7 Strategies to Prevent Food Allergy Emergencies
From:
Rachel Grumman
56 days 15 hours 57 minutes ago
If you’re one of the 12 million Americans with food allergies, they likely stem from just eight foods, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). Cow’s milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish are responsible for 90 percent of all food allergies which can range in severity from uncomfortable to deadly.
If you’re unsure if you’re one of those affected, of if you’re looking for ways to help you cope, follow these tips on how to prevent serious reactions and safeguard your health.
Get Tested
To find out which foods, if any, are problematic for you, have an allergist do a skin test. If you’re diagnosed with a specific food allergy such as peanuts or shellfish, you’ll know which edibles not to eat, thereby avoiding an allergic reaction. Keep in mind that some people are allergic to more than one food, according to the AAAAI.
Read Labels Carefully
 Most labels will list ingredients (including warnings such as “may contain peanuts”), according to the AAAAI. Even if it’s a product you’ve been using for years, the item’s ingredients or labeling can change so always check the label, according to the Mayo Clinic. If a product doesn’t have a label, don’t chance it by eating the food.
Ask Your Waiter
When dining out, ask your server how the dish is prepared and drive home the seriousness of your food allergy. If your server hesitates or doesn’t seem sure about the ingredients, have him or her to ask the chef. “When in doubt, clearly avoid the food,” says Jeffrey M. Factor, MD, an allergist at the Connecticut Asthma and Allergy Center in West Hartford, Connecticut.
Watch Out For Hidden Triggers
Meat slicers at delis are often used to slice both meat and cheese, so if you’re allergic to dairy, it could trigger a reaction. “Some people are highly allergic and even with minimal exposure they can have problems with certain foods,” says Eugene S. Hurwitz, MD, an allergist at Center for Allergy and Asthma of West Georgia in Atlanta. Also, even if a food is listed as “non-dairy” it may still contain milk by-products that can cause a reaction. Many snack foods are processed on machines that also process nuts, but will list that fact on the food label.
Find Substitutes
If you’re allergic to milk, soy and rice milk are good alternatives.  Steer clear of goat’s milk since most people who are allergic to cow’s milk react to goat’s milk as well, according to Dr. Hurwitz. At ice cream shops, opt for soft serve instead of hard ice cream where the scoopers can come into contact with peanuts, causing an allergic reaction.
Read the Signs Symptoms often strike almost immediately after eating the problematic food: tingling or itching in the mouth or throat, difficulty swallowing and/or swelling of the lips or tongue. “They may break out in hives or have breathing problems, such as tightening of the chest and shortness of breath,” says Dr. Factor. “Also, some may experience stomach pain, nausea and vomiting.”
Be Prepared for Emergency
If you’re severely allergic to a certain food, talk to your doctor about the Epipen, a shot that immediately administers epinephrine during a severe allergic reaction. “It not only reverses the symptoms and signs of an allergic reaction, but it also prevents it from getting worse,” explains Dr. Factor. Ask your allergist whether you need an Epipen and if so, when and how to use it (it should be on you at all times).
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