Identifying and Preventing Food Allergies

Research shows that 15 million Americans are living with food allergies. This affects 1 in every 13 children under 18 years old. There are approximately eight different foods that make up 90 percent of food allergies, which include: eggs, peanuts, milk, wheat, soy, shellfish, fish and tree nuts. Natural allergy testing and treatment is offered by Naturopathic and alternative medicine practitioners. If you are worried about food allergens, consult with a naturopathic doctor to determine the best course of action.

Life is More Difficult

Living with food allergies isn’t always easy, especially with trace amounts of food allergens being found in many everyday foods. It’s important to consistently read ingredient labels to ensure there are no allergens in the product. Eating out is another problem that people have when dealing with food allergies.

Symptoms of Food Allergies

The reactions people have to food allergies is a bit different than those who have seasonal allergies. Consuming a food item with even slight trace amounts of an allergen can result to lip swelling, anaphylaxis and/or hives. In severe cases, it can even lead to death. If you notice rashes, itchiness, swelling or difficulty breathing after eating, you could be having an allergic reaction.

Proactively Identifying Food Allergies

Other than seeking out natural allergy testing and treatment, there are steps you and your family can take. Here’s a quick guide to assist you:

1. Stop eating processed foods. Now is the best time to start cleaning up your diet. Begin eating more whole foods, like grains, vegetables, lentils and fruits. No more fast food, processed or packaged foods (unless they show one or so ingredients). This is the best way to know exactly what’s in your food.
2. Eat plenty of probiotics to help heal your gut. Bone broth is also said to help with this. Eating a lot of carbs, sugar and artificial sweeteners and flavors wreaks havoc on our stomachs.
3. Rotate your meals, so that you’re not eating the same thing week after week. Bludgeoning your body with a single food increases opportunity to induce a food allergy. Rotating your menu can also maintain your interest in eating healthy.
4. Have natural allergy testing performed, and then ask about available treatment options, such as SLIT.

As you are rotating the different foods, watch out for signs of reaction. Determine which food is new that could be causing it, then eliminate it. A naturopathic doctor can also be helpful in determining this by simple process of elimination.