• When you have an allergy, it's your immune system (which normally fights infections) that fights it, according to our partner The Conversation.
  • While some of the less severe allergies, such as hay fever, might improve under certain conditions, the more severe ones require extreme caution.
  • This analysis was conducted by Sophie Medlin, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics at King's College London (England).
  • Written in English, this article was translated by The Conversation.

Some people are allergic to substances in the air, such as pollen, dust and animal hair. Others are allergic to certain foods, such as nuts, for example... And when we have an allergy to something, our body mistakenly thinks that it will harm us.

The immune system (which normally fights infections) then starts fighting the substance to which you are allergic. We then present symptoms, which are the signs that something is wrong in our body.

These symptoms can range from itchy nose and sneezing to breathing problems or a rash. In the case of severe allergies, the tongue or throat can swell, which can be very dangerous.

Some allergies can be very serious

There are very serious allergies that one should be very careful with, as they can lead to a very serious medical problem called anaphylaxis.

The most common foods that cause anaphylaxis are nuts and eggs. People with these allergies should always carry a special product that can be injected, in case they accidentally eat these foods, and should always be very careful in the presence of food.

Some less severe allergies, such as hay fever, could improve if you were stranded on an island for a long time without any medication. Indeed, our body can get used to the pollen that causes this allergy.

There are medical ways to test this hypothesis, which experts call "desensitization therapy" or "immunotherapy." This means that you receive a certain amount of the substance you are allergic to every day, until you become less sensitive to it. This treatment should always be done with the help of a doctor and does not work for all allergies.

Intolerance is not allergy

There are products to which you can be intolerant, but not allergic. This means that when you eat them, you may have stomach problems, but it will not cause you serious damage.

Milk is a very good example. It contains a type of sugar called lactose. To digest lactose, humans need a special chemical called an enzyme, which is made in our intestines.

When we are babies, we all produce a lot of this enzyme because we only drink milk. In adulthood, some people stop producing this enzyme completely, while others produce a little less. Still others produce more or less depending on the amount of milk they drink.

This means that sometimes, if you haven't drunk a lot of milk for a while and then drink a lot of it, you may have a stomach ache. But it could also be that the more milk you drink, the more enzymes your gut will produce... and the more milk you can drink without having a stomach ache!

OUR "ALLERGY" FILE

Only milk of animal origin (including human milk) contains lactose. Plant-based "milks", such as coconut, soy and almond milk, do not contain lactose.

But whether you suffer from an allergy or intolerance, it is very important to always follow your doctor's instructions.

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This article is produced by The Conversation and hosted by 20 Minutes.

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