May has been designated as Food Allergies Awareness Month due to the enormous number of Americans that are affected by allergies to food every year. In fact, it’s estimated that around 32 million Americans have a food allergy of some sort, and 200,000 people receive emergency medical care in the United States every year due to an allergic reaction to something that they ate.
What Are Food Allergies?
A food allergy is when your body has a reaction to a food that you ate. The body views the protein in the food as a foreign invader and will produce antibodies to attack it. That can cause a variety of symptoms, from a mild rash to trouble breathing, and in severe cases, it can even be life-threatening.
Is a Food Allergy the Same as a Food Intolerance?
Food intolerance is not the same as a food allergy. With food intolerance, your body has trouble digesting a certain food. That can cause symptoms like bloating, gas, or diarrhea. A food allergy, on the other hand, is an immune reaction to a food protein.
Is There a Food Allergy Cure?
There is no cure for food allergies, and the only way to prevent a reaction is to avoid the food that you’re allergic to. That can be difficult because oftentimes, you won’t know that a food contains the allergen until you have a reaction. That’s why it’s important to be aware of the most common food allergens and to always read food labels carefully.
If you think that you might have a food allergy, it’s important to see an allergist in California for testing. They can do a skin prick test or a blood test to see if you’re allergic to a certain food. Once they know what you’re allergic to, they can help you to create a plan to avoid the allergen and to be prepared in case of a reaction.
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