Karen’s Free Health and Fitness Tips

Some people suffer an allergic reaction when they consume products that contain casein, in this article we take a closer look at casein allergy. Casein is a protein that can be found in milk, and products that have milk derivatives in them (i.e. ice cream).

An allergy to casein is known as a food allergy, which can be defined as and adverse reaction to food as a result of the body’s immune system. Many people confuse a food allergy with food intolerance, they are not the same things. Food intolerance is when the body can’t deal with a certain food properly, it has nothing to do with the body’s immune system.

The symptoms of a casein allergy can range from minor to severe, in some cases these symptoms can even be life threatening. Common symptoms of this allergy include rashes, stomach cramps, bloating, hives, stomach pains to name but a few. These symptoms can cause other problems such as unintentional loss of weight.

As mentioned previously this allergy can be life threatening, this is because an anaphylactic reaction may occur, this is a very severe type of reaction and it can be caused by various other foods particularly nuts, shellfish and eggs amongst others. This type of reaction can also be caused by penicillin, aspirin and drugs that contain sulfa. Anaphylactic reactions can also occur as a result of a bite or sting from an insect such as a bee, wasp and ant. During an anaphylactic reaction an individual may develop asthma like symptoms, they may also lose blood pressure and lose consciousness.

Casein is used by food manufacturers because it has glue like properties that allows it to hold foods together, this gives the foods a firmer appearance. If you do suffer from this type of allergy you will need to scrutinize your foods carefully in order to ensure that you do not accidentally consume this allergen. Fortunately there are many foods in the supermarket that are casein free, you can confirm this by checking their labels, this makes the task of avoiding casein a bit easier.

When an individual has to avoid milk products (as a result of having a casein allergy), there is a danger that they may not consume enough calcium. Fortunately milk is not the only substance that contains calcium, broccoli, nuts and sardines also have decent amounts of calcium.

Many parents worry over the fact that their child may develop an allergy, whether it’s casein or any other sort of allergy. This is likely to happen if a parent or sibling already suffers from that allergy. The way to lower the risk of a child developing an allergy is to make sure he or she is not exposed to allergens for the first several months of their lives.

If you suffer from an allergy to casein or any sort of food, you are strongly advised to seek medical help, your doctor will be able to give you a proper diagnosis of your allergy and he can also advise you on how to avoid suffering allergic reactions in future.

By: Samuel Alby

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