How to Manage Food Allergens

About one in 25 people has a food allergy. Most people develop food allergies early in life, and many even outgrow them over time. Food allergies happen when your immune system reacts to a substance in a food that your body views as harmful. This sets off a sequence of events within your body. Allergy symptoms can occur within minutes and can be mild to severe, or even life-threatening in the case of anaphylaxis. More than 160 food allergies are known, but only eight foods cause 90 percent of all food-allergic reactions. These are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soybeans and wheat.

Instructions

• 1

  Know the symptoms. Food allergy symptoms usually appear within a few minutes. However, some may take up to two hours after a person has been exposed to the allergen to show. Allergic reactions can include: hives, flushed skin or rash, tingling or itchy feeling in the mouth, facial swelling, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, coughing or wheezing, dizziness, swelling of the throat or vocal cords, difficulty breathing or loss of consciousness.

• 2

  Make an appointment with a registered dietitian (RD). An RD is a nutrition expert that can help you recognize which foods are safe to eat and how best to avoid foods that may cause a reaction. An RD can also help you fill the nutritional gaps left from removing allergens from your diet.

• 3

  Learn about ingredients in food. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has mandated that food companies specify on product labels if any of the eight major allergens is found in the food. If you have an allergy other than one of the eight, an RD can show you how to read ingredient labels further. This is important since many allergens go by more than one name.

• 4

  Always read the ingredients listed on labels because manufacturers can change product ingredients without notice. Be aware of ingredients in cosmetic products as well, since these may contain common allergens such as milk, egg, wheat and nuts.

• 5

  Ask questions. When eating out at a restaurant, notify the server of your allergy and ask that special care be taken when your food is prepared. This is important since many foods are prepared on the same surfaces or using the same utensils, which can lead to cross-contamination. Cross-contamination can lead to allergens ending up in dishes that should not have them.

• 6

  Inform others of your food allergy, so they can know what to do if you have a reaction. Raising awareness can also help lower your risk of exposure to allergens. If others know you have an allergy, they are likely to consider this when bringing dishes to functions.

• 7

  Have a plan. Mild allergy symptoms may become more severe if not treated promptly. Carry your epinephrine auto-injector with you at all times. An epinephrine auto-injector is a medication injected during emergencies to treat very serious allergic reactions. Examples of epinephrine auto-injectors are Epipen and Twinject. Serious complications may be avoided if epinephrine is administered during the early symptoms of anaphylaxis. If symptoms progress, call 911, or go to an emergency room immediately.