Food Allergies

The trick to finding, cooking, buying or eating allergy free foods is to determine what foods is the cause of the allergic reactions. There is a large misunderstanding by some people between the food intolerance and the true food allergy. Many people suffer from problems with a food intolerance while very few suffer a allergic reaction, even though some of the symptoms are the same. One easy way to decide is if the body can tolerate even a small amount of the food, this is probably just a food intolerance, where as the body with an allergic reaction can not tolerate any amount, no matter how small. Once the foods are determined to cause a allergic reaction, check the food content on the labels. Never use any kitchen equipment after the allergic food has been processed in or with this equipment.

It is recommended to keep a food diary. This will help to determine what foods bother you with what reactions and symptoms. This will also help if the problem is severe enough to consult a physician. Being prepared to give the doctor a detailed description of the symptoms and reactions to food can also help the doctor. A family history may prove to be helpful also.

The food diary could also help to try the elimination diet. The suspect foods would be eliminated for a time period of a week or two, then to be re-entered into your diet one at the time. This is not a fool proof method as many of the physical and psychological factors could influence you or even trigger a non true allergic reaction.

Another method is the skin prick method. This is usually done on the fore arm or the back. The skin will be pricked to allow a tiny amount of the substance to be placed under the skin. A reaction or a bump under the skin will develop if you are allergic.

Another test method is the blood test. The blood sample can be drawn from you at the doctors office and sent off to a medical laboratory to check the blood for the amount of allergy antibodies known as the immunoglobulin E or (IgE). This test is to measure to immune system’s response to a particular type of food. This test is not 100% accurate.

Most children with food allergies will out grow some of them such as the milk allergy by the time they are three years old. But it is not unheard of to continue through adult hood and still have allergic reactions to milk, soy, eggs, especially the egg whites, and wheat. The nuts, including peanuts, pecans and walnuts along with other tree nuts may cause reactions. Fish and shell fish is another group to be careful of for allergic reactions.