Food allergies vs food intolerance

 

I just read an article in the newspaper about food allergies. Some of us have asthma, environmental allergies AND food allergies. 

 

About 1 in 13 people have food allergies. The problem is that many people confuse food allergies with food intolerance.

A true food allergy will involve a skin rash, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and tightness in the chest. People with a food intolerance, say to milk, will experience digestive problems and bloating.

Bloating and digestive problems won't cause  anaphylaxis, but a true food allergy will. If you have ever witnessed one (as I have with Son #1) it is extremely shocking. 

 

Not to mention the fact that it can kill you in a matter of minutes!

If you are confused about if a food you are eating is merely causing some annoying symptoms because you are intolerant, or that you are truly allergic, please contact an allergy doctor near you as soon as possible. 

 

True food allergies require you to avoid the food and carry an epinephrine auto-injector with you at all times. It's important to know what you are allergic to. But new food allergies can develop at any time - even to food you have eaten for years!

It's also a good idea to let friends, family and colleagues know about your food allergies. They should avoid making those foods if you are coming to dinner, but from personal experience, I have found that I need to remind family members about my food allergies - before EVERY family dinner. 

 

We make sure we can serve ourselves before there is any cross-contamination with serving utensils.

Since Son #2 is allergic to tree nuts, and I am allergic to seafood, we are always inspecting food before we eat. In fact, we just went out for ice cream cones, and amazing number of ice cream flavors contain nuts! So I asked the employee if she would get a new, clean scoop and use it to scoop Son #2's choice of ice cream first before she helped the rest of us. 

 

She was a little wide-eyed and scared, but I knew Son #2 would be okay. She just had to serve him first with a clean scoop, then  she could scoop out other flavors without having to worry about any cross-contamination.

Knowledge is powe. 

 

You can still eat out for dinner and at family parties, but know how to avoid your problem foods. Don't be afraid to ask questions about what is in a particular food dish, and let people know that you have a food allergy. You may need to be served first if the food you are allergic to is present.

Now I'm craving an ice cream cone, I think I'll stop by on the way home from work. One chocolate peanut butter scoop in a sugar cone please!