[Sca-cooks] allergies vs. sensitivities

[Jadwiga Zajaczkowa / Jenne Heise]

> A sensitivity may make the person feel bad, but generally isn't life
> threatening, as allergies can be.

Generally, digestive reactions should be referred to as 'sensitivity', 
since no histamine reactions are involved. Sensitivities can be 
developed over time, or they can fade over time. I know people who 
suddenly developed a sensitivity to a food, or developed one over time. 
Sensitivity is a mushy word, as opposed to allergy which has a specific 
medical meaning.

> Another way to tell, is that someone with actual, real, allergies will tend
> to have several of them, increasing over time, because the problem, at base,
> is the immune system's progressive reaction to the material- usually a
> protein. Someone with sensitivities may have several, too, but again, over
> time, they'll diminish.

Not necessarily. However sensitivities may be a symptom of other
underlying conditions, and repeatedly indulging in the thing one is
sensitive to can aggravate the condition and thus the sensitivity. For
instance, I doubt one would want to see someone with irritable bowel
syndrome eating a raw, whole Scotch Bonnet Pepper at Pennsic; for too
many people the result would eventually involve IV fluids. 

-- 
-- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, Knowledge Pika jenne at fiedlerfamily.net 
"'In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.' Well, for 
years I was smart. I recommend pleasant." - _Harvey_, by Mary Chase