Borbon Cebu--Food and food products are our main source of nutrients and provide maintenance of vitality as a living organism. This is our basic need to function well, may it be physically, mentally, or emotionally. It is the biggest factor for the development of a child from the womb to birth and until we reach the age of senility. We were developed and strengthened by these foods to finally come out from this framework. Our body becomes active, muscles develop, bones and teeth strengthened and most of all our brains cells replicate or develop or multiply, which is evident in our memory retention, analysis as emphasized in IQ and EQ.
But not all of us experience this excellent health status. As observed in our family health history, my mother has a food allergy as well as food intolerance. She is allergic to crustaceans and tuna. She will develop asthma when she ingested this kind of food. Sadly, she is also lactose intolerant, making her experience diarrhea often. These food-related problems are also manifested by three of my brothers and my sister. They can be very life-threatening such that they were gasping for breath and became cyanotic. They were rushed to the hospital during most of their asthmatic attacks. Yes, I am not exempted from that problem. My eldest kid, too, has a food allergy. Advantageously, he does not manifest shortness of breath or asthma so far, but allergy will make his whole body red and develop rashes, swelling of the face, puffiness of both eyelids and itchiness all over his body.
As a mother, I always be cautious on the foods to serve and have antihistamines ready anytime. I would not allow simple rashes to develop into generalized itchiness of the skin., always watchful for possible respiratory distress secondary to these food allergies. For food intolerance, most likely the common symptoms are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting. This could also be risky since dehydration will be the next problem. One should consult with a doctor to address simple problems that might be an emergency, if left unaided. // NO I Karen A. Esmero, RN
