Oral Allergy Syndrome - When Hayfever Starts Dictating Your Menu

During the spring and summer, some of the fruits and vegetables that you've been missing all winter long appear in carefully stacked mountains at the local grocer. Did you know that hose sweet, soft peaches that you smothered in vanilla ice cream may surprise you with the effects they have on your hayfever? After eating certain fruits, vegetables, nuts or spices, you may have noticed:

• A tingling sensation in the lips or tongue


• Itching in the tongue, mouth and throat


• Burning sensation in the lips, tongue mouth and throat


• Watery, itchy eyes


• Sneezing and runny nose


• Swelling or rash on lips, tongue and mouth

Oral Allergy Syndrome is not the same as a true food allergy-- it is your existing pollen allergies reacting to proteins in particular fresh foods.

If you know that you have hay fever and have answered a definitive "yes" to any of the above symptoms, than you may have Oral Allergy Syndrome. Your body isn't actually allergic to the food, but is reacting because of preexisting pollen sensitivities. If your food-related symptoms are at their worst during the early spring and late summer, then you most like have Oral Allergy Syndrome.

Who is affected?

Individuals who suffer with allergies to certain plants and trees, including: alder trees, birch trees, grass, mugwort weeds and ragweed.

Foods that commonly cause cross-allergic reactions:

• If you have a sensitivity to alder pollen: almonds apples celery cherries hazel nuts peaches pears parsley



• If you have a sensitivity to birch pollen: almonds apples apricots carrots celery cherries coriander fennel kiwi nectarines parsley parsnips peaches pears peppers plums potatoes prunes Potential: hazel nuts, and walnuts



• If you have a sensitivity to mugwort pollen:
carrots celery coriander fennel parsley peppers sunflower


• If you have a sensitivity to ragweed pollen: banana cantaloupe cucumber honey dew watermelon zucchini Potential: Dandelions or chamomile tea

The same intolerance that your body has for inhaled pollens, may also be applied to these lists of foods.

Is there a way to treat Oral Allergy Syndrome?

1. Peeling fruits and vegetables often eliminates the allergic reaction



2. Canned, cooked or processed foods usually do not cause reactions-only fresh foods trigger allergies



3. Fruit that is freshly picked or still partially unripe is less likely to cause reactions



4. Stop eating food if you notice a tingling sensation around or in your mouth



5. Be aware that you may develop allergic tendencies towards other items on the lists over time-always be on the alert when eating foods on these lists



6. Microwaving food briefly to a temperature of 176-194 F degrees may allow you to eat it-- heat basically de-activates the allergen-mimicking proteins



7. Nuts on the lists should be completely avoided-no matter whether they are cooked or not



8. Immunotherapy (i.e. allergy shots) usually will greatly improve or even eliminate Oral Allergy Syndrome

For a list of fruits and vegetables that won't trigger your Oral Allergy Syndrome, check out wikipedia's entry for this topic.