Have you ever experienced an awful feeling after having had the most delicious dinner ever? Do you want to know whether you have a food allergy or whether it’s 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. Symptoms can appear within 15 minutes after you eat until up to an hour afterwards. 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. If you have the feeling of being unable to breath as well as a feeling of tightness in your chest, you could be suffering from a severe food allergy, which needs to be treated right 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. When preparing foods for a group of people where someone has a food allergy, keep all forms of nuts out of the meals that you’re creating. Create a vegetarian and gluten-free version of what you prepare.
Getting tested for food allergies is the safest and most accurate way of knowing if you truly have an allergy or not. Allergy testing needs your commitment beccause it is a process to go through but do not be afraid because all tests are proven to be painless. 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 opens up a little for allergens 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. What it takes is 10-15 minutes before your skin shows up any reaction. 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.
photo: news.sc
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