WellesleyWeston Magazine

WINTER 2012/2013

Launched in 2005, WellesleyWeston Magazine is a quarterly publication tailored to Wellesley and Weston residents and edited to enrich the experience of living in two of Massachusetts' most desirable communities.

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food & wine "I like knowing that I don't hurt animals" Food Allergies Abound Eight foods — milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, and soy — account for 90 percent of all food-allergic reactions.* Milk Milk allergy is a reaction by the body's immune system to one or more milk proteins and can be life threatening when just a small amount is consumed. Milk allergy most commonly appears in the first year of life, while lactose intolerance occurs more often in adulthood. 30 to 50 million American adults are lactose intolerant.** 2.5% of children younger than three years of age are allergic to milk, but most will outgrow it over time.* Eggs 1.5% of young children are allergic to eggs, but an allergy to eggs is one of the most likely to outgrow.* Peanuts Allergy to peanuts appears to be on the rise and can trigger a severe reaction. One study showed that from 1997 to 2002, the incidence of peanut allergy doubled in children.* (Note, peanuts are not nuts, but legumes.) Tree Nuts 1.8 million Americans have an allergy to tree nuts, including walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, and pistachios. Allergic reactions to tree nuts are among the leading causes of fatal and near-fatal reactions to foods.* 2.3% of Americans – that's nearly 7 million people – report aller- gy to seafood, including fish and shellfish. Salmon, tuna, and halibut are the most common kinds of fish to which people are allergic.* @ Wheat Celiac disease – a genetic digestive disorder involving intolerance to gluten – affects more than 2 million people in the United States, or about 1 in 133 people. People with celiac disease should not eat most grains, pastas, cereals, and many processed foods.** On top of that, many people report gluten sensitivity even though they are not celiac. * The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) ** National Institutes of Health Fish & Shellfish Important Resource for Families with Food Allergies The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) provides information and educational resources about food allergies. Learn more at www.foodallergy.org. 168 WellesleyWeston Magazine | winter 2012/2013

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