What is a food allergy?

Reaction to a food.: People can become allergic to many substances including certain foods. Some foods are more likely, such as milk, egg, wheat, soybean, shellfish, peanut, or nuts. Reactions can range from rash and itching to anaphylactic shock.

The body is confused: One way of looking at this is to remember the job of the immune system is to "fight off" foreign substances. With a food allergy, the body mistakenly thinks peanut or milk etc are foreign and reacts to try to protect the body.

Immunologic response: A food allergy is a specific immunologic response that your body has to a food that can lead to various symptoms. This is different from a food intolerance, such as excess gas, nausea or diarrhea.

If you don't look...: If you suspect specific foods that trigger itching, hives, throat swelling, intestinal cramping, diarrhea, dumping syndrome.And loss of consiousness by dropping you blood pressure you have a food allergy. This situation is very common and it would help to have allergy skin testing to figure out which ones they are.