Welcome to our food allergy resource web site. Our goal is to share information, raise awareness, provide resources and everyday advice on food allergy issues. We would like to be a one stop resource for food allergy sufferers and those who just would like to learn more. Beyond covering the basics, we would like to explore connections with other diseases, offer networking and advice and showcase good examples for food allergy friendly practices. Let's start with the basics.

What is a food allergy (FA)?

A food allergy is an immune system response to a food that the body considers harmful. Once the immune system decides that a particular food is harmful, it creates specific antibodies to it. The next time the individual eats that food, the immune system releases massive amounts of chemicals, including histamine, in order to protect the body. These chemicals trigger a cascade of allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, or cardiovascular system. Scientists estimate that approximately 12 million Americans suffer from true food allergies.

What are the common symptoms of a reaction?

Symptoms range from a tingling sensation in the mouth, swelling of the tongue and the throat, difficulty breathing, hives, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, drop in blood pressure, and loss of consciousness to death. Symptoms typically appear within minutes to two hours after the person has eaten the food to which he or she is allergic.

What is the best treatment for food allergy?

Strict avoidance of the allergy-causing food is the only way to avoid a reaction. Reading ingredient labels for all foods is the key to maintaining control over the allergy. If a product doesn't have a label, allergic individuals should not eat that food (easier said than done...). If a label contains unfamiliar terms, shoppers must call the manufacturer and ask for a definition or avoid eating that food. Because of this, people with food allergies, especially life threatening allergies, have very strong limitations when it comes to buying groceries, eating out and attend social events. While there are no solutions yet available to treat food allergies, certain supplements can promote and calm your immune system. More about food allergy management options here.

What is the best emergency treatment for a food allergy reaction?

Epinephrine, also called "adrenaline," is the medication of choice for controlling a severe reaction. It is available by prescription as a self-injectable device (EpiPen® or Twinject®).

It is important to understand that the Epi is not a routine, daily treatment for food allergy but an emergency medication to save a life in case of an anaphylactic shock. It requires hospitalization and follow up, because of potential complications.

Disclaimer: This site is for informational purposes only, we do our best to reflect current medical findings and research but we are not a medical authority. Always check with your medical provider for any health related issues.