Thursday, January 22, 2009

Dealing With Food Allergies Through Simple Methods

By Chris Channing

Food allergies, depending on the specific type, have taken the gift of enjoying food away for vast amounts of people all around the world. Living with an allergy, knowing what triggers it, and how to keep it in check is key in living a normal life. Even with multiple food allergies, eating foods others do is still possible.

First to remember is that most food labels have allergen information on them. Still, some bakeries and food manufacturers have been known to accidentally include allergens without proper documentation. Always keep one's health above everything else, and be very cautious about visiting local bakers or food manufacturers that are more prone to accident than large companies.

The bulk of all food allergies are obtained at childhood, and they can be grown out of. There are only a handful of cases where there are permanent allergies to food. Permanent allergies are usually related to wheat and peanuts, although dairy is another category that has received much attention in food reform. As of yet, there is little that can be done to "cure" the food allergy- but there are certain types of medications that are able to help an attack if there should be one.

Food allergens won't put much of an impediment on one's eating habits, so long as they know how to shop for substitutes. There are soy substitutes for much of the products on the market today. Even peanut butter can be recreated to be allergen-free. And in the case of substitution for milk, sometimes soy milk is much healthier as a result, so the benefit is two-fold.

Luckily for those who suffer with permanent food allergies, there are places to obtain food and substitutes that are guaranteed to be safe and taste great. Most of the said resources are online- and products can be ordered to deliver within days. Some health food stores and large grocery store chains will also have some helpful sections on allergen-free foods, but don't expect to find the right solution without a little work.

It is relatively uncommon for an adult to outgrow or obtain a food allergen; most allergies are obtained and fixed or accepted in childhood. This isn't to say that it doesn't happen, so educating one's self on how to act in an emergency is important. One of the most famous examples is shellfish, which has been known to give adults allergen attacks even after they have been known to be free of any food allergens.

Closing Comments

A life with food allergens will be a bit more work to manage, but it isn't impossible to lead a very healthy lifestyle regardless. Substitutes and drugs are being created all the time to help those in need out. Consult a doctor for more information on dealing with an allergy. - 20896

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