Willmar Allergy and Asthma Specialty Clinic

FOOD ALLERGIES AND SUMMER

     For the 12 million Americans with food allergies, awareness of ingredients is a must for safely eating their way through summer events.

    State Fairs, music festivals and even family picnics are ripe with dangers for those with food allergies.  A single bite of the wrong food can be enough to trigger a life-threatening reaction in severely allergic people.  The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) estimates that up to 150 people die each year from anaphylaxis caused by food allergies.

      AAAAI offers these tips to avoid a serious allergic reaction:

      1)  Avoid the food: The best way to treat a food allergy is to avoid the specific food.

      2)  Ask about the ingredients: Always inquire about ingredients when eating at restaurants or others' homes and make the seriousness of the allergy known.

     3)  Read food labels: It is important to carefully read food labels.

     4)  Be prepared for emergencies: Anaphylactic reactions caused by food allergies can be potentially life-threatening.  Those who have experienced an anaphylactic reaction to a food must strictly avoid that food.

Other patient updates are available at the AAAAI Web site,  www.aaaai.org, and choose the Patient Update link.