Food allergies are an ever-increasing health threat. Individuals may experience anything from mild itchy rashes to potentially fatal difficulty breathing and blood pressure drops (anaphylaxis).
Avoiding foods known to trigger allergic reactions is the key to managing them successfully. According to research, nine foods-the so-called Big 9 — milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat and soy-accounted for 90 percent of allergic reactions due to food.
Symptoms
Your body’s immune system overreacts when exposed to food allergies, producing symptoms ranging from mild to severe reactions that range from mild to life-threatening anaphylaxis requiring immediate injections of adrenaline (epinephrine). Allergy symptoms often begin within minutes after eating the offending food and include swelling in multiple parts of the body; tingling, itching or reddening in mouth lips throat tongue throat or tongue; belly pain diarrhea nausea wheezing trouble breathing tightened throat tightened throat or sudden drop in blood pressure resulting from low blood pressure due to shock effects requiring immediate injection of adrenaline (adrenaline).
Food intolerance, which refers to an adverse chemical reaction after eating certain foods that does not involve the immune system, often produces similar symptoms to food allergy. If you have mild or moderate food intolerance symptoms, it’s essential that you learn to read food labels properly and make an appointment with a healthcare professional for medical assessment and advice.
Children typically outgrow milk and egg allergies by adulthood; however, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish allergies typically remain lifelong. If you or any of your family members has had history of hay fever, asthma or eczema in the past, your risk increases for food allergies; their symptoms could even be mistaken for celiac disease or non-IgE mediated food hypersensitivity (commonly referred to as “irritable bowel syndrome”). Your physician will take an in-depth history before conducting a physical exam on you or them before concluding their medical examination.
Diagnosis
People with classic food allergies typically develop antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE) to combat proteins present in certain foods as foreign and harmful, producing these antibodies against them when eating these items again. Once eaten again, those proteins attach themselves to IgE antibodies and cause reactions such as itching, swelling of lips or tongue, difficulty breathing, or sudden drop in blood pressure (anaphylactic shock).
Food allergies are diagnosed through careful history taking, physical exam and testing procedures including skin testing and blood work. Skin testing typically involves placing liquid extracts of suspected foods onto your child’s back or forearm and puncturing it before waiting to see if reddish raised spots (wheals) appear; although results of skin tests aren’t always reliable; any positive result simply means your child might be allergic to that food.
Blood tests to test for IgE antibodies against specific foods involve sending a small sample of blood to a laboratory where it will be tested for specific IgE antibodies. A doctor may also order an oral food challenge whereby gradually increasing quantities of the suspected food over a period of time are eaten under medical supervision and monitored closely to see any reactions, considered the definitive way to diagnose food allergy.
Treatment
As there is no cure for food allergies, medication may help relieve their symptoms. Avoidance of foods which cause reactions should be practiced as much as possible – or else emergency medication such as injectable epinephrine should be brought with to ensure anaphylaxis doesn’t occur in anaphylactic shock situations.
Anaphylaxis is an urgent medical situation that threatens many parts of your body, including skin, digestive tract and respiratory systems. If left untreated promptly it can even be fatal.
If food allergies are suspected, it’s essential that an appointment be scheduled with a health care provider immediately for diagnosis. Your provider will ask about symptoms associated with eating certain foods as well as perform physical examinations and conduct tests such as skin tests or food challenges to ascertain what’s causing the reaction.
Food allergies can vary, from outgrowing some to lifelong. Allergies to milk, eggs, wheat and soy may become less of a problem with age; peanut, shellfish and fish allergies tend to persist throughout your lifetime. Therefore it is vitally important that family, friends and any caregivers are made aware of your food allergy so they can help avoid exposure when cooking or cleaning for you – such as using dedicated kitchens for preparation purposes or special cutting boards/utensils to avoid cross-contact with allergens in their cooking/cleaning tasks. Educating family, friends and caregivers on safe practices involving preparation/cleaning practices which help prevent exposure as soon as possible – particularly with regard to safe practices when handling allergens are possible preventing cross contact by using dedicated kitchens/utensils to avoid cross contact being made aware.
Prevention
Food allergies occur when your immune system misidentifies certain foods as harmful, triggering cells to produce antibodies which identify it and trigger symptoms like hives, swelling or anaphylaxis (a drop in blood pressure). Reactions may range in severity; even trace amounts of food allergens can trigger reactions in susceptible individuals.
Extreme reactions may be life-threatening. If you or your child experience facial, throat, mouth or throat swelling; difficulty breathing; reduced blood pressure or fainting symptoms, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
Avoidance of foods which cause allergies is key to successfully managing them. Carefully read food labels when eating previously allergenic items — their ingredients or manufacturing processes may have changed! Be sure to carry an auto-injector (commonly known by its brand name EpiPen(r)) at all times – its administration could potentially reverse a life-threatening reaction quickly by quickly opening airways, lowering blood pressure and regulating heart rate.
Avoiding foods that trigger allergies is certainly important, but maintaining a balanced diet is equally vital to good health. A dietitian can assist in devising plans to incorporate allergen-free foods into meals so that all essential vitamins and minerals are consumed; additionally, support groups or family physicians can offer helpful tips.
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