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The Guts About Food Allergies

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WHAT IS A FOOD ALLERGY?

A food allergy is when your body reacts to a food protein because it has mistaken that food protein as a threat. Symptoms can range from mild to life threatening.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FOOD ALLERGY AND FOOD INTOLERANCE?

A food allergy can sometimes be confused with food intolerance. Food allergies involve your immune system and can be life-threatening. An intolerance is when you body has trouble digesting a food. It can make you feel bad usually with an upset stomach, but it is not life threatening. People have to most common intolerance to lactose which is a natural sugar found in milk.

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON FOOD ALLERGIES?

More than 170 foods are known to cause food allergies, but eight foods account for 9 out of 10 reactions in the United States. They are milk, egg, wheat, soy, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, and fish

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF FOOD ALLERGY REACTION:

Hives or rash
A drop in blood pressure (a more serious reaction)
Vomiting
Trouble breathing (a more serious reaction)

Trouble breathing and a drop in blood pressure can be life-threatening. This is called Anaphylaxis, which is a serious allergic reaction. It can cause death if it is not treated immediately. Early use of epinephrine auto-injector is the primary treatment for anaphylaxis. Work with your allergist and talk about the Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan to be prepared in an emergency. A complete list of symptoms of a food allergy reaction and anaphylaxis is available at www.foodallergy.org/symptoms.

HOW MUCH FOOD DOES IT TAKE TO CAUSE A REACTION?

Even trace amounts of a food allergen can cause a reaction in some people with food allergies. Although eating it is the primary cause of a severe reaction, in some cases, skin contact or breathing in a food protein (e.g. steam from cooking fish) can cause symptoms

Source: www.foodallergy.org and FARE