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Food allergies affect 4% of American adults and 5% of children. Those with severe reactions often get to the root of the problem in short measure. However, millions more suffer mysterious symptoms they can’t explain for years when changing their diets could ease their suffering.
If you experience any of the issues on the following list with no known cause, you might consider doing an elimination diet or consulting with your doctor for allergen testing. Here are six ways a food allergy can impact the body over time.
1. It Increases Joint and Arthritis Pain
Think about seasonal allergies for a minute. You’re probably familiar with the stuffy nose and swollen eyelids that accompany pollen. The same thing happens to other tissues in your body when you consume food to which you have an allergy. They swell.
When this inflammation attacks your joints, you experience an increase in pain. People with conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia get the hardest hit, but even those without a secondary diagnosis can feel creaky. Individuals with other autoimmune disorders such as psoriatic arthritis might feel more aches and develop plaques.
2. It Can Cause Weighty Issues
Does your weight sometimes fluctuate with little apparent reason? If you step on the scale and notice a few extra pounds, your mind probably turns to your diet. However, excess caloric intake might not be your bugbear after all.
Inflammation causes your tissues to swell, filling with fluid that can pack on pounds seemingly overnight. If you avoid the allergen in question, the excess should disappear within a few days. However, you could develop long-term weight gain if you let the issue continue unchecked.
Doing so can create a vicious cycle. The more weight you gain, the greater your inflammation increases. The two issues feed against each other until you discern the allergen and eliminate it from your diet.
3. It Increases Migraine Attacks and Severity
That headache could stem from something you ate. If you suffer frequent migraines, start tracking what you consumed before your attack struck.
People with food allergies often experience more frequent and severe migraines. The head pain might occur with or without additional symptoms. However, nausea and diarrhea could be two clues that your “stress-induced” headache really stemmed from your last meal.
4. It Can Cause Gastrointestinal Distress
It makes sense that a food allergy could upset your stomach. After all, your meal travels from your mouth to your stomach, then onto your intestines. When these tissues encounter an allergen, they begin to swell, creating unpleasant symptoms.
Some people experience severe vomiting and diarrhea as their body attempts to rid itself of the toxic substance. Others might find themselves constipated as their large intestine swells. Those with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease often find that certain foods bring on their flares.
5. It Can Damage Your Complexion
Where did that pesky pimple come from? Did your last meal cause it to appear? Possibly.
Your skin is your body’s largest organ, producing a substance called sebum to keep it moist and supple. However, inflammation can impact sebum production, making your body pump out too much. When the excess clogs a pore, you wake up with a zit.
6. It Can Cause Anaphylaxis
Some food allergies can be fatal. Knowing how to recognize and treat the symptoms of anaphylaxis could save a life. Signs to look for include the following:
- Hives, itching, flushed or pale skin
- Low blood pressure
- A rapid, weak pulse
- Dizziness or fainting
- Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
- Constriction of the airways, which can lead to wheezing and trouble breathing
Please seek immediate medical help if you notice these symptoms in yourself or a loved one. If you have an epinephrine injector, use it immediately, then transport the person to the emergency room.
How a Food Allergy Impacts the Body Over Time
Undiagnosed sensitivities can wreak havoc on your health. Now that you know how a food allergy impacts your body over time, consider talking to your doctor or trying an elimination diet if you experience the above symptoms.
