Wheat Allergy

Besides sleeping, eating is an activity that people love to do, whether they are in their homes, in the office working or traveling. Thanks to vending machines, fast food restaurants, drive-thrus and cafeterias, it has become so much easier to most people to eat as soon as they feel the hunger pangs. However, there is a small segment of the population who simply can't eat anything, especially foods that contain wheat. Their digestive system simply cannot take wheat.

Wheat allergy is recognized as a medical condition. A person with wheat allergy will have rashes, start vomiting and have an asthma attack in just a matter of minutes or few hours after ingesting food that contains wheat.

Wheat allergy can be properly diagnosed by a doctor. A person who may show symptoms of wheat allergy will be asked about his diet and medical history. To rule out other possibilities, a doctor may order a blood test.

Wheat allergy currently has no available medications largely because not a lot of research has been conducted on this particular medical condition. The only treatment for people with wheat allergy is to avoid eating foods that have wheat.

Most people think that bread is the only food that contain wheat. However, wheat is present in cereals and a host of other foods. The best recourse for a person with a wheat allergy is to talk to a dietitian, who can provide a list of food items that contain wheat, as well as recommend food substitutes and wheat-free recipes that can be prepared at  home. Rice and maize are two substitutes that are safe for people with wheat allergy.

Wheat allergy does not discriminate; anyone can develop this disease. However, children who have wheat allergy have a good chance of outgrowing the disease so that they can eat foods that contain wheat when they are older without experiencing any of the wheat allergy symptoms. If wheat allergy develops later in life, the affected individual will basically have to live with the condition for the rest of his life.

There have been a few tests conducted wherein people who refrain from eating wheat for about a year do not experience any side effects when wheat is reintroduced to their digestive system, but more tests and studies need to be done.

Wheat allergy can be genetic, but it can be managed. If you have wheat allergy, read the labels on food products. Health shops and some stores now have a section for people with wheat allergy, so check this out the alternative food items found here. By taking conscious steps to avoid foods that have wheat, you spare yourself of the rashes, vomiting, indigestion and other wheat allergy symptoms.