Theresa MacPhail

That's been a puzzle as to why an immune cell will take a look at something that is otherwise harmless and decide that it's not and do it after sometimes years of tolerating it just fine. And suddenly now it's a problem.

That's been a puzzle as to why an immune cell will take a look at something that is otherwise harmless and decide that it's not and do it after sometimes years of tolerating it just fine. And suddenly now it's a problem.

My father died of a bee sting. He died from an anaphylactic reaction to bee venom. He had had a reaction in the past, but it was fairly mild, just swelling at the site. That's mostly what happens to anyone who gets stung by a venomous insect. And he died on the second sting.

My father died of a bee sting. He died from an anaphylactic reaction to bee venom. He had had a reaction in the past, but it was fairly mild, just swelling at the site. That's mostly what happens to anyone who gets stung by a venomous insect. And he died on the second sting.

My father died of a bee sting. He died from an anaphylactic reaction to bee venom. He had had a reaction in the past, but it was fairly mild, just swelling at the site. That's mostly what happens to anyone who gets stung by a venomous insect. And he died on the second sting.

We really don't know how many times he was stung because he was a Vietnam vet, so there's a chance that he was stung prior to that. And I got curious about my own susceptibility to such things. Years later, I was diagnosed with allergies, but I am one of the rare people that do not react to skin or blood tests. I have low levels of IgE, the antibody that is driving the allergic response.

We really don't know how many times he was stung because he was a Vietnam vet, so there's a chance that he was stung prior to that. And I got curious about my own susceptibility to such things. Years later, I was diagnosed with allergies, but I am one of the rare people that do not react to skin or blood tests. I have low levels of IgE, the antibody that is driving the allergic response.

We really don't know how many times he was stung because he was a Vietnam vet, so there's a chance that he was stung prior to that. And I got curious about my own susceptibility to such things. Years later, I was diagnosed with allergies, but I am one of the rare people that do not react to skin or blood tests. I have low levels of IgE, the antibody that is driving the allergic response.

So there's no way to tell what I'm allergic to, except that clinically you can see the signs and symptoms that I am allergic to something.

So there's no way to tell what I'm allergic to, except that clinically you can see the signs and symptoms that I am allergic to something.

So there's no way to tell what I'm allergic to, except that clinically you can see the signs and symptoms that I am allergic to something.

I think, based on my years of detective work, that I'm allergic to grass and probably ragweed and maybe dust mites.

I think, based on my years of detective work, that I'm allergic to grass and probably ragweed and maybe dust mites.

I think, based on my years of detective work, that I'm allergic to grass and probably ragweed and maybe dust mites.

Oh boy, how much time do we have? This is part of the problem. There's a lot of confusion about what an allergy is and isn't. The easiest answer I can give you is that an allergy is when your body responds to something that is otherwise harmless and triggers an immune response. If your immune cells are not involved in the response, then it is not an allergy.

Oh boy, how much time do we have? This is part of the problem. There's a lot of confusion about what an allergy is and isn't. The easiest answer I can give you is that an allergy is when your body responds to something that is otherwise harmless and triggers an immune response. If your immune cells are not involved in the response, then it is not an allergy.

Oh boy, how much time do we have? This is part of the problem. There's a lot of confusion about what an allergy is and isn't. The easiest answer I can give you is that an allergy is when your body responds to something that is otherwise harmless and triggers an immune response. If your immune cells are not involved in the response, then it is not an allergy.

The classic example is milk allergy versus milk intolerance. On the surface, if you have a mild milk allergy, it's going to look the same, perhaps an upset stomach, feeling kind of gross, some gassiness. But the difference is with the intolerance, there's something else going on. In this case, you're not able to digest lactose because you lack an enzyme.

The classic example is milk allergy versus milk intolerance. On the surface, if you have a mild milk allergy, it's going to look the same, perhaps an upset stomach, feeling kind of gross, some gassiness. But the difference is with the intolerance, there's something else going on. In this case, you're not able to digest lactose because you lack an enzyme.

The classic example is milk allergy versus milk intolerance. On the surface, if you have a mild milk allergy, it's going to look the same, perhaps an upset stomach, feeling kind of gross, some gassiness. But the difference is with the intolerance, there's something else going on. In this case, you're not able to digest lactose because you lack an enzyme.