食物过敏

What’s a Food Allergy - and What’s Not?

刘立军 供稿

u  TRANSCRIPT

People often confuse food allergies and food intolerances. But it’s important to know the difference because they each require a different treatment. So what is the difference?

A food allergy is your body’s immune system responding to specific proteins in certain foods. For instance, in shellfish, one of the triggers for allergic reactions is a protein called tropomyosin. And with peanuts, it can be a reaction to one of its many proteins. When a food particle enters the body of someone who’s allergic, the body’s immune system perceives it as a problem, an invader. Just as your body might respond to a virus as a threat, with food allergies, part of your immune system sees the protein of the food as a threat.

The allergic reaction can be thought of as a disproportionate and inappropriate response from the immune system to the food. Allergic reactions can range from being mild: tingles in the mouth, hives, and rashes, to being extremely severe, like having trouble breathing. And they can even be life-threatening. Allergic reactions, with some exceptions, almost always happen quickly, within 30 minutes of eating or exposure to the food.

A food intolerance, on the other hand, is usually our body having trouble digesting certain foods. Unlike allergies, food intolerances are not related to the immune system. For instance, being lactose intolerant means you don’t have enough of the enzyme that breaks down the lactose in dairy. Intolerance to certain foods can often result in digestive issues, including bloating, diarrhea or just generally feeling unwell. Intolerance to food can happen pretty quickly, too, but could also show up in the next few days. In other words, if you experience unpleasantness from something you’ve eaten a day before, most of the time, it’s not an allergy.

There’s a third kind of reaction that’s neither an allergy or an intolerance. For example, celiac disease is an autoimmune condition triggered by eating foods containing gluten. Celiac disease may share some similar symptoms to a food intolerance, such as bloating or belly pain. But unlike celiac disease, food intolerances don’t damage the small intestine. 

So with all these real but nuanced differences, what’s the best way to get a proper diagnosis? Don’t get one of those “do-it-yourself at-home food-sensitivity” kits. Those tests are not scientifically proven to do what they purport to do, and they aren’t reliable diagnostic tools. If you wonder whether you have an allergy or an intolerance or celiac disease, talk to your doctor. They’ll be able to recommend the right course of action.

And in the case of food allergies, an allergist is your go-to person. The two common ways they’ll be able to diagnose you is by taking a really good food history and giving you an oral food challenge by giving you certain foods and seeing what happens in a medically safe and controlled environment. An allergist can also come up with a plan in case you’re exposed to a food you’re allergic to and may even be able to recommend treatments for some of those allergies.

u  VOCABULARY

1. food intolerance: （医）食物耐受不良

2. tropomyosin n. 原肌球蛋白

3. disproportionate adj. too large or too small when compared with sth. else 不成比例的；不相称的；太大（或太小）的

4. tingle n. a slight stinging or uncomfortable feeling in a part of your body 刺痛感

5. hives n. red spots on the skin that itch (= make you want to scratch), caused by an allergic reaction, for example to certain foods 荨麻疹

6. rash n. an area of red spots on a person's skin, caused by an illness or a reaction to sth. 皮疹；疹

7. enzyme n. 酶

8. bloat v. to swell or make sth. swell, especially in an unpleasant way （使）膨胀，肿胀

9. diarrhea n. 腹泻

10. celiac disease: a disease in which sb. cannot digest food (= break it down in their body) because their body is very sensitive to gluten (= a protein that is found in wheat ) 乳糜泻， 腹腔疾病 （因麸质过敏引起消化不良）

11. autoimmune adj. 自体免疫的；自身免疫的

12. gluten n. 谷蛋白

13. intestine n. 肠

14. nuanced adj. 有细微差别的

15. purport v. 自称；标榜

16. allergist n. 变（态反）应症专科医师

17. go-to adj. 寻求协助的, 征询意见的

uQUESTIONS

TASK 1: 填空

Read the passage. Then listen to the news and fill in the blanks with the information (words, phrases or sentences) you hear.

People often confuse (Q1) ________________________. But it’s important to know the difference because they each require a different treatment. So what is the difference?

A food allergy is your body’s (Q2) ______________ responding to specific proteins in certain foods. For instance, in (Q3) ___________, one of the triggers for allergic reactions is a protein called tropomyosin. And with (Q4) ______________, it can be a reaction to one of its many proteins. When a food particle enters the body of someone who’s allergic, the body’s immune system perceives it as a problem, an invader. Just as your body might respond to a virus as a threat, with food allergies, part of your immune system sees the protein of the food as a (Q5) _________.

The allergic reaction can be thought of as a disproportionate and inappropriate response from the immune system to the food. Allergic reactions can range from being (Q6) ________: tingles in the mouth, hives, and rashes, to being extremely (Q7) __________, like having trouble breathing. And they can even be life-threatening. Allergic reactions, with some exceptions, almost always happen quickly, within 30 minutes of eating or (Q8) ____________ to the food.

A food intolerance, on the other hand, is usually our body having trouble (Q9) __________ certain foods. Unlike allergies, food intolerances are not related to the immune system. For instance, being lactose intolerant means you don’t have enough of the enzyme that breaks down the lactose in dairy. Intolerance to certain foods can often result in (Q10) __________ issues, including bloating, diarrhea or just generally feeling unwell. Intolerance to food can happen pretty quickly, too, but could also show up in the next few days. In other words, if you experience unpleasantness from something you’ve eaten a day before, most of the time, it’s not an allergy.

There’s a third kind of reaction that’s neither an allergy or an intolerance. For example, celiac disease is an autoimmune condition triggered by eating foods containing (Q11) _________. Celiac disease may share some (Q12) ___________________ to a food intolerance, such as bloating or belly pain. But unlike celiac disease, food intolerances don’t damage the small intestine. 

So with all these real but nuanced differences, what’s the best way to get a (Q13) _____________? Don’t get one of those “do-it-yourself at-home food-sensitivity” kits. Those tests are not scientifically proven to do what they purport to do, and they aren’t reliable diagnostic tools. If you wonder whether you have an (Q14) __________ or an intolerance or celiac disease, talk to your doctor. They’ll be able to recommend the right course of action.

And in the case of food allergies, an allergist is your go-to person. The two common ways they’ll be able to diagnose you is by taking a really good food history and giving you an oral food challenge by giving you certain foods and seeing what happens in a (Q15) ________________________________. An allergist can also come up with a plan in case you’re exposed to a food you’re allergic to and may even be able to recommend treatments for some of those allergies.

TASK 2: 选择

Choose the best answer.

1. What is the difference between food allergies and food intolerances?

A. Food allergies are caused by intolerance to certain foods.

B. Food allergies and food intolerances require the same treatment.

C. Food allergies involve the immune system reacting to specific proteins in foods, while food intolerances do not.

D. Food intolerances are more severe than food allergies.

2. What is the best way to get a proper diagnosis for food allergies, intolerances or celiac disease?

A. Get one of those at-home food-sensitivity kits.

B. Talk to your doctor.

C. Wait and see if symptoms improve.

D. Research online for self-diagnosis.

u  KEY 

TASK 1: 填空

Read the passage. Then listen to the news and fill in the blanks with the information (words, phrases or sentences) you hear.

People often confuse (Q1) food allergies and food intolerances. But it’s important to know the difference because they each require a different treatment. So what is the difference?

A food allergy is your body’s (Q2) immune system responding to specific proteins in certain foods. For instance, in (Q3) shellfish, one of the triggers for allergic reactions is a protein called tropomyosin. And with (Q4) peanuts, it can be a reaction to one of its many proteins. When a food particle enters the body of someone who’s allergic, the body’s immune system perceives it as a problem, an invader. Just as your body might respond to a virus as a threat, with food allergies, part of your immune system sees the protein of the food as a (Q5) threat.

The allergic reaction can be thought of as a disproportionate and inappropriate response from the immune system to the food. Allergic reactions can range from being (Q6) mild: tingles in the mouth, hives, and rashes, to being extremely (Q7) severe, like having trouble breathing. And they can even be life-threatening. Allergic reactions, with some exceptions, almost always happen quickly, within 30 minutes of eating or (Q8) exposure to the food.

A food intolerance, on the other hand, is usually our body having trouble (Q9) digesting certain foods. Unlike allergies, food intolerances are not related to the immune system. For instance, being lactose intolerant means you don’t have enough of the enzyme that breaks down the lactose in dairy. Intolerance to certain foods can often result in (Q10) digestive issues, including bloating, diarrhea or just generally feeling unwell. Intolerance to food can happen pretty quickly, too, but could also show up in the next few days. In other words, if you experience unpleasantness from something you’ve eaten a day before, most of the time, it’s not an allergy.

There’s a third kind of reaction that’s neither an allergy or an intolerance. For example, celiac disease is an autoimmune condition triggered by eating foods containing (Q11) gluten. Celiac disease may share some (Q12) similar symptoms to a food intolerance, such as bloating or belly pain. But unlike celiac disease, food intolerances don’t damage the small intestine. 

So with all these real but nuanced differences, what’s the best way to get a (Q13) proper diagnosis? Don’t get one of those “do-it-yourself at-home food-sensitivity” kits. Those tests are not scientifically proven to do what they purport to do, and they aren’t reliable diagnostic tools. If you wonder whether you have an (Q14) allergy or an intolerance or celiac disease, talk to your doctor. They’ll be able to recommend the right course of action.

And in the case of food allergies, an allergist is your go-to person. The two common ways they’ll be able to diagnose you is by taking a really good food history and giving you an oral food challenge by giving you certain foods and seeing what happens in a (Q15) medically safe and controlled environment. An allergist can also come up with a plan in case you’re exposed to a food you’re allergic to and may even be able to recommend treatments for some of those allergies.

TASK 2: 选择

Choose the best answer.

1. What is the difference between food allergies and food intolerances?

A. Food allergies are caused by intolerance to certain foods.

B. Food allergies and food intolerances require the same treatment.

C. Food allergies involve the immune system reacting to specific proteins in foods, while food intolerances do not.

D. Food intolerances are more severe than food allergies.

【答案】C

【解析】这篇听力讲述了食物过敏和食物不耐受之间的区别。食物过敏是身体的免疫系统对特定蛋白质的反应。当一个过敏者摄入某种食物时，身体的免疫系统会将其视为入侵者，并对其进行反应。因此，正确答案是C，食物过敏涉及免疫系统对特定蛋白质的反应，而食物不耐受则不涉及。A选项错误，B选项错误，D选项不正确。

2. What is the best way to get a proper diagnosis for food allergies, intolerances or celiac disease?

A. Get one of those at-home food-sensitivity kits.

B. Talk to your doctor.

C. Wait and see if symptoms improve.

D. Research online for self-diagnosis.

【答案】B

【解析】文章指出，那些自己在家做的食物敏感测试工具并没有科学证明它们所声称的功能，也不是可靠的诊断工具。如果你想知道自己是否患有食物过敏、不耐受或乳糜泻，最好咨询医生并按照医生的建议行事。对于食物过敏的诊断，过敏专家是最好的选择。他们通常会通过了解患者食物摄入史和让患者在特定环境下摄入不同食物诊断过敏症，并且可能会制定预防措施和治疗方案。因此，正确答案是B。