No More Walks Along The Wharf: I'm Allergic To Fish

I adore salmon. In my thirties I developed a host of annoying symptoms after eating it: my face would burn and flush--my throat would swell. Due to my Adrenal Gland problems and general allergy-overload, fish, too, became something I was overly sensitive to. My sister (who shared the same allergy) blamed the mercury in the oceans. But was Mercury the real culprit? Or something else?

We all know that today's fish, swimming in contaminated waters, contain more mercury than the seafood our Grandparents enjoyed. But alas, when I bought "farm-raised" salmon, spawned in "pure ponds with no chemicals," my symptoms persisted, accompanied by a migraine headache to boot. What exactly was I allergic to?

There is a protein found in fish known as parvalbumin. The body reacts to this protein in suspectible persons, causing the system to flood with histamine. Avoiding salmon will simply not fix the problem: to the dismay of the allergy-sufferer, all fish and shellfish must be considered taboo. This includes shark and eel. Even the odor of fish can cause a reaction. Doctors recommend all contact with fish be stopped. (Unless they are inside an aquarium, of course!) Children can develop this food allergy at an early age, in which case the popular notion of cod liver oil as a cure-all could prove disastrous.

Oil which has been used to fry fish, if reused in a cafe kitchen, can contaminate your Chicken Fingers as well. The steam from poached fish, if inhaled, can cause certain people to break out with hives. Some experts advise eating canned tuna or mackerel. I followed this suggestion and ended up sick again. To play it safe, as they say, I avoid all places where fish is being exclusively served.

Another kind of fish allergy can be traced to the parasite anisakis simplex. Some people are not sensitive to the protein in the fish, but to the critters living in it. One can be tested for this specific allergy, as well as all others. The symptoms of this kind of sensitivity is the same as fish protein allergy. Both can cause oral and respiratory symptoms, some very serious.

Oral symptoms include tingling lips, burning mouth and itching. The respiratory problems can be grave indeed: plunging blood pressure, hives, lung inflamation leading to anaphylactic shock. This is a medical emergency of the highest order and can result in respiratory failure and death if not treated. Along with this litany of complaints, your gut can be affected also: if you have this food allergy and eat fish, you can experience severe gastric problems. Well, I decided..I'll just quit visiting wharves and eating fish, and I'll be fine...right? As it turns out, I was wrong.

There are products in your pantry that contain fish, and ingesting them can bring on symptoms. To name a few: Caesar Salad Dressing, Worchestshire Sauce, gelatin, fumet, and even Glucosamine Chondrotin, a common health supplement for joints. If you have children with a fish allergy, you must keep these items safely out of reach. If you are unsure as how to avoid cross-contamination with fish in your kitchen, follow this link to a site that gives good guidelines: http:www.foodservicewarehouse.com/education/health-safety/customers-fish-allergies-aspx.

Giving up salmon and walks on the wharf wasn't so bad, after all. Finding out about my allergy just possibly saved my life.