Allergies - The Peanut Butter Controversy

Allergies - The Peanut Butter Controversy

In this article we're doing to discuss one of the most dangerous allergies, especially to children who really enjoy their peanut butter and jelly and the arguments for giving or not giving peanut butter to young children in potentially high risk allergic groups.

Let's face it, if you're a kid, or even a kid at heart, you love peanut butter and jelly.  Who doesn't?  Unfortunately, peanut butter doesn't love everybody as many are allergic to it and this is one allergy that can be downright deadly.  Recently a girl died just because she had kissed somebody who had eaten peanut butter.  That is a very scary thought. 

One of the biggest controversies these days is when to actually allow your child to start having peanut butter.  Years ago the only warning was not to give your child big chunks of peanut butter but to spread it thin.  This could be started at any age.  But today, with the alarming number of kids turning out to be allergic to peanut butter, it is recommended that a child not be given peanut butter until 2 or 3 years of age.  Even though allergies to peanut butter are not the most common, they are the most deadly and because of this it is believed extra care is needed.  Also, these allergies are the least likely to be outgrown. 

There are several determining factors in avoiding giving your child peanut butter.  The irst factor is if they have shown allergies or intolerances to other foods or even their baby formula.  Then there is whether or not they have other allergic type disorders such as eczema, allergic rhinitis, or asthma or if they have members in the family that have these conditions as allergies can be inherited.  Also, if they have other family members with food allergies, especially if another family member is allergic to peanut butter. 

It is actually recommended that for high risk children they not only avoid peanut butter until they are older but also cow's milk, citrus fruits and juices and wheat until they are at least 1 year old.  They should avoid eggs until age 2 and finally peanuts and shellfish until they are over 2 years of age. 

This is where the controversy heats up.  Some experts say that children who are not considered to be in a high risk group do not have to do these things.  Others say that because food allergies, especially peanuts, are so deadly that it just doesn't make sense not to err on the side of caution.  They say that even children not in a high risk group can still have allergies to peanuts and therefore the only way to avoid a reaction is to never allow them to eat peanut butter.  Some say that's extreme, others say that one reaction can be the last one. 

Ultimately, it comes down to the parent.  You have to weigh the risks of giving your child peanut butter against the benefits.  Yes, peanuts are high in protein and peanut butter and jelly is a very convenient and easy lunch to make, especially for bringing to school.  But if your child is severely allergic it only takes one bite of one sandwich.

How to overcome allergies

How to Overcome Allergies

Everything can be treated naturally, including allergies.

In this article we're going to focus on one of the most annoying types of allergies, especially to people who love to eat. 

You go out to the local pizza parlor, order two slices with extra cheese, sit down at the booth with your pizza in one hand and coke in the other and chow down.  A few hours later after you've arrived back home just in time to watch your favorite TV show, suddenly your stomach feels like it's about to erupt like a volcano.  You run like a madman to the bathroom just in time to experience what seems to be the complete emptying of your insides. 

Welcome to the world of food allergies and intolerances. 

In the case of the runs after eating a couple of slices of pizza most likely you're lactose intolerant which is just one type of food allergy.  Technically, you can be allergic to just about any kind of food but there are some that seem to be more common that others. 

Before we go any further let's define exactly what a food allergy is.  Food allergies can be broken down into 2 categories.  The first one is hypersensitivity.  This is an adverse reaction of the immune system itself and is unrelated to any actual physical effect of the food or food additive.  These reactions are caused by immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. 

The second category is food intolerance.  This is actually caused by the food itself and is not a function of the immune system itself overreacting to the food or food additive.  The symptoms of an intolerance may be very similar to those of an actual immune symptom reaction but the causes are quite different. 

Of the two, actual immune system reactions are the more common, though it does appear that a trend to intolerances, such as lactose intolerance, is on the rise.  What actually happens with food allergies is that people with allergies produce IgE antibodies to specific epitopes in the food allergen.  These antibodies bind to IgE receptors on the mast cells of tissue that are on the skin, digestive tract and respiratory system.  The exposure of these antigens causes the release of histamines.  This ultimately results in mucus secretion and muscle contraction which then leads to a wide range of symptoms which can range from unpleasant to serious or even severe.  How severe?

Allergic reactions to food can be fatal almost immediately following the ingestion of food.  Probably one of the most prevalent and dangerous of these food allergies are people who are allergic to peanuts.  Just recently, as of this writing, a girl died simply from kissing someone who had recently eaten peanuts.  That is how dangerous these allergies can be. 

Less severe reactions to food allergies are oropharyngeal pruritus, angioedema, stridor, cough, dyspnea, wheezing, and dysphonia. 

Aside from peanuts, the most common foods that people are allergic to are tree nuts, and shellfish. 

Unfortunately the best way to avoid food allergies is to have a food allergy test done and then to avoid the foods that show positive on the test.

A Wake-Up Call From A Heart Attack

A Wake-Up Call From A Heart Attack

Unfortunately, it takes a heart attack for people to get a wake up call to have a healthy lifestyle. They think that since they never had a heart attack that they'll never get one, so they continue with their diet that is high in animal products including fat. The time to change your diet is NOW! You don't know what tomorrow will bring. By aiming to be healthy now, means you won't have to suffer in the future.


Frank Rella was teaching a high school music class when he had a wake-up call that changed his life. Frank felt pain in his chest and left work early.

When the pain got worse at home, he was rushed by ambulance to the hospital. Frank's greatest fear came true when the doctors said he had a heart attack.

"My heart attack was really a wake-up call," said Rella, a 42-year-old New Jersey resident who became a paramedic after his life-altering heart attack, so he could be on the frontlines of medical care. "I went through a lot of emotions and was worried about having a second attack. So now I make sure to take the right medications and work with my doctor to live a heart-healthy lifestyle."

Frank's story is not uncommon. A new survey of more than 500 heart attack survivors found that survivors see their attack as a wake-up call that gave them a second chance at life. However, most survivors also said their heart attack left them with feelings of depression and hopelessness. In fact, survivors said they feared another heart attack more than death. Even though survivors had these feelings, 40 percent said they were not doing everything they could to prevent another attack. This fact is troubling since one in five men and one in three women will have another heart attack within six years.

"I see these survey results come to life in my practice every day. While many of my patients who have suffered a heart attack are very aware and afraid of their increased risk of having another one, they are not doing everything they can to live a heart-healthy life. The good news is that if they take certain steps, they can prevent another attack. I tell my patients to eat healthy, exercise and take their medications. Those medications may include a beta-blocker, ACE inhibitor, statin and aspirin," said Dr. William Abraham, director of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at The Ohio State University Medical Center.

In the survey, 80 percent of heart attack survivors said they needed more information to learn about their heart health. As a result, Mended Hearts, a nationwide heart patient support group affiliated with the American Heart Association, started a program called "Heartfelt Wake-Up Call." This program offers education and support to heart attack survivors and their families. For tips on "Heartfelt Living" and "Heartfelt Support," such as information about local support groups, tip sheets, survivors' stories and heart-healthy recipes, visit www.mendedhearts.org.

GlaxoSmithKline provided funding and assistance in the development of "Heartfelt Wake-Up Call."

"I encourage patients to take their health to heart" said Abraham.

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