If you, or someone in your family, has a food allergy or is intolerant to certain food, it can be difficult to know that you are buying the right food for them. Choosing the right sort of food may seem like a hard task but there is often help at hand to find the food that is most suitable for people who have allergies or intolerances.
One of the most important aspects when it comes to shopping properly for food allergy or intolerance is having your allergy or intolerance properly diagnosed. Dermacia pharmacy offers food intolerance tests for people suffering from food intolerances and sensitivity around different types of food at our allergy clinic. Food allergies can lead to symptoms such as constipation, asthma, IBS, weight gain, migraine and other issues.
We will test your sensitivity to food types including nuts, beans, cereals, fish, meat, fruit, vegetables,wheat, egg and milk amongst other foods. We offer a quick blood test with same day results.
If you are in any doubt, you’ll find that a registered dietician or nutritional expert will be able to point you in the right direction of what you should avoid and what you should add to your diet.
Food allergies can cause a negative reaction for many people
If you suffer from a food allergy, this is when certain types of food attack the immune system of your body. When it is faced with certain allergens, the body will produce a range of antibodies, which can cause immediate and painful reactions. People suffering from allergies will often find that they suffer from symptoms like skin hives, vomiting and a swelling of their lips and eyes. There are even some people suffer in extreme ways, such as having difficulties breathing or who suffer a drop in blood pressure, which is referred to as an anaphylactic shock. Some of the most common foods that people are allergic to include soya, wheat, milk, eggs and molluscs.
If you suffer from an intolerance to certain foods, it will not commonly affect your immune system, and the symptoms may not be as immediate or even as notably severe in the short term. However, food intolerance can still be damaging and it is important to know what you are doing with. Some of the symptoms that many people suffer from with food intolerance include problems with their digestive system, fatigue and headaches. One example of a food intolerance would be someone who is lactose intolerant. This means that a person is not able to digest the levels of sugar in milk and related dairy produce. One issues with food intolerance is that it can be harder to diagnose than an allergy to food. In fact, the only real way to determine if a person is suffering from a food intolerance is to complete remove that type of food out of their body and then check to see if their symptoms improve or get better. If there has been a notable improvement, there is a need to reintroduce that style of food into a person’s diet and then note if there have been any changes. If the symptoms return, it is likely that a person will be intolerant to that type of food. This sort of study should be undertaken in conjunction with a specialist or registered dietician, to ensure that the process is being carried out in the correct manner.
You don’t have to miss out on your favourite foods
Suffering from an allergy or intolerance can be a difficult thing for many people. It may prevent them from enjoying their favourite foods, which means that many people may feel as though they are missing out on fun and enjoyment. This is why there has been a growing range of foods introduced with people who suffer from allergies or intolerance in mind. There is a growing range of foods on offer which exclude milk, wheat or gluten. These foods are suitable for people who would normally react badly to these types of food. These foods are available in a range of products, including; breakfast cereals, bread, bakery items, pastas, soups, frozen meals, cooking sauces, seasonal foods, muffins, biscuits and cakes.
It is important to be aware that there is a huge range of food that do not contain foods that people are commonly allergic to or who have an intolerance. It is important for consumers to carefully read the ingredients of all packaging but you’ll find that many retailers and companies are working hard to make it easier to know foods can be bought safely and easily. Shopping can sometimes be stressful so receiving a helping hand to make the shopping process simpler for people who suffer from allergies will always be of benefit.
Another thing that it is important to be aware of when it comes to shopping and making food for people with allergies or intolerances is the fact that cross-contamination may occur. This is where you think that a food or product is entirely free from the items that cause a negative reaction in your body but may be contaminated from other sources. You should always check the ingredients before buying foods if you are in any doubt and when you prepare food at home, you should take steps to ensure that the product is not being contaminated in any way by other products. This can sometimes cause problems, especially if you are carrying out tests to see what foods are safe for a person to eat.
Store your food separately
This includes the storage of your grocery items and food. You will want to make sure that items like milk, flour, peanuts and nuts are all stored separately in their own closed containers. This is essential to ensure that allergy free or intolerance products are not contaminated. You will also want to ensure that you wash your hands thoroughly if you are switching between different products. Washing your hands regularly should be part of any good cooking process but when you are preparing food that will be enjoyed by someone that suffers from allergies, it is important to take this step. You should also thoroughly wash any instruments or materials, including chopping boards, in the preparation of food.
Take care to avoid cross-contamination
It is also vital that you properly wash all of your cooking equipment thoroughly. It is best to clean your cooking equipment with warm soapy water. This includes all utensils, pans, bowls, chopping boards and worktops. This may seem like a lengthy and unnecessary process but when it comes to keeping yourself or your loved ones safe and in good health; it is clearly a small price to pay.
You should also ensure that you do not use oil that has previously cooked food to cook food for a person that suffers from allergies or intolerance. This is due to the fact that certain products may have been used in that oil, which causes a cross-contamination effect.
There have been recent changes in the laws of labelling food and supermarkets, retailers and suppliers are required to state the presence of known allergens in any recipe. Since late 2013, many high profile retailers have been taking action in this manner, highlighting any potential problems in the main body of the ingredients list. Most of the focus with respect to allergens fall on molluscs, sulphites, soya, kamut, spelt, oat, barley, rye, wheat, mustard, celery, egg, milk, fish, crustaceans (previously referred to as shellfish), sesame, nuts and peanuts. More and more retailers are also drawing their customers attention to possible risks or dangers for people who suffer from food allergies or intolerances.
Living with a food allergy or intolerance can be difficult and there is a need to remain fully focused on the problems that are caused by these conditions. However, there is a growing awareness that these are proper conditions that can blight a person’s life if nothing is done to minimise their impact. This is why an increasing number of retailers are taking steps to ensure that they provide the best level of information at all times.