Directory of Food Resources

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Food allergies are an immune system disorder that makes it potentially fatal for affected individuals to eat foods that would be considered harmless by most. It is possible to be allergic to practically anything, but most food allergies are to proteins. Statistically most allergic reactions occur from ingesting or inhaling particles from one of the so-called "big eight" foods: peanuts, treenuts, egg, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish and dairy. Symptoms vary widely from gastrointestinal distress, hives and itching, to more severe reactions such as anaphylaxis, which impairs breathing and/or results in a serious drop in blood pressure and can cause death within minutes of exposure and for several hours afterwards. Type and severity of symptoms cannot be predicted even after an exposure has been observed. A food allergy is different from a food intolerance. A food intolerance is rarely fatal from a single, casual ingestion, and most usually causes gastrointestinal discomfort. Food allergies are triggered by an IgE antibody buildup which occurs after an initial exposure to the allergen. Subsequent exposure causes the body to release histamine. This can cause swelling of soft tissues, dilation of blood vessels, and fluid leakage from the bloodstream into the tissues. A particular concern is when ingestion inflames tissues in the throat and lungs, blood pressure drops severely, or fluid fills the lungs, potentially leading to death. Those afflicted with food allergies are also prone to environmental allergies (e.g., pollen, pollution) and are also prone to develop asthma. This section contains both health-related sites containing technical and medical information about food allergies, as well as non-technical, support sites and sites with information on how to conduct an allergen free lifestyle.

Subcategories

• Corn
• Milk
• Peanuts
• Shopping
• Soy

Resources in This Category

• ABC of Allergies: Food Allergy

  http://www.bmj.com/content/316/7140/1299.full
  Clinical review by Carsten Bindslev-Jensen includes types of adverse reactions, common food and occupational allergens, testing, and treatment.

• AllergicChild.com

  http://www.allergicchild.com/
  Help for parents of children with severe peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, soy, pet and infant allergies.

• Anaphylaxis Australia

  http://www.allergyfacts.org.au/
  Non-profit organization that provides information, training and emotional support. Includes information about allergies, food alerts, labelling, support for parents, and advice on handling the stress.

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Food Recalls and Allergy Alerts

  http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/recaltoce.shtml
  Notices to warn the public about food safety issues. Option to receive the alerts by email.

• Dr. Robert Wood

  http://drrobertwood.com/
  From the authors of Food Allergies For Dummies, this weblog offers practical information on the diagnosis and treatment of food allergies.

• eMedicine Health: Food Allergy

  http://www.emedicinehealth.com/food_allergy/article_em.htm
  Overview, causes, symptoms, tests, and treatments.

• Food Allergen Labeling Consumer Protection Act

  http://www.shamrockbay.com/FA/FoodAllergenProtection.shtml
  Food labeling practices and legislation in the United States, as they relate to those with severe food allergies.

• Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Information

  http://allergysmart.net/
  Personal internet diary (weblog) by a parent of affected children.

• Food Allergy Research and Education, Inc

  http://www.foodallergy.org/
  Non-profit organization provides information and raises awareness, and performs fund-raising for research.

• Food Allergy Survival Guide

  http://members.shaw.ca/allergies/
  Personal page describing information learned from having a child anaphylactic to milk and eggs.

• Food Allergy Survivors Together (FAST)

  http://www.angelfire.com/mi/FAST/
  Support for people world-wide with food allergies in the family. Chat and recipes.

• Food Can Make You Ill

  http://www.foodcanmakeyouill.co.uk/
  Guide to food intolerance, articles on salicylate sensitivity, food diaries, and e-books.

• Food DataBase of Allergy Free Foods

  http://www.foodb.com/
  Simplifies finding foods that are free of combinations of ingredients and preservatives.

• Food You Can Eat

  http://www.foodallergykitchen.com/pages/fa-management.php
  Methods of selection and preparation of food for sufferers of food allergies.

• Kids With Food Allergies

  http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/
  Nonprofit charity providing a forum for parents of children with severe food allergies and related problems. Includes recipes and international alerts.

• La Leche League: Allergies and the Breastfeeding Family

  http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBJulAug98p100.html
  Includes allergy symptoms, breastfeeding an allergic child, and potential methods of preventing children from developing allergies.

• Living Without's Gluten Free and More

  http://www.glutenfreeandmore.com/
  Articles on research, treatments, traveling, socializing, and food preparation. Also includes events and personal stories.

• Mayo Clinic: Food Allergy

  http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/food-allergy/basics/definition/con-20019293
  A description of symptoms, causes and risk factors.

• NHS Choices: Food Allergy

  http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/food-allergy/
  Provides information on the different foodstuffsthat may cause allergies and details of symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

• Parenting a Child with a Food Allergy

  http://childfoodallergy.com/
  A personal web log.

• Salicylate Sensitivity

  http://salicylatesensitivity.com/
  General information, food guide, recipes, and a forum.

• Symposium on Food Allergens

  http://www.food-allergens.de/
  International data collection, reviews, journal searches and book lists for food allergies.

• The Anaphylaxis campaign

  http://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/
  Provides guidance and information for people affected by life-threatening allergies, and raises awareness among schools, food producers and health professionals.

• Utah Food Allergy Network

  http://www.utahfoodallergy.org/
  UFAN provides support, education, awareness and advocates change for those affected by food allergies. Find a weblog and contact details.

Related Categories

• Home > Health > Conditions and Diseases > Respiratory Disorders > Asthma
• Home > Home > Cooking > Special Diets > Allergy

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