Ever had that queasy feeling after a sumptuous dinner earlier in the evening? Would it help to be aware of the difference between food allergy and food poisoning?  In fact there are many differences between food allergies and food poisoning. Food poisoning usually occurs when food is not completely cooked and becomes somehow tainted. When you’re allergic to a specific food, you can’t consume that food no matter how it’s prepared.

Food allergy symptoms are very similar to any other allergic reaction. Within 15 minutes after eating, the indicators are most likely to show up.  Food allergy symptoms are as follows: itching, swelling of the mouth, swelling of the throat, breathing problems, digestive problems, nausea, diarrhea, and stomach pain.  Hives, eczema, and asthma are also symptoms of allergies.

If you have swelling of the mouth and throat, you need to seek the immediate attention of a health care professional to take a food allergy test. Severe food allergy is manifested through difficulty in breathing and chest tightening and it needs to be attended to straight away.  This could be potentially fatal if left untreated.

Common foods that bring about allergies are peanuts, gluten, shellfish, soy, dairy, corn, tomatoes, or eggs. To avoid further complications, avoid having nuts on your foods when you prepare meals for a number of people.  Make vegetarian as well as gluten-free versions of everything you create.

Getting tested for food allergies is the safest and most accurate way of knowing if you truly have an allergy or not. A test for allergy is 100% pain free but you have to complete the process in due time. There are two main types of tests - one is a skin test where they prick your skin and the other is RAST testing, where they evaluate your blood sample.  Skin testing has been known to be the best and you can have them in an allergy relief center.

Skin testing has been used for hundreds of years and is the test of choice worldwide. The test will begin by performing a prick, scratch, or puncture with a very small needle. It bleeds a little - just enough for the allergen to enter the skin.

After you’re scratched with the needle, a combination of chemicals with the allergen included is placed in the microscopic cut. Your skin commonly reacts after 10-15 minutes.  A positive allergy test can be spotted by a red bump that’s itchy - sort of like a bug bite.

If you’re found to have a food allergy, you have to remember to always ask if the food that you’re allergic to is in anything you are about to eat.  Check the labels on any and all products at the grocery store and read the ingredients for allergy prevention.

If you have children, also get them tested – food allergies have been known to pass from one generation to another genetically.  Let your child’s teachers know what you’re allergic to as well as what your child is allergic to just to be on the safe side.

 


Related Blogs

Tagged with: • • •

Filed under: Allergies

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!