Food allergies are not hysteria
Q: What’s with everyone always worrying about food allergies? Is this hysteria or medically real? I mean, I can’t even send my son to school with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. – Rosemarie F., Springfield, Mo.
A: It’s not hysteria. Food allergies are real. But we understand why you feel confused about them. There’s been a lot in the news about the new guidelines from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
They now say that keeping most kids away from potential offenders, like peanuts, isn’t necessary and actually might fuel allergies instead of preventing them. (There are specific guidelines for identifying kids at risk, so talk to your pediatrician about any concerns.) Plus, solid evidence about the prevalence of food allergies and who gets them has been in short supply. That is, until now.
A new study reviewed the medical records of 2.7 million people and found 97,000 with documented food allergies or intolerances. That’s about 3.6 per cent. (That percentage translates to almost 12 million Americans.) In that group of 97,000 studied, 13,000 reported allergy or intolerance to peanuts; more than half of those folks had experienced hives, anaphylaxis or other potentially IgE-mediated reactions (true allergic responses).
Shellfish was the most common allergy in this study. The American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology says that other common culprits are milk, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, wheat and soy.
As for your child’s school, they’re right to be careful, especially if a student has a significant peanut allergy; an anaphylactic reaction triggered by a food allergy can be life-threatening. Since your school is taking precautions, we assume that the school nurse and teachers know how to administer a shot of epinephrine (it reduces the severity of an anaphylactic reaction) and have an up-to-date supply on hand; every school should! As for your child, he can enjoy PB&J at home.
Q: How can I persuade my husband to take his high blood pressure medicine? Help! -- Katie J., Sioux Falls, S.D.
A: Katie, you’re right to be concerned. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can trigger stroke and heart attack at any age, but it’s especially risky if your husband is younger than 55, according to a new study in The BMJ. Fortunately, it can be controlled with lifestyle adjustments and medication.
Problem is, many folks don’t take the diuretics, calcium channel blockers or ACE inhibitors that are commonly prescribed to treat HBP. In fact, a study in the journal Hypertension found that 32 to 42 per cent of folks didn’t take their medication as prescribed – or at all. For patients prescribed more than one HBP med, noncompliance jumped from 77 to 85 per cent.
So to the approximately 65 million adults in the U.S. with uncontrolled hypertension, we say, “The time is now to take steps to save your health.”
The SPRINT study found that people with HBP who got intensive treatment aimed at lowering systolic BP (the top number) to less than 120 showed a 27 per cent lower risk of all-cause death, compared with folks aiming for less than 140. And the VA Cooperative Study on Hypertension found that guys (average age of 50) with a diastolic BP (the lower number) of 90 to 114 had a five-year risk of heart attack or stroke of about 50 per cent; with treatment that went down to five per cent. We say aim for 115/75.
Steps to take: 10,000 a day for sure, and a waist circumference of 40 inches or less for men; 35 inches or less for women. Also, limit alcohol intake; eat seven to nine servings a day of produce; and avoid trans and saturated fats, added sugars and syrups and refined grains.
Not taking HBP meds because of side effects? Talk with your doctor about trying a different medication or adjusting the dosage. And remember, when you start taking the meds, don’t skip even one day; that can trigger rebound cardiovascular problems, even sudden death.
Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen at youdocsdaily@sharecare.com.