So what is a food allergy?

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DEFINITION
A food allergy is an abnormal response to a food triggered by your body's immune system. Allergic reactions to food can sometimes cause serious illness and death. Nuts are the leading causes of deadly allergic reactions called anaphylaxis (Medline Plus. n.d.).


TRIGGERS
In adults, the foods that most often trigger allergic reactions include:

• Peanuts
• Fish and shellfish, such as prawns (shrimp), lobster and crab
• Tree nuts, such as walnuts
• Eggs
• Soy bean
• Wheat.

Problem foods for children include:

• Peanuts
• Eggs
• Milk (especially in infants and young children).

Unfortunately food allergies cannot be cured, however if allergies are discovered in children, they can subside or completely disappear as the child ages. However this is not always the case.

To have food allergies identified the affected person needs to see a Specialist who conducts pin prick tests to determine causes of allergic reactions. There are a series of tests and time and patience is required. Keeping a food diary which records food consumed and reactions is a great way to discover and eliminate causes of allergies.

Sometimes a reaction to food is not an allergy. It is often a reaction called 'food intolerance'. Your immune system does not cause the symptoms of food intolerance. However, these symptoms can look and feel like those of a food allergy (Medline Plus. n.d.).

TREATMENT
Food-allergic reactions can range from mild to severe, and even fatal.  Epinephrine, aka adrenaline, is the first line treatment for severe allergic reactions or anaphylaxis (FAAN, n.d.). If adrenaline isn't given quickly the result is often death because the throat swells and the airway narrows, making breathing near impossible.

The adrenaline opens the airway immediately and saves the affected person's life. Many people with sever food allergies carry adrenaline in the form of an EpiPen. If you notice a person having a reaction to food,  ask them if they have an EpiPen on them so you can administer it.

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HOW TO USE AN EPIPEN: VIDEO

Video courtesy of http://www.youtube.com/user/onlineallergist?feature=CBQQwRs%3D

10 STEP GUIDE TO USING AN EPIPEN by FAAN (Food And Allergy Network)

1. "Unscrew the yellow or green cap off the carrying case and remove the EpiPen or EpiPen Jr auto-injector from its storage tube
2. Grasp the device with the dominant hand, with the black tip pointing downward
3. With the other hand, pull of the gray safety cap
4. Hold black tip near outer thigh
5. Swing and jab firmly into the outer thigh until it clicks. (The device is designed to work through clothing)
6. Hold firmly against the thigh for 5-10 seconds
7. Remove the unit from the thigh and massage the injection site for 10 seconds
8. Call emergency and seek immediate medical attention
9. Place the used auto-injector back in the storage tube and screw on the cap
10. Be prepared to inject a second time with another unused device in 5-10 minutes, if necessary".

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REFERENCES:
FAAN: The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.foodallergy.org/page/treating-an-allergic-reaction

Healthy Food Diet and Recipe (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.enyfoodcoop.com/healthy-tips/food-allergies/

How to use an EpiPen [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmGOcGYEU2k

Medline Plus: A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/foodallergy.html