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What Does A Food Allergy Feel Like

Youre Always Tired Or Feel Like You Have Brain Fog

Why Are So Many People Allergic To Food?

Do you struggle to get up and out of bed each morning?

Or maybe you feel foggy and tired each afternoon, clutching to an extra cup of coffee to help you stay awake.

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of food sensitivities, and its caused by of the inflammation your body experiences when specific foods provoke your immune system. Think about how you feel when youre fighting a cold or the flu your body may be achy and its not unusual to feel exhausted! This is no different than when your immune system is triggered by foods in your diet.

The fastest way to identify whether specific food triggers are causing your fatigue is to do the elimination phase of an elimination diet. An elimination diet removes the most allergenic foods from your diet for 11-21 days, and it only takes that long for your energy to significantly improve if your fatigue has indeed been caused by food sensitivities. If youve been struggling with fatigue, completing an elimination diet is a great approach to help you identify the underlying cause of your low energy and to rediscover your vitality!

You Know That A Meal Rich In Onions Or Garlic Gives You Gastro

Some of the most common food triggers of digestive stress are onions and garlic.

This is because they are so commonly used to add flavour, yet are also extremely high in FODMAPs. More specifically, both contain fructans that are known triggers in those who are a bit sensitive.

While its best to cut them out of your diet during the elimination phase of a low FODMAP diet, there are a few workarounds for flavour, including using garlic-infused oils.

Can You Tell The Difference Between A Food Allergy And A Food Sensitivity

With a food allergy, even one molecule of the offending foods protein can trigger a response. Your body will react as soon as the food is eaten. Thats why people with food allergies need to completely avoid foods they are allergic to.

Food intolerances can depend on how much is eaten and how often. People with food intolerances may not have symptoms when they eat a small portion of the food, or dont eat the food frequently. For example, if you have a sensitivity to dairy, having one small bowl of ice cream may not cause you any problems. However, theres a good chance you would wake up with diarrhea and brain fog after spending a night binging on Ben & Jerrys.

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Causes Of Shortness Of Breath Or Wheezing After Eating

Shortness of breath or wheezing after eating may be due to a variety of heart and lung problems, or to heartburn. It may also be a symptom of a severe food allergy reaction called anaphylaxis.

Which one is it? If you have food allergies, you shouldn’t just wait to find out, since anaphylaxis is potentially life-threatening.

Even if you don’t have known food allergies, you should treat difficulty breathing after eating as a medical emergency, especially if it’s accompanied by some of the other symptoms of anaphylaxis, which are described below. Don’t wait to seek emergency medical care.

Here’s a rundown of the potential reasons you might feel short of breath or begin wheezing following a meal.

Ellen Lindner / Verywell

Why Are Food Allergies Increasing

The Food Allergy Formula

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported a 50 percent increase in the number of children with food allergies since the late 1990s. Many theories have been suggested as to why the number of people with food allergies is growing, but scientific research has not yet found the cause.

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What Causes Food Allergies And Sensitivities

Researchers are not sure what the exact cause of food allergies is. However, they do know there is a strong hereditary or genetic connection. This is because the family members of people with food allergies often also have allergies. Food allergies arise from sensitivity to chemical compounds in food, but why the body reacts to some food proteins and not to others remains a mystery.

Your body develops food allergies after being exposed to what it thinks is a harmful food protein. Remember, your body creates antibodies to anything it believes is foreign or harmful. For example, if you are born with a peanut allergy, the first time you eat peanuts , your immune system responds by creating the specific antibody IgE that reacts to the peanut protein. If you eat peanuts again, your body recognizes it and releases the IgE antibodies and other chemicals, including histamine, in an effort to expel the protein invader from your body.

Treating Food Allergy Or Intolerance

The easiest way to treat a food allergy or intolerance is to eliminate the offending food/s from the diet. Sometimes, the body can tolerate the food if it is avoided for a time, then reintroduced in small doses, particularly for food intolerances. Before you eliminate or reintroduce foods, seek advice from a specialist doctor and dietitian.

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Food Allergy Signs And Symptoms

Food allergy signs and symptoms can range from mild tosevere and affect each individual differently. The amount of food necessary tocause an allergic reaction also varies widely from person to person. Allergysymptoms can occur within minutes of being exposed to food allergens or up toseveral hours later. Not every person will experience all symptoms of anallergic reaction, but common signs and symptoms include the following.

· Hives or eczema red, swollen, dry or itchyskin rash

· Runny or stuffy nose, sneezing or a dry cough

· Itchy, watery, red eyes

· Itchy or tingling mouth or inner ear

· Burning sensation on lips or in mouth

· Funny taste in the mouth

· Upset stomach, cramps, vomiting or diarrhea

· Squeaky voice or slurred speech

Signs and symptoms of a more severe allergic reactioninclude:

· Trouble breathing or swallowing

· Swollen lips, tongue or throat

· Feeling weak, confused or light-headed

· Loss of consciousness

· Chest pain or weak, uneven heartbeat

What Happens In A Food Allergy Reaction

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Most reactions happen pretty soon after eating a particular food. Everyone’s different, though. So although two people may have peanut allergy, for example, both may not have the same type of allergic reaction. And even the same person can have different reactions to a particular food, depending on factors like how much he or she was exposed to.

Reactions can:

  • be very mild and only involve one part of the body, like hives on the skin
  • be more severe and involve more than one part of the body
  • happen within a few minutes or up to 2 hours after contact with the food

Food allergy reactions can affect any of these four areas of the body:

  • skin: itchy red bumps eczema redness and swelling of the face or extremities itching and swelling of the lips, tongue, or mouth
  • gastrointestinal tract: belly pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
  • respiratory system: runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath
  • cardiovascular system: lightheadedness or fainting
  • Sometimes, an allergy can cause a severe reaction called anaphylaxis, even if a previous reaction was mild. Anaphylaxis might start with some of the same symptoms as a less severe reaction, but can quickly get worse. The person may have trouble breathing or pass out. More than one part of the body might be involved. If it isn’t treated, anaphylaxis can be life-threatening.

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    You Have Asthma Wheezing Or Other Respiratory Symptoms

    Asthma is a condition where your respiratory system is more reactive to certain stimuli like cold weather, exercise, and environmental allergens. Did you know that specific food triggers can also cause this reactivity? While the identification of your food sensitivities may or may not resolve your asthma or respiratory symptoms entirely, it can often lead to a significant improvement in your symptoms as evidenced bymedical research .

    Symptoms Of Food Allergy And Intolerance

    It can be difficult to tell the difference between the symptoms of food allergy and food intolerance. Usually, symptoms caused by food allergy develop very soon after consuming the food. While symptoms caused by food intolerance can be immediate, they may also take 12 to 24 hours to develop.Food intolerance reactions are usually related to the amount of the food consumed. They may not occur until a certain amount of the food is eaten, but this amount varies for each person.The symptoms of food allergy and intolerance can also be caused by other conditions, so it is important to see your doctor for a medical diagnosis.

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    Understanding The Basics Of Food Allergies

    Food allergies affect an average of 3 to 4% of adults in the United States, and that rate doubles when looking at children populations. A typical reaction to food allergies includes some type of an immune system response that causes your body to try and protect itself. What happens is your body registers the food as foreign. Your body believes that it needs to protect you from some type of invader. So, it makes you sick as a way to flush out the invader. This is what causes you to feel down, off, sore, or lethargic.

    This can happen as a reaction to any food or beverage that we drink. Your body is not trying to make you feel bad. Instead, it is trying to help you avoid feeling bad from the foreign substance. While many food allergies are able to be outgrown, some of them will be with you forever. The more severe the allergy, the longer you will likely have to face it. One of the most common food allergies that people face today is an allergy to gluten. This is commonly called Celiac disease. It takes any food with gluten in it and causes an immune reaction that leaves the person suffering with a gambit of symptoms. It is rare that people outgrow this allergy, as they are often exposed to gluten regularly.

    The Inflammatory Symptoms Of An Allergic Reaction Can Also Affect Your Respiratory System

    How to Prepare for a Food Allergy Test

    For starters, the airways to your lungs can grow larger, making it hard to breathe as usual. And this can be especially dangerous if you have asthma, a condition that results in already-inflamed airways. Other respiratory symptoms include wheezing, repetitive coughing, shortness of breath, and trouble breathing. For people with asthma, these symptoms can trigger an asthma attack.

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    What Is The Difference Between Food Allergy And Food Intolerance

    Food allergy is sometimes confused with food intolerance. Food allergies involve your immune system and can be life-threatening. An intolerance is when your body has trouble digesting a food. It can make you feel bad, usually with an upset stomach, but it is not life-threatening. The most common intolerance is to lactosewhich is a natural sugar found in milk.

    First Aid For Anaphylaxis

    For severe allergic reactions or anaphylaxis, emergency medicalattention is necessary. If someone you know experiences symptoms consistentwith anaphylaxis, call 911 immediately. Even if symptoms begin to improve, theycan sometimes return.

    Steps to take if an individual is experiencing anaphylaxis:

    · Call 911 immediately.

    · Locate an epinephrine auto injector and help them use it, if needed.

    · Try to keep them calm.

    · Help them lie on their back and raise their feetabout 12 inches off the ground.

    · Cover them with a blanket.

    · Turn them on their side if they are vomiting orbleeding.

    · Make sure their clothing is loose so they canbreathe easier.

    Epinephrine can greatly reduce the effects of a severeallergic reaction and help keep someone stable until they can be seen by amedical professional. So, the sooner epinephrine can be administered, thebetter. Avoid giving them oral medications, asking them to drink fluids or lifttheir head, especially if they are having difficulty breathing.

    After experiencing anaphylaxis for the first time, aphysician can prescribe an emergency epinephrine injector. Its a good idea toteach your close family members, friends or coworkers how to use the injectorin case of an emergency at home, work or in public.

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    What Are The Most Common Food Allergies

    While gluten may be the most common of the food allergies, it is not even close to the only food that can cause a reaction. Nut allergies are also common. An allergy to shellfish is another common food allergy. These are often severe food allergies, causing the most severe reactions. There are other common food allergies that often have lesser reactions. This can include things like grains, eggs, and dairy. Dairy is one of the food allergies that boasts one of the highest overcome rate out of most food allergies. It regularly affects children who grow out of it as they get older. If they do not completely outgrow it, then they often have lesser reactions as they get older.

    In truth, anything can cause a food allergy. You can be allergic to anything, so long as your immune system reacts when you come in contact with it. However, there are also foods out there that simply make you feel bad just for having eaten them. Things like fried foods can leave you feeling lethargic after eating them. This is because they are harder for your body to break down and get any nutrition out of. However, this is not considered a true food allergy. This is because the immune system does not kick in and respond.

    The 8 Most Common Food Intolerances

    What does asthma feel like to you?

    Unlike some allergies, food intolerances arent life-threatening. However, they can be very problematic for those affected.

    Food intolerances and sensitivities are extremely common and seem to be on the rise .

    In fact, its estimated that up to 20% of the worlds population may have a food intolerance .

    Food intolerances and sensitivities can be hard to diagnose due to their wide range of symptoms.

    This article reviews the most common types of food sensitivities and intolerances, their related symptoms and foods to avoid.

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    Think You Might Have A Food Intolerance Heres How To Figure It Out

    These days, more people are being diagnosed with conditions like Celiac’s than ever before. As awareness for the condition has risen, it’s resulted in more diagnoses and treatment for those who previously were just suffering without knowing why. We never even used to know that people could have gluten intolerances, a finding that has changed many people’s lives, too.

    But when everyone around you seems to be following a special diet, it’s easy to wonder if you fall into one of these categories yourself. We all know what it feels like to eat a big meal and have a total belly bomb after. Yet feeling like that every day is no way to live.

    If you’re experiencing symptoms of indigestion, nausea, insane gassiness, or just feel downright crummy after most meals, here’s how to figure out if you have a food sensitivity or intolerance.

    A sensitivity might make you uncomfortable or cause indigestion, but an allergy can be life-threatening. Both can cause nausea, stomach pains, excessive gas, and fatigue, but hives, a swollen throat, and itching or tingling of the lips are all signs you’re having an allergic reaction. “Symptoms are usually immediate and can be severe,”Sonya Angelone, R.D., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. If you think you may have an allergy, stay away from the problem food and visit an allergist to get tested ASAP.

    Differences Between Food Intolerance Vs Food Allergy

    Whilst food intolerance is your bodys reaction to an inability to digest certain foods, food allergies are very different and more dangerous. A food allergy is an immune system response to food elements that are, otherwise, harmless to others.

    When the body thinks a particular food is harmful, the immune system produces antibodies to fight off the allergen. It releases defensive chemicals, causing serious inflammation. On the contrary, food intolerance doesnt involve the immune system. It is simply the bodys way of telling you it cant digest a particular type of food.

    Here are the main differences between food intolerances and food allergies:

  • A food allergy is the bodys immune response to an offending allergen, whereas food intolerance doesnt involve the immune system.
  • Whilst food intolerances may cause severe discomfort, they are generally not life-threatening. Conversely, food allergies can actually be life-threatening and cause death.
  • Food allergy symptoms occur very soon after coming into contact with the specific food element. In contrast, food intolerance symptoms can surface only hours after ingestion.
  • In serious cases, food allergies can cause anaphylactic shock and even death. Its important to recognize the symptoms and seek medical help if you think you may have a food allergy. Symptoms include:

    • Swelling of the lips and throat
    • Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting
    • Dry, itchy throat and tongue
    • Coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing

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    Whats The Difference Between An Allergy And Intolerance

    Its easy to mistake a food allergy and a food intolerance. Both an allergy and an intolerance can cause you to have symptoms after eating that food.

    A food allergy happens when your immune system mistakes the proteins in certain foods for foreign invaders like viruses or bacteria. It launches an attack, triggering the release of chemicals that cause allergy symptoms like hives or shortness of breath.

    Only a small number of foods cause most food allergies. Some of these include:

    • peanuts and tree nuts
    • eggs
    • milk

    People who have a milk allergy dont react to the sugar in milk. They react to a protein in it.

    Unlike an allergy, intolerance or sensitivity to sugar doesnt involve an immune system response. Instead, your body has trouble digesting sugar. For example, people with lactose intolerance cant digest the lactose in milk.

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