About Food Allergies

As much as most people like to eat, it can be depressing to learn they have developed food allergies. Despite how good a particular food may taste it is not worth the potential swelling, itching and the potential for death to consume a food product knowing it can ignite a reaction.

While different people may suffer food allergies from different foods, some of the most common are peanuts and shell fish. Most will learn of an allergy the first time they are exposed to it, but allergies develop later in life and may come as a surprise.

When a person consumes a particular food and has an allergic reaction, their best plan is to eliminate that item from their diet. The symptoms of food allergies are very similar other type of allergies and may include runny nose, watering eye as well as a skin rash and hives. Other reactions can include a headache due to sinus infections and pain in the ears as well as diminished hearing.

In some individuals, food allergies can also cause an anaphylactic reaction, which causes a sudden lowering of blood pressure as well as difficulty breathing and in severe cases can lead to death.

Finding The Cause Before It Kills

In most cases, the cause of food allergies can be easy to determine by maintaining a food diary and recording any adverse reactions related to specific foods. Once the list has been narrowed down, any food that causes an allergic reaction should not be eaten. To extract the exact cause of food allergies, the doctor may recommend and skin prick test to determine the cause of allergies before they cause serious health problems.

Many foods contain a multitude of ingredients and it could simply be one of the ingredient causing food allergies and if the product can be found without that ingredient, it will not continue to be a problem. Reading labels in the store can help identify any such ingredients, but can be a problem if eating out in restaurants and establishing the identity of all ingredients may not be possible.

The circumstances may be more difficult for children who do not always remember they have food allergies for certain edibles. If they ingest a food that causes a reaction, depending on the level of reaction, they will need to get help quickly to prevent permanent problems. In cases where a child has severe food allergies a medical alert bracelet may be needed to reduce the accidental ingestion of a problem food.