14 About 9 out of 10 food allergies are caused by: milk, eggs, wheat, soy, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, and peanuts. ILLNESSES FROM FOOD Food provides us with the necessary nutrients to survive, but sometimes our bodies, mind, external conditions, or the food itself may create some complications. It is therefore imperative to be aware of what needs to be done to prevent problems and keep our body healthy. Problems with/from food Here is a rough categorisation of the kinds of problems that may arise with or from food. What are the most common food intolerances? See unit 3.2 bloating: gonfiore by accident: per caso cold cut meat: affettato to handle: maneggiare, trattare hives: orticaria itch: prurito lolly: ghiacciolo mild: leggero miscarriage: aborto rough: grezzo to trigger: scatenare wheat: grano 36 BODY AND MIND Allergies occur when our immune system reacts to certain food proteins because it believes they are harmful. Reactions can vary from mild (a few hives or minor stomach pain) to severe (shortness of breath, low blood pressure, and loss of consciousness). It is important to be aware of one s food allergies because some of them may trigger a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. Intolerances occur when our digestive system has difficulty breaking down a food because it lacks some digestive enzymes or because it is sensitive to certain chemicals. Intolerances are not life-threatening, but might have similar symptoms to allergies, including diarrhea, bloating, itches, abdominal pain or reflux. Disorders. When someone s mental health is jeopardised because of a temporary condition which affects the individual, the person could resort to developing addictions or disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating, or others. Excess or lack of food. The social and economic conditions an individual lives in affect their access to food and their relationship to it. In wealthy countries, it is common to have a much higher percentage of overweight or obese people with all the inevitable consequences on health whereas in developing countries malnutrition has devastating effects on a child s physical and cognitive development while overall being one of the main causes of death among children around the world. Food-borne illnesses may be caused by bacteria that grow on food or viruses spread because food is not handled correctly. They include: infections, caused by infectious microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites; intoxication, caused by toxins made by microbes or chemical poisons; toxo-infections, caused by a combination of food infection and intoxication; chemical food poisoning, caused by chemicals that are in the food by accident; psychosomatic illnesses, caused by the mind after seeing someone else sick because of food, or after seeing a foreign object (like an insect) in a food product.