Common Food Allergies
A great number of people suffer from common food allergies. Research shows that approximately 1.5% of U.S. adults and 6% of all children under the age of three are affected by these allergies.
The FDA has initiated laws that mandate if a product contains one of the eight most common foods causing allergies, it must be noted on the label.
These 8 Most Common Food Allergies Are:
Milk
Eggs
Fish
Wheat
Tree nuts
Peanuts
Soybeans
Shellfish
Ninety percent of all common food allergies involve proteins from these eight foods.
People most susceptible to common food allergies are those who have a family history of hay fever, asthma, or eczema.
What Is An Allergy?
An allergy is an immune system response to what it perceives as a threat to the body. This is actually a malfunction of the immune system. With common food allergies, the invader is a protein of the food group in question - the immune system responds by producing the immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody.
Food Allergy Symptoms
Swelling, hives, sniffling, wheezing, gastro-intestinal problems such as diarrhea, and cramps are among the reactions to a food allergy.
Within the first half hour the possibility exists for the person to have such a bad allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) that airways are constricted, blood pressure is dramatically lowered and suffocation is caused by the swelling of the throat, causing death.
Food Allergy Diagnosis
Most common food allergies are diagnosed by a skin or blood test. The skin is pricked and exposed to the food protein in question, and if a bump or hive develops on the spot, the allergy is confirmed. A blood test, when taken immediately after an allergic reaction, can reveal the presence of the immunoglobulin IgE antibody, also confirming diagnosis.
Food Allergy Treatment
The treatment for all of the most common food allergies is a diet free of the food and any products containing the food. Soy, dairy, and peanut allergies are the most common food allergies in children and may disappear as the child grows older.
A food allergy that strikes an adult is there for life. Sometimes common food allergies are confused with an intolerance for the food which, while it may produce some of the same symptoms, does not involve the body’s immune system and cannot cause death.
The Most Common Allergies For Adults Are:
• Shellfish (lobster, crabs, shrimp, etc.)
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts
• Fish
• Eggs
The FDA is currently working with food manufacturers to make labeling even more specific, because some foods such as gluten, wheat, corn and others can appear in an ingredients list under several other names.
Manufacturers also sometimes use the same machines to process several different foods, which can leave trace amounts of an allergy-causing food in one which people think is safe.
What To Do If You Suspect You Have A Food Allergy
If you suspect an allergy to milk, eggs, fish, wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, soybeans, shellfish, corn, tomatoes, yeast, strawberries or any other food, talk to a medical health professional and try to get an appropriate diagnosis.
The first step often involves stopping consumption of the questionable food for a couple of weeks and then reintroducing it to see if allergy symptoms disappear and then reappear. The skin and blood tests can follow.
Many doctors are not familiar with the diagnosis of common food allergies, so it may be necessary to change doctors or see a specialist (allergist) to get a proper diagnosis.
Food allergies often take a substantial amount of time, even years, before a correct diagnosis is found. The key is to be pro-active and persistent as you are the only one who is experiencing these symptoms.
All common food allergies can appear differently in each individual. It will be worth persisting, however, because once the offending food is eliminated from your diet, you will feel a lot better and be able to lead a more productive life.