People can develop allergies at any given point in their lives. And food allergies certainly aren’t unheard of; in fact 1 in 13 kids have it. Such allergies are the immune system’s reactions to the consumption of dishes that even have a minute amount of such foods. Symptoms of food allergies can range between mild and severe, and this article discusses the most common food allergies, their symptoms, and remedies.
Peanut allergy
A peanut allergy is among the most common ones, but with the most severe attacks. The quantity consumed and its reaction may vary from person to person. If a patient accidently consumes this food, they may experience skin redness, swelling, itching or tingling around the mouth, diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, tightening of throat, and shortness of breath.
The best way to deal with peanut allergy is to build tolerance towards peanuts. The process of desensitizing the body to an allergen is known as immunotherapy and that’s the best way to combat it.
Milk allergy
Milk allergies are common among children as well as adults. Swelling of lips, tongue, or throat, coughing, vomiting, runny nose, wheezing, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, shortness of breath, narrows airways, and blocked breathing are some of the symptoms than a lactose intolerant induvidual might experience.
Simple nutritional changes like having a little milk with other foods or limiting the quantity of milk to its byproducts can help build tolerance against the allergen. You can try having yogurt to balance the required calcium levels.
Egg allergy
This allergy usually takes a few minutes or hours to show signs. Fortunately, symptoms of an egg allergy rarely are life threatening. Common signs include skin inflammation, cramps, coughing, wheezing, runny nose, and sneezing.
Keeping an antihistamine or an EpiPen handy can ease the discomfort from an egg allergy. However, look out for symptoms that may be a sign of severe condition.
Shellfish allergy
Just like peanut allergies, this one is among the most common and can cause some severe symptoms, like dizziness, fainting, eczema, nasal congestion, breathing issues, and a swollen throat.
People who have discovered their allergens may carry emergency epinephrine to ease the symptoms from shellfish.
Wheat allergy
A wheat allergy can be caused by eating foods made using wheat or even by inhaling wheat flour. People who are intolerant to gluten may have mild to severe reactions on ingestion, such as headache, cramps, nasal congestion, hives, itchy skin, swelling, and tightening of the chest.
Natural remedies for wheat allergy include inculcating the habit of including probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, and natural herbs like ginger and turmeric in daily meals.
To increase the tolerance of the allergen, start with small quantities of foods you may be allergic to. It’s also wise to introduce your children to foods that you are allergic to at a young age so they develop some level of tolerance for the said allergen.
