Guest Post: "Most Common Food Allergies" By Tina Rose

Most Common Food Allergies
By Tina Rose

These days, food allergies seem to be the media darlings of the health world. And with good reason. According to the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FANN), they affect as many as 15 million Americans – and can cause a wide range of symptoms, including mild rashes, itching, wheezing and even death.

Of course, all foods have the potential to cause allergic reactions, but there are some serious offenders in our midst. In fact, according to FANN, only eight of the world’s food sources account for 90 percent of all food-allergic reactions. They include:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Soy
• Wheat

So, what happens when you’re affected by a food allergy?

Basically, your immune system thinks that the offending food is harmful to your body. In an attempt to protect itself, your immune system will produce antibodies and release those chemicals into the blood stream, which then cause an allergic reaction – such as a rash, bloating or wheezing. This reaction will then likely occur each time you eat the food (or if you’re severely allergic to the food, touch or inhale particles of the offending item).

To ensure that 1) you’re actually allergic to the item and 2) that you can treat the allergy quickly and effectively when impacted, there’s no substitute for a trip to your allergist’s office. He or she can use one of several testing options to not only determine exactly what it is you’re allergic to, but to also determine the severity of your allergy. Once you know the results, your doctor can give you advice on treating your allergy with over-the-counter medication or give you a prescription to use on an as-needed or in-case-of-emergency basis.

Unfortunately, at this time there is no cure for food allergies. If you really want to make sure you’re safe and healthy and avoid any kind of allergic reaction is to avoid the allergic food altogether. You’ll always feel better that you did.


Tina Rose writes for RealAge.com, a health and wellness website focusing on what causes allergies and health tips to help you live life to the youngest.

FoodAllergyTalk.com would like to thank Tina Rose and RealAge.com for this wonderful writing. It's always a good idea to go over the basics of food allergies--and especially helpful for those just getting diagnosed!

For information on RealAge.com click here!