You are not alone if you are affected by allergies. There are many millions of people in the United States who have some form of allergies. The first step in combating allergic reactions is to figure out what is triggering them. If you think you have allergies your doctor can perform a number of allergy tests that can help determine exactly what you are allergic to.
You have probably heard of being gluten or lactose-intolerant but these conditions are different than food allergies. Food intolerances and sensitivities concur when the body is unable to process or digest certain foods. Continue reading below to learn more about food allergies.
In contrast, food allergies are when a food triggers an immune response in your body that causes it to produce antibodies to fight it.
You can test for food intolerances, sensitivities, and allergies in the comfort of your own environment by purchasing an at-home food intolerance test or food sensitivity test. Most of these tests types of tests can only identify food intolerances and sensitivities but there are a few at home allergy tests that use DNA to identify food allergies. Make sure that you do your homework when you look for an at-home food allergy testing.
You can also use an elimination diet to try and figure out what is triggering your food sensitivities. This is when you remove certain foods from your diet and then slowly add them back in to gauge your reaction to each one.
Food allergies tend to be more dangerous than food intolerances or sensitivities. An allergic reaction to food can even be fatal. For this reason it is important to identify what foods are triggering your allergies.
If you suspect that you have a food allergy it is a good idea to see a doctor. Doctors who specialize in allergies are known as immunologists or skin allergists. They typically will use a combination of skin and blood tests to determine which foods you are allergic to.
Learn about the specifics of skin testing for allergies.
