Symptoms of Food Allergies:
Is What You're Experiencing a Result of What You're Eating?

Symptoms of food allergies can show themselves in many ways.

"Typical" allergic responses — the ones most allergists would connect with food — include rashes, hives, difficulty breathing, or, at the extreme end of things, anaphylactic shock.

But the original definition of "food allergies" — prior to 1925 — included any abnormal, adverse response to a food. So, although most allergists would shake their heads, I know that, unless I eat white potatoes no more often than every four days, my knees start to hurt, and that eating sweet potatoes will result in mild nausea.

You too, may be able to connect some of the physical (and even mental and emotional!) problems you're having with the foods you're eating. In order to do this, it's important to keep a little notebook that records what you're eating each day, along with how you're feeling.

Symptoms of food allergies may include (but are not limited to):

Physical

• Acne
• Dark or pink undereye circles
• Undereye bags or wrinkles
• Pale skin/pronounced veins
• Flushed cheeks
• Red ears
• Allergic nose rub (using heel of hand to push up)
• Hayfever-like symptoms, especially ones that are not seasonal
• Eczema
• Asthma
• Nausea
• Rattly breathing/wheezing
• Headaches

Mental/Emotional

• Anger/Aggression
• Depression
• Inability to think clearly/forgetfulness
• Hyperactivity
• Excessive tiredness

Some symptoms of food allergies, especially the mental/emotional ones, may be the same symptoms of other illnesses. You can't know whether or not your symptoms are food allergy-related unless you keep careful track of what you're eating. An elimination diet — one that gets rid of the main food allergens — can be very helpful. You should also consider seeing a doctor or practicioner who can use medical tests, or other tests, to help determine whether or not you have food allergies. My food allergy treatment page has more information about this.

So, to know whether you're experiencing is a result of your diet, you should:

• Keep a food and symptom diary. You might want to carry a memo-sized notebook with you throughout the day, then transfer the information to a larger notebook or a spreadsheet program at home.
• Put yourself on an elimination diet to help bring into focus the foods you might be allergic to.
• Find a practicioner who is used to treating people with food allergies according to the "broadest definition."

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