If you have been diagnosed with a food allergy, you should avoid eating the food that you're allergic to, according to MedlinePlus. The severity of allergy symptoms will differ from person to person. If you notice that your allergy symptoms are minor, you may be able to tolerate small portions of the food that you're allergic to. Food allergies are commonly confused with food intolerances and needs to be diagnosed by your doctor. Food allergy symptoms will remain consistent no matter how much food is eaten, while food intolerance symptoms will increase the more you eat a food you're intolerant of.
Consideration
Eating a food that you've been clinically diagnosed as allergic to is risky. Although you may have not experienced severe reactions before, your body may react in an extreme manner unrepentantly. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology states that after eating a food you're allergic to the first few times may not provide a reaction. As you continue to eat that same food, the immune system builds a resistance towards it and may release an attack at any time. It is best to eliminate any foods that cause an allergy.
Food Allergy
Food allergies are common among children, leaving only 4 percent of adults diagnosed with a food allergy, according to MayoClinic.com. The most common foods that cause an allergic reaction are wheat, eggs, milk, soy, peanuts, nuts and fish. A food allergy occurs when your immune system reacts hypersensitivity towards the proteins in certain foods. The body mistakes the proteins in the food as an invading substance and begins to defend itself. The immune system releases different chemicals to fight off the proteins that cause common food allergy symptoms.
Symptoms
Most symptoms from a food allergy will appear within a few minutes of consuming the food. Your mouth may tingle or swell, followed by other common symptoms. MedlinePlus states that you may become short of breath, develop a cough and start wheezing. Your sinus cavity can swell, leading to sinus pressure pain, sneezing and nasal congestion. Your skin may become inflamed, irritated and itchy in or around your mouth. The digestive system may react by causing vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, cramping and stomach pain.
Treatment
If you experience anaphylactic shock, you may need an infection of epinephrine. If you have been diagnosed with a severe allergy, ask your doctor for a prescription of epinephrine. Other mild to moderate symptoms may be treated with an over-the-counter antihistamine, according to MayoClinic.com.
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