We are, by nature, social creatures. Humans are designed for community. Even the most fiercely independent of us has some measure of dependency on others. Living with food allergies is a great example of this. We own full responsibility for reading labels, making informed choices, and carrying our own epinephrine, but we are also reliant on others to comply with our requests, to be truthful about what they’re serving us, and in assisting us in securing medical help if the worst should happen.
Sometimes our community shares information and helps us learn more about food allergies (or other issues). That can be beneficial. It can offer encouragement and insights. It can spotlight things we didn’t think to consider. It can also, however, open the door to false narratives, spark fear and concern where it needn’t be, and lead to us avoiding things we don’t need to avoid or daring things we should not dare.
This is where balance comes in – even when our community has the best of intentions, we need to be alert and ready to test the information offered to us for veracity.
Is the source reputable? Is the experience repeatable?
When someone is offering you insights, look for where the info comes from. Is your neighbor telling you about her cousin’s sister-in-law’s brother’s daughter’s food allergies? Is your brother telling you about an article he read somewhere online, but he can’t remember exactly where? Is the info coming from your doctor? Is it an article on a website like this that points to research and respected allergy experts? Is it anecdotal or researched? Are there stats or assumptions? Know your source and proceed from there.
Myth 1: Peanuts/nuts are the most...
When someone hears “food allergies” nuts are often the first thing that comes to mind. How many times have you started a conversation with someone saying “My son has food allergies…” and they interrupt with a cheerful, “Oh! Don’t worry, these are nut free!” Somewhere along the way, these two allergens have become the most recognized food allergens in the US, but that doesn’t mean they are the most common, nor the most dangerous.
In fact, according to FARE, the most common allergy among children and infants today is milk. It also ranks as one most common allergens for adults too. More importantly, it’s worth noting that 90% of diagnosed food allergies in the US can be attributed to 9 foods: peanut, tree nut, shellfish, fish, sesame, milk, egg, soy, and wheat.
What about the other 10%? Why it might be less prevalent, a person can be allergic to anything. And any of those allergens – the 9 most common or the less common – can trigger a life-threatening reaction in an allergic person.
Myth 2: My allergies are mild. I don’t need to worry…
Reactions to food allergies are unpredictable. Just because you have never had a severe reaction doesn’t mean one day you won’t. You should always read labels and always carry your autoinjector of epinephrine. You should have an established relationship with an allergist or doctor well-informed to treat and manage food allergies. And you should be prepared to follow the allergy management plan that your physician provides. There is no such thing as a mild or severe food allergy. There are just food allergies.
Myth 3: I have eaten these foods before, there is no way I’m allergic…
It depends. Let’s back up a moment. Food allergy testing is not a reliable screening tool. Blood tests and skin tests can be used to confirm a suspected food allergy, but a general panel should not be used to diagnose allergies without a full health history.
As Dr. Dave Stukus explains in this video, allergy tests are part of a full diagnostic work-up best used by board-certified allergists. There is a high rate of false positives with allergy tests and that could lead to individuals avoiding foods they are not allergic to if they are viewed independently. If you’ve always eaten an omelet for breakfast every day without any allergic response, a positive egg allergy test on a broad blood panel is unlikely to be an accurate assessment.
However, you can develop allergies at any time. If you’ve always enjoyed the fisherman's platter since you were a kid, that doesn’t mean the rash spreading across your body and the lump you’re starting to feel in your throat isn’t an allergic response to the shrimp cocktail you just ate. (In fact, 60% of shellfish allergic individuals experience their first reaction to shellfish as an adult!) No matter how old you are, if you eat something and experience a reaction, the food allergy diagnosis a doctor gives you may be confirmed by allergy tests. You can assume that diagnosis is accurate and proceed as advised by your physician.
Got more questions?
Check out these resources:
FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) - foodallergy.org
FAACT (Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team) – foodallergyawareness.com
AAAAI (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology) – aaaai.org
KFA (Kids with Food Allergies) – kidswithfoodallergies.org
Allergic Living – allergicliving.com
