Food Allergies
Living with food allergies
Food allergies are an emerging public health concern.Scientists are still trying to figure out why food allergies, and gluten allergy seem to be on the rise, especially in industrialized countries such as the United States.
If you have food allergies, it's important to be proactive in managing your condition to reduce the risk of allergic reactions. Here are some tips for living with food allergies and understanding food allergy symptoms:
- Educate yourself about your allergens: Make sure you know which foods you are allergic to and how to read food labels to identify them.
- Carry an epinephrine injector: If you have a severe allergy, make sure you have an epinephrine injector (such as an EpiPen) with you at all times in case of accidental exposure.
- Communicate your allergies to others: Let your friends, family, and coworkers know about your allergies, and be sure to inform waitstaff and chefs when eating out.
- Prepare your own food: To reduce the risk of cross-contamination, consider cooking your own meals at home using allergen-free ingredients.
- Wear a medical alert bracelet: A medical alert bracelet can help inform others of your allergies in case of an emergency.
By following these steps, you can help manage your food allergies and reduce the risk of allergic reactions.
Food Allergies
Food allergy symptoms
The symptoms of a food allergies can vary from mild to severe or even life-threatening. It is not always possible to predict how severe symptoms will be based upon the symptoms experienced during a previous reaction.
As an example, a person could have mild hives after eating peanuts on one occasion and then have an anaphylactic reaction after eating peanuts another time. However, reactions are not necessarily worse after each exposure.
The most common food allergies are:
- peanuts
- tree nuts
- fish
- shellfish
- milk
- wheat
- soy
- eggs
Some symptoms may include:
- Hives (reddish, swollen, itchy areas on the skin)
- Eczema flare (a persistent dry, itchy rash)
- Itchy mouth or ear canal
- Nausea or vomiting
- Odd taste in the mouth
- Tight, hoarse throat
- Nasal congestion or a runny nose
- Sneezing
- Dry cough
- Diarrhea
- Stomach pain
Or more severe symtoms may include:
- Swelling of the lips, tongue, and/or throat that blocks the airway
- Trouble swallowing
- Shortness of breath or wheezing
- Pale or blue coloring of the skin
- Drop in blood pressure (feeling faint, confused, weak, passing out)
- Loss of consciousness
- Chest pain
- Weak pulse
- Anaphylaxis- a potentially life-threatening reaction that can lower blood pressure, impair breathing and send the body into shock immediately.
