It wasn’t a good feeling having an allergy to the food you just enjoyed eating. You may enjoy any food you wish to eat, but somehow some of it causes hypersensitivity that can be life threatening. The latest study of clinical review of food allergies stated that approximately 10% of the total population has food allergies. This abnormality can cause health problems and also, can be costly due to medications and treatments.
The combination of environmental and genetic factors are said to be the cause of food allergy. It was advised to pregnant mothers to include variety of foods in their diet, this is to give the infant a chance to develop antigens which is responsible to fight off allergens in utero. Furthermore, there’s one study that found out that ‘there is no evidence to recommend that women modify their diet during pregnancy or take any supplements such as probiotics in order to prevent food allergy in their children.’ Also, the researchers suggest that exclusive breastfeeding for 4-6 weeks is recommended for mothers of infants specially those that have a predisposition to food allergy within the family.
The following are the risk factors for food allergy according to a clinical review.
- Obesity – already being in an inflammatory state
- Genetics – hereditary family genes may increase your risk
- Ethnicity – there is an increased risk for male, Asian and black children compared to white children
- Prior skin rashes – having atopic dermatitis is a risk factor for food allergies
- Poor diet – low consumption of Omega-3s, low vitamin D, and low antioxidants
The rate of food allergy cases has been increasing as time passes. Yet, its reason of rising is still unknown. One possibility of this is that people are becoming more aware of the signs, resulting them to seek medical assistance to cure food allergy more frequent that before. Take a look of the following early warnings of food allergies.
6 signs of food allergy
Know that food allergies don’t always show visible signs right after eating a certain food. It takes two hours for some reactions to appear.
If the situation is unsure for food allergy, remain calm and try to examine yourself for the following symptoms. However if you have sign number 6, it is advisable to seek a doctor all at once.
Rashes and/or itchy skin
It is a sign of food allergy if there are appearance of redness and bumps on the surface of the skin that are also itchy. This may be an allergic response to something that touched the skin. If this happened, collect as much information as you can on the previous food you eat.
Itchy feeling in the mouth
If you had experienced scratching your tongue by rubbing it along the itchy roof of your mouth, and your tongue also itches, this is possible sign of food allergy.
Stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting
This might be quit alarming, if your body rejects the food you take that cause you to feel nauseous, and making you vomit, it could also be food poisoning and not just food allergy.
Swelling of the face, mouth, or tongue
Be cautious that swelling of the throat is something serious if the airway gets clogged. Ask medical assistance immediately and gather as much information about the food you eat earlier.
If it is a minor swelling without bright red color in the mouth, tongue or throat, supervise the food you’re eating. Also, observe the progress of swelling, if the swelling and redness reduces within 30 minutes, you may rest assure that it’s going to be fine.
Dizziness
Dizziness, lightheadedness or faintness may occur as a sign of food allergy after eating a certain food. It is also observable to have bluish skin or even turning pale and having a faint pulse because of dropping of blood pressure.
Breathing difficulty
Breathing problems may also be felt such as wheezing, coughing or tightening of throat which is the most threatening signs of food allergy. Anaphylaxis is what it is called to a severe allergic reaction which can be deadly. It is highly recommended to seek medical attention if you have difficulty in breathing, dizziness, a rapid pulse or the feeling of a lump in your throat.
On the other hand, if you don’t have breathing problems but still concerned, gather as much as you can about the food you previously consumed. If it is a processed food, it is the best that you have the packaging. If not, try to write down the name of the restaurant, time of day that you ate there and anything that you remember about the contents of the food. By doing this, you’ll have the important details ready for the doctor’s office when they ask about it.
Instead of avoiding the food you think causes you allergies, ask your doctor for a skin test to prove your allergy. Also, cooking suspected food can reduce their allergic potential.
The American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology stated that, “The most severe allergic reaction is anaphylaxis, a life-threatening whole-body allergic reaction that can impair your breathing, cause a dramatic drop in your blood pressure and affect your heart rate. Anaphylaxis can come on within minutes of exposure to the trigger food. It can be fatal and must be treated promptly with an injection of epinephrine (adrenaline).” This is why some people carry an Epipen ready to shot adrenaline in unexpected cases of this life-threatening food allergy. It is important to be watchful to food, whether it is processed, ordered in restaurants, or even on simple gatherings. For the parents whose child have food allergy, it is a must to give the caregivers a complete precautions about the potential food that causes allergies.
