As an adult with food allergies, you’re keenly aware of the need to avoid the allergen that causes your body to react adversely. You don’t want to break out in hives or have difficulty breathing.
Although you may feel alone when you dine out at a restaurant and need to make your choices carefully, even querying the business ahead of time, you’re not alone. You’re in a group with millions of other adults.
Our board-certified allergists with Advanced Allergy & Asthma treat all types of allergies, including food allergies. We provide guidance on topics ranging from proper nutrition to avoiding pitfalls when eating out. When you have a reaction but aren’t sure what it’s from, we administer allergy testing to determine the cause.
You may see occasional articles in the news about food allergies in children, but food allergies in adults don’t get the same attention. Surprisingly, researchers estimate that food allergies affect a larger percentage of adults (10.8% of adults and 7.6% of children).
Some children with allergies outgrow them. However, if you had a peanut, tree nut, seed, fish, or shellfish allergy as a child, you’ll probably have it the rest of your life. The following are the most common adult allergens:
If you have any of these allergies, it’s important to stay vigilant and know how to manage exposure, as adult allergies can be severe and lifelong.
There are several reasons why the percentage of adults with food allergies is increasing.
First is the “hygiene hypothesis.” Living in a developed country with excellent sanitation, you’re exposed to fewer microbes than past generations. Your immune system isn’t exposed to as many potential threats as in past years, so your body may mistakenly identify a specific food as a threat.
The foods you eat, especially processed foods, contain numerous chemicals. You’re also likely to be exposed to many pesticides from applications to suburban lawns and golf courses. Various types of environmental pollution may be changing our immune systems.
Increased use of antibiotics may also affect your immune system and gut bacteria in such a way that your system perceives a common food as a threat.
Do you think you’re allergic to a food but aren’t sure about it? We administer both blood and skin tests to determine if you have a food allergy.
If the tests are inconclusive, you may take an oral food challenge. We give you a tiny amount of the food we think may cause an adverse reaction. You wait in our office for a prescribed amount of time to see if you react.
If there’s no reaction, we give you a slightly increased amount of the food and repeat the procedure. The process can take several hours, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Your Advanced Allergy & Asthma allergist provides customized guidance as you navigate life with food allergies. Your expert provider answers all your questions, presents strategies for eating outside the home, and provides Epi-Pens for your use in emergencies.
Call Advanced Allergy & Asthma or request an appointment through our online portal today at one of our two convenient offices in Ogden.
