Food Allergies and Causes

In the treatment of food allergies, it is important to know the difference between a food intolerance and a true food allergy. This is sometimes difficult as both of these problems can have some of the same food allergy symptoms. As a general rule, the food intolerance will allow for some consumption of the food in question with out causing a problem. But the true food allergy will not allow for even the smallest amount of ingestion of that food with out a reaction.

A very good example of this is the common problems that many people suffer with lactose intolerance. Someone with lactose intolerance has a lack or even a deficiency of the enzyme lactase. This is the enzyme that will normally break down the sugar lactose. When someone with a reduced amount of the enzyme consumes the milk or milk products, the symptoms will develop very quickly. But this is not considered a true food allergy because the immune system is not involved.

To treat the food allergy symptoms and the food intolerances, it is very important to first determine what the suspect foods are. If the reactions are not real severe, some physicians will recommend keeping a food diary. This is to be kept for two to three weeks, listing foods and reactions to any food that is suspect. These foods can be then eliminated from the diet for a few weeks, then re-enter-deuced back into the diet to see if a reaction does indeed occur. This elimination diet is not recommended by all physicians because various things can influence the outcome. For example, the reaction may occur just because the person thinks a reaction should occur.

For the more severe reactions, the physician may also recommend food allergy testing with a skin test. This is usually done on either the back or the forearm. The blood test, called the RAST, radioallergosorbent test, which checks the blood for antibodies against certain food items. If the tests results are proven to be severe enough, the physician may require the person to be prescribed a epinephrine auto injection device. Great results have been proven with the EpiPen JR and the EpiPen.

A few other things to help is the addition of cookbooks unique to the specific food allergy or food intolerance. This will give recipes and also suggestions for substitute food ideas. This will help learn to cook allergy free food. Learn to read the food labels and to know the different alternative names of foods. For example, someone who is allergic to eggs will need to avoid the foods with the ingredients containing egg whites and albumin. Sodium caseinate, nougart, casein and lactoglobulin should be avoided if you are allergic to milk.