Food Allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to foods that would normally be considered safe, leading to symptoms like hives, swelling and stomach upset as well as potentially life-threatening reactions called anaphylaxis.
Food allergies are becoming more and more prevalent worldwide, often among children. Most children outgrow allergies to eggs, milk, wheat and soy by school age.
Know Your Allergens
Allergies occur when your immune system incorrectly recognizes a food protein as harmful when in fact it’s harmless, leading to a chain of reactions in your body that includes symptoms like hives, swelling, runny nose or upset stomach. Rarely, extreme reactions may even result in difficulty breathing or decreased blood pressure (anaphylaxis).
Allergies can be caused by food, medicines, pollen, pet dander and the venom from stinging insects. Common allergens include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish; an allergist will likely suggest that you avoid these as well as soy, wheat, sesame seeds and nuts to minimize symptoms.
Knowledge is power! Knowing your allergens allows you to carefully read food labels and be aware of which items to avoid. Also, keep in mind that food intolerance or sensitivity differ significantly from true allergies.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency offers pamphlets that outline eight priority food allergens, detailing what else they go by, food products that often contain them and quick facts on them. You can access these pamphlets online or request one from your allergist; additional resources on avoiding allergens can be found via their website.
Avoid the Foods
Food allergies are best managed through strict avoidance of foods that trigger symptoms. Your allergist can provide guidance as you discover safe substitutes, including reading food labels carefully; under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, nutritional labels must identify nine specific allergenic sources: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts peanuts sesame seeds wheat soy and sesame. If unsure whether a product contains an allergenic ingredient that might trigger your symptoms call the manufacturer immediately to inquire further.
Food allergies tend to be mild and can usually be managed at home; however, some severe reactions called anaphylaxis can become life-threatening and require emergency medication such as epinephrine for treatment. Recognizing early symptoms and using emergency drugs as prescribed could save someone’s life.
Food allergies often run in families, yet there’s no telling whether younger siblings will also inherit an allergy from their elder siblings. Food allergies are most frequently found among children but can affect adults as well. While some outgrow an allergy with time, most remain present throughout life – often reactions include peanuts, milk, egg, soy, wheat tree nuts as well as corn garlic lupin meat as the most commonly affected products – although labeling laws do not apply to non-food items like medications cosmetics vaccines and craft supplies containing ingredients found commonly found in food despite labeling laws being implemented against such products by manufacturers containing ingredients commonly found in food items containing such ingredients which do not require labeling laws when labeling laws are applied against such products which do not labeling laws apply due to labeling laws being enforced against such ingredients present within these products being sold off the shelf by manufacturers or their distributors containing ingredients commonly found within foodstuffs//craft supplies containing ingredients commonly found within foods themselves; labeling laws do not apply when purchasing these non food items containing ingredients found within foods (ie) however; most allergies persist throughout life with reactions involving peanuts, milk egg soy and wheat tree nuts as the most frequently affected. Reactants include corn garlic Lupin meat etc; although reactions against corn garlic Lupin meat can occur while non food items like medications cosmetics vaccines etc not labeled accordingly containing such ingredients found elsewhere like medications cosmetics vaccines etc having no labeling laws applied such products containing such ingredients found within non food items used containing these non food items either due their labeling laws apply such products).
Know How to Manage Your Allergies
Food allergy symptoms can only be avoided by avoiding the food that causes them. Checking food labels to ensure they do not contain your allergen(s) can also be beneficial in pinpointing possible triggers for reactions. It may be useful to keep a food and symptoms diary to help track which items cause reactions for you.
Your doctor can advise on the best ways to manage your allergies. They typically suggest carrying an auto-injector such as EpiPen or TwinJet just in case an acute allergic reaction occurs. Your physician may also suggest oral immunotherapy (OIT), which involves slowly exposing yourself to allergens under supervision by healthcare providers in order to build tolerance to them and lower immune response.
Your doctor can refer you to a dietitian, who can assist in finding ways to eat well while eliminating certain foods. There are now more resources than ever available to those needing extra guidance at mealtime – cookbooks and online groups as well as special supermarkets and restaurants are now all options available to them.
Stressful experiences associated with managing food allergies may arise, particularly if they’re newly diagnosed or making major life transitions such as starting school. But speaking to your physician will allow you to feel more in control.
Know When to Seek Medical Help
Your doctor may suggest a blood test to measure IgE antibodies to specific foods. While less sensitive than skin tests, blood testing may provide more reliable answers if skin tests prove unreliable or you’ve experienced severe reactions before. When speaking to your physician about symptoms related to eating certain food items – they want to know when symptoms appeared, how much food was consumed, whether nonprescription allergy medicines such as antihistamines were effective as well as whether other food can trigger reactions as well. They want to know whether that same food always causes reactions or if other triggers them as well.
Your allergist will likely provide an epinephrine auto-injector (adrenaline), with instructions on how to use it in case of serious allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis. Epinephrine is an emergency lifesaving medication which quickly relieves allergy reactions while helping protect from shock-related deaths.
Avoiding food that triggers symptoms is of paramount importance, requiring careful reading of ingredient labels and asking restaurants about their menu offerings. Wear a medical alert bracelet listing allergies and symptoms so those caring for you or your child know what steps should be taken in the event of a severe reaction; additionally, teach other individuals who spend time with you or your child how to recognize early symptoms of an allergic reaction.
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