Food Allergy Treatment Guide

Food allergies are the most complicated and difficult allergies to live with as they have to do with something that we (have to) do every day. One of the most common of all food allergies, the wheat allergy, can cause a lot of damage and discomfort if the allergy goes unnoticed, or is misdiagnosed.

A food allergy is more common than you would think and occurs because the body misinterprets a certain type of food as harmful to the system. If the body thinks that a certain food is harmful it produces antibodies to protect you from the dangers and possible damage cause by this 'dangerous'food. One of these chemicals is called histamine.

The next time a person eats that certain food that the body has before interpreted as dangerous, allergic symptoms are caused by the body as it tries to protect itself. these food allergy symptoms can vary from nausea to severe pains.

These common food allergies occur in more people that you would think. In the USA alone more than 11 million people suffer from serious food allergies.

What Foods Cause Allergies?

It is impossible to completely outgrow food allergies but if a food allergy surfaces in your childhood it is possible for the food allergy symptoms to diminish throughout the years.There is a wide variety of fairly common foods that can possibly cause allergies. Some of those foods are:

Milk

Milk products and dairy products in general, such as cheeses, milks, yoghurt and products containing milk such as yoghurt can cause a lot of discomfort. Allergies to these foods can be very difficult to cope with as so many products contain (traces of) milk. Smoothies (a fruit drink often mixed with cream of milk) is often not known to contain milk.

Eggs

Eggs are used in a wide variety of products from biscuits to convenience meals in the supermarket. Having to eat an eggless diet often means having to choose foods approved for vegans as it is hard to tell which products contain (traces of) egg.

Wheat

Bread and breakfast products containing wheat should be avoided and different kind of bread are only safe to eat when purchased from a health food shop, where special wheat free bread is often sold specifically for people with food allergies.

Soy

Soy is a much used ingredient in any type of food nowadays, as a thickening agent or as a replacement of milk. As soy allergies are known to possibly cause life threatening reactions, double checking ingredient lists and cooking your meals from fresh ingredients yourself is most important.

Peanuts

Peanut allergies often start in childhood and cause fierce reactions to even so much as touching a peanut. While other nuts are often quite safe it is usually best to avoid all types of nuts. Look out for peanut oil on ingredients lists too.

Shellfish and Fish

Fish and shellfish food allergies are a bit less common but often start in childhood just like peanut allergies. Touching the products can often be just as bad as ingesting them. Make sure to not use and products that could possibly contain fish oils or juices, like for example many Thai meals.

Oral Allergy Syndrome

Oral allergy syndrome is one of the fairly common food allergies that causes severe reactions to the mouth and throat. This syndrome is an allergic reaction to proteins in certain fruits and nuts and is more likely to develop in people who already suffer from pollen allergies, especially birch pollen.

The reactions can occur at any time of the year, however they are more likely to surface during the spring and summer when pollen cause problems for people with hay fever.

Symptoms of oral allergy syndrome:

• Tingling mouth
• A swollen tongue and possible throat
• Problems breathing
• Vomiting
• Abdominal cramps
• Possibly loss of consciousness or death

Continue to: Symptoms of Food Allergy