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New Food Allergy? Here Are Your Next Steps!

Have you ever eaten something that suddenly gives you a bad physical reaction? It can be scary and confusing especially if you’ve never dealt with a reaction before. It doesn’t matter how old you are, food allergies can pop up out of nowhere and really throw you for a loop. Don’t trudge through meals worried when your next reaction will rear its ugly head. Let’s help navigate an unexpected food allergy and see if a visit to a dietitian might help and if   it would be covered by your health insurance. 

dad and kids eating
A new food allergy can develop in adults.

How Can You Tell If You Have A Food Allergy?

A true food allergy causes an immune system reaction after eating a certain food. The smallest bit of food that a person is allergic to can trigger a response and can potentially be life-threatening. 

doctor taking notes
According to the Food and Drug Administration, approximately 30,000 Americans go to the ER each year to be treated for severe food allergies, and up to 200 Americans die each year due to allergic reactions to food.

There are 9 foods that make up 90% of food allergies: peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, shellfish, fin fish, soy, wheat, and sesame. If you are eating one of these items and you have a physical reaction there is a good chance you have developed a food allergy. The only way to confirm you are in fact allergic to a particular food is to go through an oral food challenge, usually administered at an allergist’s office.

If you’re not familiar with what an oral food challenge is, here is a brief rundown of what to expect. You will eat small measured doses of food that you believe is causing a reaction while being monitored by a healthcare professional. If you have no significant symptoms the doses will increase and if a reaction occurs the food challenge will stop and from there you’ll determine the best course of action. An oral food challenge can let you know how mild or severe a food allergy is in a safe environment.

Consult With A Dietitian

Once you confirm that you have a food allergy, going to see a RDN (registered dietitian) is important to ensure you’re confident in knowing what foods and/or ingredients need to be avoided, especially if it’s a severe allergy. Dietitians can also help give recommendations to replace foods that you’re not able to eat anymore. Dietitians will go through your individual needs and give you a specific, personal nutrition plan that will keep you on track with your limitations and goals. 

bill and calculator

While it may seem that the most stressful part of developing a food allergy is finding out what the trigger is, most people would agree that the financial ramifications involved are equally stressful. The good news is many health insurance plans cover registered dietitians. If coverage is denied you can ask for a letter of necessity from your physician and dietitian to appeal the denial of coverage. 

Just remember if you suddenly develop a food allergy there are solutions that will get you on the right path to a new normal! If you want to find out if a dietitian would be covered under a new health insurance plan, contact an EZ agent now. Our agents can help you compare plans because they work with the top-rated insurance companies in the nation. Get free instant quotes by entering your zip code in the bar above, or call 888-350-1890 to speak to a local agent.

Food Allergies Are No Longer A Life Sentence, Some Disappear On Their Own!

Allergies are one of the most unpredictable things in anyone’s life. It can happen at any point in your life as well, whether you are born with it, or just develop one young, or old. And to top it off, it can be there one day, and then the next (typically within years), it’s gone! People are unaware of why they suddenly are allergic to something. They are even more unaware that it can disappear, and most never find out because they avoid trying the food they are allergic to for fear of an allergic reaction. It is true. For all of you afraid to go near peanut butter, nuts, etc because it might kill you, just know that it can go away in time. On its own. And then you can hopefully enjoy a Snickers bar, or Reese’s peanut butter cup once again. It is important to never try it on your own! If you have an allergy, you need to get the proper tests done with your doctor. When it is time to check if it is gone, always do so with a medical

Allergies occur when your body begins to defend your body against a foreign substance. It can begin at any point in your life.
Allergies occur when your body begins to defend your body against a foreign substance. It can begin at any point in your life.

professional in an office, or hospital. Now let’s find out why an allergy begins, how it can just magically go away, and what tests you NEED to take to make sure you are no longer allergic before testing it out (with a medical professional).

Why Do You Get Allergies?

No one truly knows what causes allergies, but the experts think it is an oversensitive immune system. Your immune system reacts to any harmless substance, such as dust that gets in your eye or throat. Immune systems are designed to defend your body against these substances and if yours is oversensitive, then it reacts to allergens by increased mucus production (which is sneezing, itchy eye effects) or life-threatening ones can shut down many of the bodies vital systems.

Allergies are a tough thing to understand because it differs from person to person. You can have a sneezing attack around one cat, but not another. Allergies can be triggered through age, or with constant exposure to the allergen for your body to decide it’s a threat. That is sometimes why a person will develop an allergy later in life. It can be an environmental cause, such as those nasty pollen grains floating in the air during the spring and summer months. An allergy attack can even be brought on by stress. Stress causes inflammation and releases histamine which can trigger an allergic reaction.

Can You Outgrow Them?

Yes. While it may take a long time, people can outgrow allergies, even the life-threatening ones. Your body can grow used to the allergen, or developed a tolerance, so your body doesn’t see it as a threat anymore. The only person who can officially determine if it is gone is your doctor. Never try to test it out on your own, especially if it is a life-

Doctors can determine if your allergy is gone with a blood test.
Doctors can determine if your allergy is gone with a blood test.

threatening allergy.

How Can You Test If An Allergy Is Gone?

The way to find out if an allergy has gone away is the same way a doctor confirms that you have an allergy, a simple blood test.t. Blood tests show immunoglobulin (IgE) levels which detect and show the amount of allergen-specific antibodies in your blood. Looking at these tests, doctors can determine a person’s likelihood of outgrowing allergies, especially food ones. The way to test it is by giving the child or person a small amount of food while observing them in the doctor’s office or hospital. Some people who have allergies, even ones as life-threatening as peanut allergies, their entire life have taken the test later in life and learned that the allergy has disappeared. This means no more worrying about being around allergens, no more avoiding foods, they are free to enjoy peanuts, or whatever the allergen may be, like any other person.

Unfortunately, kids who are allergic to peanuts, or tree nuts will most likely carry the allergy into adulthood 80-90% of the time. Some people are lucky, but it is not common. However, it is still worth a try to get your blood work done and test it out. After all, May is National Allergy Awareness Month, and Food Allergy Action Month. Allergies are a pain and can be life-altering, deterring you away from important things and events. Know that it can go away, and get better. Don’t give up. Make sure to never test it at home, and always do it under medical supervision.

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