The symptoms of allergy are as varied as the substances causing the reaction. These include recurring headaches, migraine, dizziness, irritability, nervousness, depression, neuralgia, sneezing, conjunctivitis, eczema, heartburn, hay fever, indigestion, constipation, diarrhoea, gastric ulcer,asthma, overweight, high blood pressure, chest pain, heart attacks, a stuffy or runny nose, shortness of breath, swelling of the face and eyes, etc.
The same food can cause different symptoms in different people. Many allergies are multiple and may be caused by multiple allergens.
Causes:
Allergy is an indication of lowered resistance and internal disharmony caused by dietetic errors and faulty style of living. It is believed that the major cause of allergy is feeding babies such food as cereals, meat, corns, whole milk, etc. before they reach the age of 10 to 12 months.
These foods cause allergic reactions as babies lack the proper enzymes needed for their digestion before that age. Babies should be breast -fed for atleast eight months as this is nature’s way of providing all the required nutrients during this period.
Another important cause of allergy is today’s processed foods loaded with numerous chemical additives, many of which cause powerful reactions. An allergic condition can result from diet imbalance.
There can be breakdown in the body’s ability to handle sugar due to excessive intake of refined sugar and consequent blood sugar irregularities, or mineral and vitamin imbalances due to defective dietary patterns.
Emotional and psychological stresses can also lead to allergies. According to Dr. Hans Salye, the world’s premier researcher on stress, allergic symptoms are often nothing more than the body’s reaction to stress.
A person can, through chronic stress, become sensitive to com mon foods or commonplace substances like petrol fumes.