In a Nutshell: The Truth About Allergies

Ask a roomful of people, "Who has an allergy?" and the majority of hands will go up. For some, it's outdoor allergens like grass, flowers, weeds, and dust. For others, it's indoor allergies such as mold, pet dander, or perfumes.

Since I was very young, I have been allergic to more things than can be listed in a short blogpost. In fact, my present allergy list takes up three full pages (and that is in a summarized report). Somehow, I managed to survive all the pets I grew up with, the weeds I rolled in, and the foods I subsequently ate without knowing what it would do to me. The "wake up" call came in 2001, when I ate food specifically ordered without peanuts (a known allergen to me), only to discover later that the peanuts had simply been "removed" from the food and re-served to me by the cook. Alone in my office, wheezing, and on my knees, knowing I only had minutes to respond, I dragged myself to my office's kitchen, made strong black coffee, and drank three cups of it after calling for help. [And no, I didn't have an epinephrine pen on me]. The caffeine works as a vasoconstrictor, buying me precious time when I feared I might be running out of it.

Today, I live with the same allergies and sensitivities, but it appears I'm not alone. Not only have many schools banned peanuts from their premises, but now the DOT is looking into banning peanuts from flights. Right now, only United Airlines bans peanuts and peanut products from all flights, creating "no peanut" zones [and we're cautioned to check that fact with United, as things can change].

The kinds of questions I receive about severe peanut allergies range from the curious ("Why does there seem to be a rise in the number of people with peanut allergies?") to the ignorant ("Why can't people with peanut allergies just not eat peanuts? Why do the rest of us have to be deprived?"). Here are a few facts:

1. Food allergic reactions can also occur by contact or air, meaning, an allergic person can be affected by contact with or by breathing the air containing the allergy. At the writing of this post, a friend sent me a link to an article where a person was handed a peanut-dusted pillow by an airline attendant. Not good.

2. Peanut allergies may be linked to the use of soy milk and baby lotions containing peanut oil. A study in 2003 was conducted in England demonstrating that link (www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/documents/peanut-allergy-press-release.pdf). There are possible ways to treat peanut reactions coming in the future, but for the most part, there is no known way to remove a peanut allergy, only to treat the rashes, swelling, digestive, or anaphylaxis associated with this allergy.

3. Peanut allergies doubled in the U.S. between 1997 and 2002, but the incidence seems to be unclear. I have seen one report in Wikipedia stating incidence is between 0.4%-0.6% of the population, and another more recent report stating that percentage has climbed to 1.1% or higher. Approximately 100 deaths occur from peanut allergies, making it the most deadly of all known allergies. Possibly the difference in percentages reported is that the collection of data may have only included those reporting severe sensitivities, or incidences that were reported by schools and hospitals for treatment. It may not include the mom who had a child who responded with mild tongue swelling or a rash, but was resolved with an OTC antihistamine.

4. Not all children outgrow allergies as adults. And yes, you can develop allergies later in life. [In my case, I did not find out I was allergic to peanuts until I was 28, and still remember what it was like to eat my first peanut butter and jelly sandwich as a child, without incident].

5. This is so not funny, but a peanut-allergic person can die from kissing someone who ate peanuts earlier. I am truly sorry for the boyfriend of this young gal.

So, what are our choices when it comes to flying, sharing the air (no pun intended),and staying alive? Here's what the DOT is considering (as taken from http://regulationroom.org/airline-passenger-rights/peanut-allergies/)

The Proposed Solutions:
DOT thinks perhaps the time has come to address again the problems of travelers with severe peanut allergies. It is considering the following options:

An outright ban on airlines serving peanuts and peanut products
Banning service of peanuts and peanut products only on a flight where a passenger with a peanut allergy requests a peanut-free flight in advance
Requiring the airline to provide a peanut-free buffer zone around a passenger with a medically-documented severe peanut allergy if the passenger makes a request in advance.
But DOT is open to other solutions, as well as to not adopting any regulation on this issue. See next section.

Already, peanut-sensitive people have resources to help them make the safest decision in regards to airline flight. They know who they are, and they usually take great steps to ensure their own safety, including medical alert bracelets, epi pens, and peanut product avoidance. The bigger question is if airlines need to do more to reduce their liability and incidence of peanut allergies on flights, AND if the public takes this as a cue to researching how infiltrated their food supply has become with oils, fats, and faux ingredients that are harmful and unhealthy.

What do you think? Should the FAA and DOT move towards a ban of peanut products on all flights? Do you believe peanut-allergic people take enough strides to protect their health, and need the public's help in taking the next step? I welcome your comments.

And by the way, did you know I'm airing "Video Nurse" live on Ustream.tv/video-nurse Mondays at 5pm Pacific Standard Time? Join in the fun as we discuss, "Five Things People Do That Could Kill Them". Follow me on Twitter @HipsForHire and @VideoNurse.