How common are food allergies?
True food allergies usually begin in the first or second year of life. About four percent of adults and up to eight percent of children have a food allergy. The foods that most often cause allergic reactions in adults include shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, milk, eggs, wheat and soybeans. For some people, an allergic reaction to a food is uncomfortable but not serious; for others, an allergic food reaction can lead to anaphylaxis.
Food allergy or food intolerance?
If your symptoms come from a food intolerance it means the immune system is not directly involved and reactions are not life threatening, though health and quality of life are usually affected. A common intolerance is lactose intolerance. While an allergic reaction is triggered by small amounts of a particular food, a food intolerance may occur only with a large amount of frequent consumption. Far more people have food intolerances than true allergies.
Food to avoid during pregnancy?
Avoiding highly allergenic foods during pregnancy is not necessary – unless you are allergic to these foods. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, avoiding certain foods in pregnancy does not prevent food allergies in children. However, breastfeeding may prevent or delay food allergies. Babies can have a reaction to a mother's breastmilk, but this is due to something the mother is eating.
Is it a true food allergy?
Unfortunately, many types of allergy testing can be inaccurate. At the Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center, we use Nutrition Response Testing. This is a clinically proven way to analyze the body for underlying causes of health issues. Patients with such issues often have symptoms that mimic food allergies. Nutrition Response Testing successfully helps many patients overcome the complaints caused by allergies, food sensitivity, immune disorders, chemical or heavy metal toxicity, vaccine damage or complications.
DoctorLo.com
Dr. Lo, at the Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center, has over 35 years of experience in his solo practice. He has received numerous proficiency certifications, including sports injuries, advanced activator methods, environmental stress management, low-level cold laser therapy and an advanced certification in clinical nutrition. He has helped countless patients identify what was thought to be an allergy as a symptom of an underlying cause, instead. In this article, he addresses a few common questions regarding food allergies.