Have you ever felt a burning sensation while eating spicy food or a stomach ache after eating eggs or wheat? If yes, then it might be an indicator of Food allergies.

Most people may experience these food reactions from time to time. Sometimes even the good foods can turn out to be bad for your body.

A food allergy may feel like a bone stuck inside your throat. Most of us are allergic to one food or the other. What’s common is the unpleasant and disturbing experience a food allergy brings along.
People these days often experience food allergies. The evolutionary changes in the immune system are often linked to modern living and lifestyle changes.

A food allergy occurs due to an abnormal response by your immune system to a particular food. Most food allergies occur in childhood.  However, these allergies can also occur in adulthood.
When you eat something you are allergic to, your immune system may overreact to it. As a result, you might get a mild skin rash or itchy eyes. Moreover, in severe cases, a severe reaction may leave you gasping for breath.

A food allergy can happen within minutes of eating, or it may happen hours later. When an allergy happens, you could get:

• Red, swollen or itchy skin rash

• Runny or stuffy nose

• Red or itchy eyes

Therefore, it is essential to know about all the foods that are causing these symptoms. Interestingly, food allergies happen due to the daily food we eat. Read on to know about some of the most common foods that can trigger your immune system.

The most common types of food allergies are::

Eggs:

Eggs are considered among the most common allergy-causing foods, especially among children. The symptoms of this allergy usually occur a few minutes to a few hours after eating eggs or food containing eggs. The symptoms may include skin inflammation or hives, nasal congestion, nausea, and vomiting.

Additionally, people with egg allergies can also develop anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition that impairs breathing and sends the body into shock.

Why does this allergy occur?:

When a person with egg allergy is exposed to eggs, proteins in the egg might trigger a person’s immune defense, leading to a reaction that can be mild or severe. Your immune system may overreact to proteins in egg white or yolks. Avoiding egg-related foods can change the shape of allergy-causing proteins.

Wheat:

Wheat allergy is an allergic reaction that may occur due to one of the proteins found in wheat. This kind of allergy is most common among children. Although, children with a wheat allergy may outgrow it by reaching ten years of age. Moreover, this allergy can also occur in adults.

Some people can experience an allergic reaction when they inhale wheat flour. Wheat allergy may result in digestive distress, hives, vomiting, and in severe cases, anaphylaxis. The symptoms of food allergy usually occur within minutes or hours after consuming wheat.

What causes wheat allergy?:

Wheat allergy is caused by hypersensitivity to certain proteins found in wheat. Hence, children or adults suffering from wheat allergies should avoid wheat and wheat-containing products.

Shellfish:

You may have a shellfish allergy if you develop hives or stomach aches after eating crabs or shellfish. Shellfish are considered among the most common food allergens. Shellfish include shrimps, prawns, lobsters, or squids. A shellfish allergy can occur if you eat any of these shellfish.

In this allergy, your immune system mistakenly identifies a certain protein in shellfish as harmful. As a result, your body may develop symptoms within minutes to an hour of eating shellfish.

This allergy may not tend to disappear over time. Hence, people with this condition should exclude all shellfish from their diet.

Soy allergy is uncommon in both children and adults. The allergy is triggered by a protein in soybean. Additionally, soy milk or soy sauce can also act as triggers for your immune system. The symptoms may range from an itchy mouth to a running nose.

With soy allergy, your immune system identifies certain soy proteins as harmful. These soy proteins act as allergens for your immune system and release some harmful chemicals that may cause an allergy.

Avoidance of soy is the best option for people with a soy allergy.

Peanut allergies can cause mild to potentially fatal allergic reactions. A study showed that this allergy affects almost 4-8% of children and 1-2% of adults. Peanut allergy usually occurs within minutes after exposure. The symptoms can include skin reactions, digestive problems, or running nose. 

When you eat peanuts or food containing peanuts, an allergic reaction may occur which can pose damage to your immune system. These chemicals may affect different tissues in your eyes, skin, nose and blood vessels.

Therefore, cutting down on peanuts is advisable if you have a peanut allergy.

If you suspect that you have a food allergy, you should consult your doctor immediately. Your doctor may perform several diagnostic tests to find out the cause of food allergy. These tests include:

• Dietary review: A detailed review of food eaten and its symptoms.

• Skin prick test: In this test, a small amount of food is pricked into the skin using a tiny needle. The test is done to monitor the reaction.

• Blood test: In some instances, blood tests will be undertaken to examine certain antibodies.

Therefore, cutting down on peanuts is advisable if you have a peanut allergy.

Treatment options:

The doctor will determine the best treatment for you based on the results of your diagnosis. Although, the best treatment is to avoid the food causing allergy. Besides this, a doctor can also offer other treatment plans for you.

For a minor allergic reaction:

Over-the-counter medications may help in case of minor allergic reactions.

For a severe allergic reaction:

In case of severe allergic reactions, you may need an emergency injection. When allergy symptoms are severe and cannot be controlled by medications, injections are recommended.

Preventive measures:

Besides the above-mentioned treatment options, you should also follow certain precautionary steps in your daily life.

• food labels carefully to avoid exposure to common food allergens.

• At restaurants or social gatherings, be mindful of resting anything, especially if you have food allergies.

• If you are allergic to any kind of food products, better avoid those

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