5 Weird Allergy Symptoms You Need to Know
Do you have symptoms of food intolerance and you don’t even know it?
Everywhere you go today, it seems like someone has a special dietary restriction. Gluten-free, dairy-free, egg free, housework-free (Ok, I made that up, but I wish it somehow existed!)
In face, most grocery stores now have a special section where you can buy specialty allergy-free food (it wasn’t always that way) and allergy menus are the norm at most major restaurants. (Thankfully!)
The fact is, allergies of any kind are on the rise and they are very problematic for many people, causing any range of symptoms, from annoying to life-threatening.
If you have unexplained symptoms of any kind, I’d encourage you to read on. The chances are, you may have food allergies, or at the very least, food intolerances.
As we get started, please remember I am not a doctor and these statements are not intended to diagnose. They are tools that may help you get some answers. Also, for the sake of this article, I will refer to the problem as food allergies, even though it could also be that you have a food intolerance and not a major allergy. You can interchange the phrases however you want to.
Understanding Food Allergies and Symptoms of Food Intolerance Is the First Place to Start
Knowing and understanding something is so important. If you have a good grasp on food allergies, you’ll be waaaay more equipped to handle them.
I remember when I was first starting out with food allergies – I didn’t understand anything. That made everything ten times more difficult. My advice to you? Keep learning so you can understand exactly what it is you’re dealing with.
Food Allergies Can Happen to Anyone at Anytime With Any Food
Below I’ve listed five of the major symptoms that food allergies can cause. I hope that this will help you get started exploring food intolerances/allergies a little further. Keep in mind that any food can cause any symptom at any time to anyone.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve never had food allergies before, if you’ve always eaten a particular food, if said food isn’t known for causing problems, and so on.
I have a daughter who can’t eat bananas, yet bananas are known as a mild food, even recommended for babies. Her body doesn’t care if they’re one of the eight major allergens or not, she just can’t tolerate them!
There Are Many Unknown Allergies
It used to be that there were eight major allergens and that was about the extent of food allergies. Once in a while you would run into someone with a wheat allergy or something similar, but now it’s the norm.
Along with the rise of food allergies, has been the fact that more and more things are causing people to react to foods. For example, my daughter can’t eat bananas (we’ve tried organic, and conventional and she can’t do either) or she gets and instant headache and feels miserable.
Now, when I was first having babies 18 years ago, bananas were a first food because they were so mild and, well, un-problematic. But now, something as crazy as a banana causes an allergic reaction in my little girl.
I tell you this so you can be aware. You may find you have an allergy to something no one has ever reacted to. (Well, at least not to your knowledge). But that’s the point! You can be allergic to anything. Which is why it’s so important to pay attention to what you’re body is trying to tell you!
Let’s Talk About Five UnCommon Symptoms of Food Allergies and Intolerances
Again, food allergies can cause many other symptoms, but these are the five most common things food allergies will do. If you have another symptom not listed, I’d love to hear about it. Please make sure and comment below and let me know.
1. Food Allergies Can Cause Behavior Problems
Behavioral problems such as ADHD and anxiety are on the rise (especially amongst kids). Kids seem to have trouble in school and difficulty getting along with other kids. It’s not uncommon for kids to be unable to focus in school or sit still long enough to listen to the teacher’s lesson. As a matter of fact, food allergies may be to blame.
However, I don’t want to overlook behavioral problems in adults. Although most adults won’t act out on the playground, (or at least I hope they won’t :)) an underlying sense of anger, crabbiness or just plain old UGH, could be coming from a particular food allergy or intolerance. Food allergies can cause the inability to focus, or make a person feel like they have brain fog.
So you can see how food allergies can directly affect a person’s behavior.
2. Food Allergies Can Cause Difficulty Concentrating
I mentioned that having brain fog is one of the symptoms of food allergies. Have you ever heard that term before? With brain fog, you might feel like your thoughts and ideas just won’t connect.
Maybe you’ve been trying to stay on task throughout the day and you just can’t focus. This is one of the tell-tale signs of a food allergy. Brain fog makes you feel like you can’t concentrate, or think clearly. It’s like you have cloudy thinking. This could be caused by food allergies. (Though there are other reasons for brain fog, so it’s always best to talk to your health care professional if you’re feeling brain fog symptoms.)
I find it so interesting that what you eat can affect the way you think. Amazing! The gut-brain connection is just starting to become more readily accepted as scientists learn more about how what you eat affects how you think. It makes sense that what goes into your body could affect your output and ability to concentrate.
I love this article from Dr. Axe that explains the gut-brain connection more in depth. He even goes into ways to heal it, thankfully.
3.Food Allergies Can Cause Digestive Issues
Problems with digestion is probably the most commonly thought of symptom of food allergies. It seems obvious that if a food bothers you, it’s going to make your stomach hurt. But how many times have you had a stomach ache or bathroom trouble and overlooked the fact that it could be a food allergy?
Food can make or break your digestive system. If you struggle with irregularity then the chances are great that you have a food allergy or intolerance. When you eat something your body is allergic to, your body can’t digest it. You’ll notice stomach aches and constipation or diarrhea. It would definitely be worth exploring food allergies if you experience any digestive issues.
4. Food Allergies Can Cause Sleep Problems
We often put up with insomnia and fatigue as a way of life. “I’m just busy, so I’m tired all the time,” people think, or “I just can’t sleep because I’m stressed.”
Your diet can be the culprit, more often than not. Of course, it’s important to have a regular sleep schedule, but provided you are resting 7-8 hours a night, you should wake up and feel refreshed.
On the other hand, you might find that you’re sleeping just fine at night, but can’t seem to stay awake during the day. If this is happening to you, it’s possible that a certain food is causing you to react. Your reaction may be sleepiness, inability to sleep, or chronic fatigue.
5. Food Allergies Can Cause Skin Conditions
Two of the most common skin disorders are eczema and psoriasis and yet, more often than not, they are easily treated by eliminating top food offenders. If you have a stubborn skin condition that won’t go away, it may be beneficial for you to consider a food allergy as the culprit.
Rashes are a common way people discover they have food allergies, but sometimes it’s not so obvious. Consider food allergies if you have issues with your skin.
If You Have a Nagging Symptom that Won’t Go Away, Consider… Do I Have a Food Intolerance?
There are many, many symptoms linked to food allergies and intolerances, unfortunately. If you find yourself with a nagging symptom that just won’t go away, perhaps you should consider your diet.
It might be as simple as changing your diet. Ultimately, you will know if something just isn’t quite right with your body and it would do you well to listen.
How to Handle Food Allergies if You Have Them
If you suspect food allergies or intolerances are an issue, the first thing is not to panic. It won’t help! Trust me on this one! I’m a lifetime panicker and it’s never helped anyone!
Instead, take a deep breath, relax, and start to develop a plan. I have an entire food allergy binder to help you get navigate your food allergies, starting with a quick start guide and going all the way through your menu planning.
Handle them like you would with anything else. Remember that it’s not the worst thing that could happen to you and don’t be devastated. Let me just encourage you: This is one of the very best times to have food allergies as companies have finally started making alternatives to everything.
With the proper planning you won’t starve!
The first thing you’ll want to do is develop a menu for 2-3 days just so you don’t feel like there’s nothing you can eat. Next you’ll need to do some shopping, and finally, you can prepare your food in advance so you’re ready when you’re hungry.
Please know that it will get easier. Like everything, there’s always a learning curve. But you’ll get there!
Check Out My Top Food Allergy Resources Page
Having the right food allergy resources can mean all the difference when you’re trying to figure out how to navigate life with food allergies.
Sometimes it just takes knowing the right tools and tricks of the trade to make living with food allergies a little easier.
You definitely don’t wanna miss my collection of favorite tools to for easy allergy-free living!
Click here to find out exactly what you need!
Should I Get Allergy Tested?
That’s entirely up to you. I am a firm believer in keeping a food journal and elimination diet. You can learn all you need to know by using this process.
I highly recommend you click this link How Do I Know If I Have a Food Intolerance? to read all about how to follow this system. Definitely don’t miss it!
To answer the question, I don’t feel it’s necessary to get tested for food allergies, but again, I’m not a doctor.
Are Blood Tests for Food Allergies Accurate?
It has been my experience that food allergy blood test have not been accurate. But that may be unique to me. One of my daughters has a cow’s milk protein allergy and would bleed every time she got milk even in the tiniest quantity. However, multiple food allergy blood tests showed that she was negative.
In this case, I obviously went with what I knew to be best for her and kept her away from any dairy products. So you’ll have to decide. If you suspect you’re allergic to something, yet the blood tests show negative, I will still recommend not consuming it.
How Long Does It Take for Food Intolerance Symptoms to Go Away?
That’s a tough one. Food allergy symptoms can last a few hours to even a month or more. It’s not uncommon to have a reaction to a food and feel bad for a few days.
This is yet, another reason why it’s so helpful to keep a food journal so you can record exactly what happens when you eat or drink something.
You Need the Food Allergy Binder to Manage Your Food Allergies
Now you might be thinking that this whole thing is overwhelming, and you’re right, it can be. But it doesn’t have to be. When I found out my first daughter had a cow’s milk protein allergy (CMP) in 2006, food allergies weren’t hardly even talked about. Food companies didn’t have to disclose every ingredient on the label, and finding a doctor who agreed she had food allergies was next to impossible.
Overwhelmed wasn’t the word. I had no idea how to handle her food allergies. I found myself crying many times. So I muddled my way through and I learned.
As a result of my years of learning and experimenting, I came up with the Food Allergy Binder. It’s meant to help a person like you, who might just be figuring out you have food allergies. It will help you navigate the whole process, from finding out you have food allergies, to learning how to cook and menu plan so you can keep living your life as normally as possible.
I highly recommend you check it out. It will make living with food allergies so much easier!
Click on this link to find out more about the Food Allergy Binder
Related Food Allergy Articles:
- How do I know if I have a food intolerance? {+ FREE Elimination Diet Printable}
- The Best {Food} Allergy Resources
How about you? Have you discovered food allergies have given you any crazy symptoms? Was it hard for you to figure out? In what ways could your life change if you were able to change your diet and get rid of these nasty symptoms? I would love to hear how you have been able to discover your food allergies or intolerances. Has changing your diet helped?
5 {Uncommon} Symptoms of Food Intolerance
