Dear doctor;

Growing up, I always had a problem eating eggplants or silver fish. Any food with these foodstuff mixed would be too compelling for my metabolism. Even the smell of the broth cooking would leave me nauseated. I stopped eating them. I understand it was because these eggplants and silver fish have too much protein content. But in adult life, I have it hard eating matooke (plantains) mixed with ground nut stew. Whenever I try, I get stomach upset. Are these some weird allergies?

Kabeera, 27, Kigali.

Dear Kabeera,

It seems you could be having allergy to proteins present in egg plant and silver fish. Food allergy can be due to anything consumed but commonly occurs due to high protein foods like fish, meat, eggs, milk products, among others. Allergy to egg plant is rare but can occur. Similarly matoke and ground nuts can also cause allergy.

To confirm this, avoid eating these foods for a week and then resume them. If symptoms stop and then relapse it is definitely an allergy. To confirm it, exhaustive allergy tests have to be done. Mild food allergies usually do not cause much problem necessititating active treatment. However, if nausea and stomach upset is severe, or there is associated running of nose, skin rashes or problem breathing, anti allergy tablets like chlorphenaramine or cetrizine can be taken.