Food Allergy Management Tips

Health & Medical Blog

If you have developed the symptoms of food allergies, then it is important you work with an allergy doctor to determine exactly what foods you are allergic to. This is vital because your food allergies can worsen if you continually expose your body to the foods that it reacts negatively to. When taken to the extreme, food allergies can become a life-threatening problem. 

To effectively determine the cause of your food allergies and reduce your symptoms, here are some tips:

Tip: Have Allergy Testing Done to Determine What Foods You Are Allergic To

While your family medicine or general practitioner can treat some of the symptoms of food allergies, they are not equipped with the right knowledge or tools to determine what foods that are causing your negative reactions. Instead, you need to make an appointment with an allergy doctor who can perform special tests and get right to the root cause of your medical issues. 

There are two main types of allergy tests:

  1. skin tests
  2. blood tests

Skin testing is the most common and simplest method, while blood tests can also be performed once your allergist has an idea of the food groups they need to target. Skin testing is performed by placing a dot of liquid on your skin that contains a food item and then your skin is pricked with a small needle. Foods that you are allergic to will form a visible red bump. Once you have had the skin testing, then your allergist will order blood tests to further isolate the foods causing your allergy symptoms if it is necessary.

Tip: Keep a Food and Health Diary to Share With Your Allergist

Since your doctor can't be present with you all day and watch what you eat and it is hard to remember what you ate days ago, you should keep a food and health diary. In your diary, write down each of these things:

  • all foods you eat
  • all drinks you drink
  • all medication you take
  • how you feel
  • when you have allergic reactions

With a few weeks of diary entries, your allergist can often find patterns that will help determine what foods are a problem. Once they have a good idea what might be the issue, then they may ask you to modify your diet and continue your journal for a few more weeks. If your symptoms improve, then your allergist will have target foods to test.

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2 August 2017