerate gluten found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats, this is said to be Celiac Disease. When this occurs, the gluten damages the small intestine lining, and the damaged intestine can’t absorb nutrients as well. For people with gluten intolerance, the primary treatment is lifetime gluten-free diet. [ TOP ]
What is gluten?
Gluten is made of two protein found in grains such as wheat, rye, and barley and is an important component in baking. Simply put it is the glue-like or sticky texture in baked goods and it is responsible for causing the baked goods to rise. [ TOP ]
What does gluten do to the body?
Gluten doesn’t impact everyone. However, gluten does impact people diagnosed with Celiac (pronounced as See-lee-ak) Disease (CD), an autoimmune condition that damages the small intestines whenever a person eats anything with gluten. In fact, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation, when people with this disease eat foods that contain gluten, it creates an immune-mediated toxic reaction that causes damage to the small intestine and does not allow food to be properly absorbed. Visit the Celiac Disease Foundation website to find out more about the symptoms of CD. [ TOP ]
Should you consider a gluten-free diet?
Yes, you should definitely eat gluten-free if you have Celiac Disease! Also, you should consider a gluten-free diet if you have challenges with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Autism, or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). [ TOP ]
What foods are gluten-free?
Some examples of gluten-free foods are as follows: brown rice, corn, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, tapioca, brown rice flour, cornmeal, sorghum, beans, soy (use caution), poultry, beef, fish, mushrooms, vegetables, etc. NOTE: There are a lot of foods that are gluten free, but the key thing to remember is that sometimes foods have hidden gluten ingredients, so make sure that you verify before you purchase. Read the labels or ask questions. [ TOP ]