Ensuring Your Health: Food Allergy Testing in Miami, FL

1. August 4, 2017 Ensuring Your Health: Food Allergy Testing in Miami, FL The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 15 million Americans have food allergies. The number includes both children and adults. The report further elaborates that the rise can be attributed to environmental, genetic, and lifestyle factors. Page | 1

2. While food allergies are easily identified early on among babies and children, adults can have them as well, even after decades of having no reactions to different types of food. And even though causes and treatments for food allergies have long been established, there’s always new kinds of food being made that trigger reactions. In a recent article by The Telegraph, red velvet cupcakes are one of the newest causes of allergies, due to cochineal, where the cupcake derives its red color from. Cochineal is sourced from ground-up insects, which somehow makes it no surprise. In the same article by The Telegraph, Dr. Adam Fox, a children’s allergy consultant at Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, talked about the growing severity and persistence of allergies, adding that allergy is a continuously evolving field. Food Allergy Testing in Miami, FL The same goes in Miami, FL, where practices like the Florida Center For Allergy & Asthma Care are focused on delivering the most reliable tests and treatments. One of these is food allergy testing, wherein a simple skin-prick procedure is performed. The skin is lightly pricked so that the food allergen seeps under the skin. If the patient is allergic, then a bump develops. It usually just takes about 20 minutes to identify which types of food the patient is allergic to. A blood test, although less accurate than skin-prick tests, can also be performed to determine the types of food a person is allergic to. A blood test measures the amount of antibodies in the food being tested. Page | 2

3. Symptoms and Causes of Food Allergies Allergies occur because the immune system reacts to certain food proteins. Some of the most common allergies are caused by nuts, eggs, wheat, soy, milk, fish and shellfish. Reactions to these types of food can be mild to severe, and occurs within minutes to two hours of ingestion. Reactions could come in the form of hives, vomiting, dizziness, stomach cramps, tongue swelling, and tightening of the throat which results to difficulty in breathing. Anaphylaxis or an anaphylactic shock may also occur in some extreme cases. After a person ingests the food, he experiences a difficulty in breathing and a sudden drop in blood pressure. An anaphylactic shock can be fatal and requires immediate medical attention. Other Common Types of Allergies Apart from food allergies, rhinitis is also common among residents of South Florida. Rhinitis, which comes in the form of excessive sneezing, runny, nose and teary eyes can be prevented with Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy or allergy shots can help alleviate and reduce reactions to dust, pollen, some types grass and flowers, and weather change. Residents of Miami and nearby areas who are looking for a lasting treatment to rhinitis can ask their doctor about this treatment. About Florida Center For Allergy & Asthma Care: Florida Center For Allergy & Asthma Care is the largest allergy and asthma center in South Florida, with offices in the tri-county area of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. Established in 1974, their expert board-certified physicians offer a wide range of treatments for skin diseases, food, drug, and pet allergies, for patients of all ages. Page | 3

4. Sources: Types of Allergies: Food Allergy, ACAAI.org Allergy Treatment: Allergy Testing, ACAAI.org Allergy Tests, WebMD.com Red velvet cupcakes are fuelling rise in allergies, dietician says , Telegraph.co.uk Are food allergies overdiagnosed?, MedicalNewsToday.com Page | 4