When food can be
F
ood is not just a means of
nourishment for many. It is
treated like a social vehicle;
the act of eating is used as
a medium - to meet up with
family or friends, to discuss
business, to celebrate an occasion.
People seem to bond over food, making
it a powerful social tool. Now imagine
having this tool taken away from you,
being unable to enjoy a bite to eat at a
restaurant without fearing for your life.
Welcome to the life of an allergy sufferer.
Many people nowadays throw the
word ‘allergy’ around without really
knowing what it means. There is
often a confusion between the words
‘allergy’ and ‘intolerance’. Someone
who suffers from an intolerance – be it
lactose intolerance, gluten and wheat
intolerance, yeast intolerance – will
feel ill after ingesting these products.
Intolerance is a sign that the body is
no t capable of digesting the food eaten
or that the food being eaten irritates
the digestive system. A person who
suffers from an allergy however, is prone
to feel ill when an allergen is ingested
too, yet there is also an impending lifethreatening reaction connected to the
allergen. This is caused when the body’s
immune system, which usually wards off
infections, sees the food being ingested
as an invader. This leads to an allergic
reaction in the body – which reaction
can cause symptoms such as breathing
problems, throat tightness, coughing,
vomiting, abdominal pain, swelling and a
drop in blood pressure. Allergic reactions
are not always consistent; someone who
has had a mild allergic reaction before
may have a life threatening reaction
the next time.
Even contamination
of utensils and equipment may lead
to a grave allergic reaction, and thus
precautions must be taken. Yet, living in
a world where eating is a social activity,
someone suffering from a food allergy
may often feel left out, his/her (very
serious) needs neglected.
We spoke to Dr. Mario Aquilina, a
Lecturer at the University of Malta and
father of a 5-year old boy, who has been
suffering
from a food allergy since he
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Food