Why Are There More Food Allergies than Ever Before?

Food allergies seem to be more common than ever. According to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), every three minutes a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room. That's more than 200,000 emergency room visits annually.

Why is it that we have more allergies today than our grandparents ever dealt with? In this segment, nutritional educator, Doug Ingoldsby, discusses America's quiet food allergy phenomenon.

Sensitivities have increased because the way we eat has changed. For instance, we're consuming far more heavily prepared foods that are microwaved or sit for hours under a heat lamp... not to mention the additives and preservatives that allow foods to be prepared months before they are ever eaten. Those options did not exist years ago. Our grandparents ate "real" food.

Also, animals are given growth hormones and are fed chemicals that then transfer to humans.

All of these factors negatively affect your body and can break down your natural immunity.

You may have (or should be aware of) actual intolerances such as shellfish or peanut allergies. But, there are also higher sensitivities that may be able to be reversed by changing your eating habits.

Check the packages of the food you buy and read food labels. Stay away from over-processed foods with high fructose corn syrup and chemicals and preservatives. Eat more whole foods and vegetables.

These changes can help reduce many of today's food allergies.

If you have an allergic reaction you should, of course, seek medical assistance or call 911.