What is your Medical Food Allergies, Seafood, Wine, Flowers or Chocolate with Nuts?
Allergy has been recognized for centuries. Even the ancient Egyptians knew that certain substances, such as cat hair, pollen, and shellfish, ‘didn’t agree’ with some people. But they didn’t know why.
The first person to categorize food allergy as a medical condition was Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, who noted that some people reacted negatively to cheese while others didn’t. But Hippocrates couldn’t figure out why this happened.
In the 1920s, doctors finally began to understand the biochemistry of allergy. They found a substance in itchy, allergic skin that wasn’t in healthy skin. It wasn’t until the 1960s, though, that researchers realized that this substance was an immune system substance known as an antibody. Antibodies are sent out by the immune system to kill foreign invaders, such as bacteria and parasites. Antibodies are essential for keeping us healthy and are powerful enough to kill worms in the intestines. (more…)
