Food Allergy Symptoms - Attack Of The Corn Flakes

Food allergy symptoms can be mild, or can be severe. They can be with you from birth or they can develop over time. They can be triggered by common allergenic foods like peanuts, or by foods that are fine for others like pineapple.

They can present themselves in typical form, or cause any type of negative reaction in your body. They can show up on food allergy tests, or they may not trigger the level of immune response measured. This can make it hard to figure out if you have any allergies.

Last week, Phil and I stayed in a bed and breakfast that set out cereal in the morning, along a few pieces of fruit and some things we didn't eat (yoghurt, chocolate pudding, white bread and salami). This was great for the first few days, but after we finished the muesli, they didn't refill it.

With no oats or muesli at the grocery store that we could buy instead, we were relegated to corn flakes on our last morning. I wouldn't normally eat corn flakes, but thought one breakfast wouldn't be an issue. I hadn't had them in years, so thought it might be kind of fun. They didn't have any vegan milks so I just moistened them with water and topped them off with our usual pile of fruit.

As I was finishing breakfast, I felt like my cheeks were getting hot. I didn't think much of it, but 15 minutes later they were still hot and my chest and arms felt itchy. I looked in the mirror and was surprised to see that the skin on my face and chest was very red and splotchy. I pulled up my sleeve and had red bumps all up my arm. Classic food allergy symptoms.

I've been allergic to milk all my life, but my reaction to it was always ear infections and I've never had a reaction to any other foods. I've eaten corn flakes, and fresh corn, and of course (since it's in almost everything) all kinds of corn-related products before and never had any food allergy symptoms. This reaction was surprising, but I had no difficulty breathing and my skin reaction died down after another 10 minutes or so.

The difficulty with food allergy symptoms is that it's often hard to pinpoint what the exact allergen is. Even though my reaction was clearly as result of my breakfast, it could have been to any component in the corn flakes or even the fruit I had with it. The fruit also could have had chemicals on it that can cause a reaction.

Corn is one of the most common allergens, since it has a protein in it that is difficult for humans to digest. Other very common allergens are:

• Wheat
• Soy
• Cow's milk
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts (walnuts, pecans etc)
• Eggs
• Fish and shellfish
• Tomatoes

Food allergy symptoms can range from any type of mild skin reaction to severe airway blockage. Look out for these symptoms after meals:

• Tingling in mouth
• Hives, itchy skin
• Swelling - especially around the lips and mouth
• Wheezing or trouble breathing
• Congestion in the sinuses, throat or nose
• Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting

If you notice any of these food allergy symptoms in yourself or a loved one, try to find out what the trigger is. This involves eliminating all the common allergens listed above for two weeks, then reintroducing them individually to check for reactions. You can also have food allergy testing done, which is faster than an elimination diet but may miss some milder allergies that don't trigger the same immune response.

Anaphylaxis is the most serious of the food allergy symptoms, causing the airway to swell and block the flow of breathing, and can be fatal if not treated immediately. Its symptoms are:

• Swelling inside the throat - feels like a lump in the throat
• Severe difficultly breathing
• Shock, severe drop in blood pressure
• Rapid pulse
• Dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting

If you or someone you know experiences anaphylaxis, call an ambulance and if they have an EPI pen for their allergy use it right away.

I was lucky that my reaction was a mild one, but interesting since I haven't had that type of reaction ever before. Another interesting development was that I had the same reaction the next day, when eating simple soaked oatmeal. The common thread was the apple we had chopped on top. Phil also had a mild reaction. Later, I tried eating the last of that type of apple we had, on its own. No reaction this time, so I'm not sure what it was from. If anyone has an idea, let me know!

Do you have any food allergies or food allergy symptoms? Have you had an unexpected allergic reaction? Have you discovered a food allergy that was missed by a blood test? Let me know by posting below.