The best treatment for food allergies is to AVOID eating foods that you know cause an allergic reaction in you or your child. Planning meals is the easiest way to be sure that your family stays healthy and safe.

2. Do I have to be tested to be sure I have a food allergy?

Even though you strongly suspect a food allergy or sensitivity, it is best to be tested.

3. I just feel tired all the time, could this be a food allergy?

Food reactions can cause many symptoms that are similar to those experienced by people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.(1) These symptoms include joint pain, chronic pain, cognitive disorders, digestive disorders, acne, depression and anxiety.

4. I’ve heard that fast food is bad for people with food allergies. Is that true?

The seven most common foods that people have reactions to include wheat, milk, sugar, soy, peanuts, corn and eggs.(2) These foods are common ingredients in many prepared and processed foods. Eating convenience foods on a routine basis constantly exposes the immune to system to these potential allergens. For example, even if you did not eat whole corn today, you may have consumed corn products found in high fructose corn syrup, corn oil, catsup, margarine, salad dressings, candy, bread and sodas. To properly perform an elimination diet, you must be able to read food labels and identify potential sources for the reactive food.

5. What is a rotation diet?

A rotation diet is a system of controlling food allergies by eating biologically related foods on the same day and then waiting at least four days before eating them again. Rotation diets may help prevent the development of allergies to new foods. Any food, if eaten repetitively, can cause food allergies in allergy-prone individuals or people with “leaky guts.”

6. My child has severe eczema, could food be a cause?

According to research conducted by the Mayo Clinic, children with eczema often suffer from food allergies as well. It is difficult to know for sure however if the food allergy actually causes the eczema.