Lester Who

Did you know one out of every twenty-five Americans have some form of food allergy? That is roughly 12 million Americans effected, 3 million of which are children.

“Food allergy occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks a food protein. Ingestion of the offending food may trigger the sudden release of chemicals, including histamine, resulting in symptoms of an allergic reaction.” (The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network or FAAN) The symptoms may be as mild as rashes, hives, itching, swelling to more severe symptoms such as trouble breathing, wheezing, suffocation, loss of consciousness.

Diagnosis can be as simple as having a skin prick test performed by a doctor or taking a blood test. If you do have a positive test for food allergies, there is no need to panic. The only way to avoid a reaction is with strict avoidance of the offending food. This can be as simple as avoiding certain food items or researching restaurants you eat at and how their food is prepared.

Lester Glenn Auto Group is proud to be a sponsor of the FAAN Walk for Food Allergy. This event will be held on September 11, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at the Great Lawn in Long Branch, New Jersey. It is a 3 mile walk and registration starts at 9:00 a.m. If you would like to donate, please visit the Walk for Food Allergy site.