HEALTHINFO@EarthyMe

During occurrences of allergy breakouts, we always look back to what we have last eaten. Our body have a natural means of telling us that there is something that is causing the attack. The rashes are more like an emergency light in this instance. There are varying other symptoms depending on individuals and the reason for the allergy attack. But for food allergies it is most common to experience having rashes, itchy skin to skin hives, which sometimes were quickly followed by headaches, dyspnea (difficulty in breathing), abdomina pain, vomitting, diarrhea. Depending on the rate of severity, it can cause more severe reactions like bronchoconstriction, (closure of airways) edema, hypotension, coma, and even death. Reactions can be triggered right after ingestion of the food allergen or can be delayed. It is advisable to have anti-allergy drugs inside your bag if you are prone to food allergies or have history of attacks. Severe reactions needs injection of epinephrine right away.

With such knowledge, we should be careful of what we take in. When eating out, we have to verify if the food served do not have an allergen that might give us untoward reaction. This is if we know specifically what causes our allergy attacks. If not so, we are to avoid foods that are allergenic.

Hypoallergenic Diet - Poultry; Egg; Seafoods like shrimps, shells (mussles and the like), squid, crab; Salmon family (Tuna and the like; and all food containing them (example of which is Leche Flan which contains egg, or Salads that have chicken).

Hypoallergenic Diet with No Food Additives - are more than just those food mentioned above. In addition to those (or in some cases apart from those above, patients only are allergic to food additives) are anything that makes your food unnatural. They are food chemicals that are often added in food especially those not prepared at home. Artificial colorings; artificial flavors; MSG (monosodium glutamate) mostly found in preserved and canned items and chips; sugar substitutes (aspartame in the form of Equal and its competitors or now added in sugar-free juices, biscuits, chocolates, icecreams; Sodium Nitrate/nitrite used in preserving meats like those frozen food found in the grocery, bacon, tocino. longganisa and the like; Potassium Bromate in some breads; and Sulfites that are mostly used in preserving fresh fruits and vegetables.