If you suspect you are allergic to one or more foods or may be sensitive to ingredients or components of common menu choices, we encourage you to discuss food allergy testing with your healthcare provider. Testing can help you get a confirmed diagnosis and then a treatment and management plan in place.
What Are Food Allergies?
Food allergies are the body’s overreaction to ordinary substances in the immediate environment. People suffer from allergies due to things they inhale, such as smoke or pollen, things they touch, such as fabrics and pet dander, and things they ingest, such as various foods and additives.
Allergic reactions take different forms. Some frequent ones are:
- Hives and other itchy skin rashes, such as dermatitis
- Nasal congestion
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Watery eyes
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headache
Unfortunately, some people experience what doctors call anaphylaxis. A very severe allergic reaction, anaphylaxis can be life-threatening, involving:
- Shortness of breathing
- Throat and chest tightness
- Lightheadedness and vertigo
- Fainting
- Respiratory and cardiac arrest
In short, this type of allergic reaction requires immediate administration of epinephrine and a trip to the nearest hospital emergency room.
Your primary health care provider may test you in the office for food allergies or refer you to a specialist. Most food allergies can be revealed through skin prick testing, in which a miniscule amount of a probable allergen (such as eggs or peanuts) is placed under the skin. The healthcare provider inspects the test areas for raised red bumps, which indicate a positive allergic reaction.
Foods people of all ages can be allergic to are:
- Eggs
- Milk
- Soy
- Sesame
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Fish
- Shellfish (crustaceans, such as shrimp)
What Are Food Sensitivities?
Often, people believe they are allergic to certain foods when in reality they are sensitive to certain proteins contained within the foods and/or to ingredients or additives. Lack of certain enzymes, such as lactase, creates sensitivities on a continuing basis.
Sensitivity reactions can be mild, moderate, or severe. Typical symptoms that can alert you and your primary care physician that you may be sensitive to certain foods or ingredients are:
- Stomach pain
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Heartburn
Examples of foods or ingredients that cause people sensitivity reactions include:
- Gluten, a protein in wheat, rye and barley
- Dairy products (which naturally contain lactose)
- Food dyes, such as yellow #5
An individual who believes they have food sensitivities can use a journal to detail food choices and reactions after consuming them. Also, many people meticulously eliminate one food at a time from their diets and document if they feel better–that is, notice a decline in their symptoms. The elimination diet takes persistence and patience; however, for most people, it provides helpful information on what they can and cannot safely eat.
How Can I Successfully Navigate Dietary Restrictions?
People with food allergies and sensitivities benefit from restricting suspect food choices. To do this successfully, they must read food packages carefully to see if products contain ingredients they will react to. Examples include peanuts, soy, wheat, food dyes, monosodium glutamate, and others.
Also, when in a restaurant, it’s important to question the server on how dishes are prepared. You can let them know about your condition, so the chef can cook your meal away from contaminated surfaces and utensils, which may contact peanuts, dairy products, or whatever may provoke an allergic or sensitivity reaction.
Allergy Testing in Orlando, FL
To learn more about food allergies and sensitivities, we recommend you arrange a consultation with your healthcare provider at Premier Physician Support Services. You can discuss the need for testing and also ways and means to eat well without reactions.
Call us for an appointment at our Orlando office at (407) 735-2114. Or, request your visit online. We look forward to seeing you soon.