As you’ve probably noticed, you are hearing from a new doctor in this letter. While I am a co-founder of this publication, my role has mostly been behind the scenes. Practicing my specialty at a leading Allergy and Immunology Clinic and reviewing articles for the magazine have kept me busy and low key for some time. But now I have taken the step from behind the desk to share my passion with you.
As co-publisher of the magazine, I enjoy being able to read a lot of great material, from doctors across the world, who are committed to educating and informing our readers about healthcare. I feel it is extremely important that patients who have the best and most current information can be involved with their healthcare providers to make the best decisions for their health care.
As an allergist, I see food allergies on a daily basis and it continues to affect more and more people every day. In the United States alone, approximately 15 million people suffer from food allergies – and the problem is growing. In the past 15 years, there has been a 50 percent increase in food allergies among children.
Eight foods are responsible for about 90 percent of food-allergic reactions. These eight include: peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish.
Recently, there has been a great deal of research devoted to trying to find a cure for food allergy with promising results. Current methods carry high risks of serious allergic reactions and are not yet considered safe for general use. Food allergy desensitization is being studied carefully and may be developed into a reliable, safe approach. In the meantime, accurate diagnosis, stringent avoidance of offending foods, a food allergy action plan, and emergency medications can minimize severe allergic reactions.
For more information on food allergies, be sure and read my article on peanut allergies (pg 20) in this issue.
We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoy putting together a leading edge publication.