If you have a food allergy, you will probably need to make some changes to your diet. Maybe you are substituting a similar food for another food. If you are allergic to milk, you may begin to drink soy milk or coconut milk instead of cow’s milk.
Changing Your Diet
Some people do not realize how complex it can be to begin a modified diet. If you have a wheat allergy, simply eliminating bread from your diet is only the beginning of the necessary changes you will make. Wheat is an ingredient in cereals, frozen foods, cookies, cake, and many other foods. Many times, the ingredient that causes an allergic reaction is hidden in foods so that you do not even know it is there.
For example, gravy does not look like it has wheat in it, but many cooks thicken chicken or turkey gravy with wheat flour. If you eat foods without knowing that they contain an allergen, you could have a serious reaction and not realize what you have eaten to cause the problem.
A peanut allergy is rare in the general public, but it can have a great effect on the lives of those who are allergic to this legume. Not only can peanut allergy reactions be life-threatening, but peanuts are hidden ingredients in many different foods. Someone who is allergic to peanuts can have a reaction from touching a table that had peanut products on it, or he or she can have a reaction if silverware and dishes that were used to make a peanut butter sandwich were not properly sanitized.
Seeking Professional Advice
Your allergist may refer you to a nutritionist or to a dietician who can help you create a modified diet without the food that you are allergic to. These
professionals specialize in creating menus and diets for people with allergies. They have the knowledge and resources to help them find the best substitutes for you.