Seafood allergies occur when your body mistakes shellfish or fish as threatening to your survival and creates autoimmune responses to rid your body of the substance. Symptoms include nasal congestion, hives, difficulty breathing and swelling of the throat. Your doctor can prescribe antihistamines and epinephrine injections to help you better manage your symptoms or prevent death resulting from a severe seafood allergic reaction. However, it is best to learn how to avoid fish or shellfish foods or seafood-containing foods to prevent a potentially life-threatening situation.
Diagnosis
Some people are allergic to all types of fish and shellfish. However, other people are only allergic to fish or only allergic to shellfish. Furthermore, some people are only allergic to certain types of fish or shellfish. Ask your doctor to perform allergy testing to ensure you are aware of which types of fish and shellfish you must avoid.
The Usual Suspects
If your doctor concludes you are allergic to all fish, avoid eating all types of fish, including trout, carp, catfish, red snapper, tuna, salmon and cod. If your doctor derives from your test results that you are allergic to all types of shellfish, abstain from eating any kind of shellfish, including crab, shrimp, mussels, crawfish, lobster, scallops, oysters and clams. However, if your doctor finds that you are only allergic to one type of fish or one type of shellfish, abstain from eating that one type unless your doctor suggests you restrict consumption of more that one type based upon other fish or shellfish sources she suspects might also initiate allergic reactions.
Hidden Culprits
Imitation shellfish manufacturers might use real shellfish to flavor products, notes Cleveland Clinic. So, read the label before eating any food. Additionally, avoid fried foods at restaurants, as they may use the same oil to fry fish or shellfish dishes they do for french fries, chicken strips or onion rings. Avoid Asian restaurants if you have a known fish allergy, as some restaurants use fish sauce to flavor dishes. Finally, abstain from eating at seafood restaurants. Although your food might not come in direct contact with seafood, shellfish proteins can become airborne and provoke allergic reactions if you inhale the proteins, according to the American Dietetic Association.
Warning
Do not try to use avoidance of seafood or seafood-containing foods as your sole treatment for a seafood allergy. Speak with your doctor about prescription and over-the-counter treatment options for your condition. Additionally, regularly read nutrition labels on all foods you buy. Food manufacturers can change ingredients without notice, which can leave you vulnerable to experiencing a life-threatening, seafood-related food allergy at any time.
Member Comments