A food allergy is an immune system response to a food that the body mistakenly believes is harmful. Once the immune system decides that a particular food is harmful, it creates specific antibodies to it.

The next time the individual eats that food, the immune system releases massive amounts of chemicals, including histamine, in order to protect the body. These chemicals trigger a cascade of allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, or cardiovascular system.

Scientists estimate that approximately 11 million Americans suffer from true food allergies. At the present time, there is no cure for food allergy. Avoidance is the only way to prevent an allergic reaction.

Although an individual could be allergic to any food, such as fruits, vegetables, and meats, they are not as common as the following eight foods which account for 90% of all food-allergic reactions:

• Milk
• Egg
• Peanut Tree nuts (walnut, cashew, etc.)
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Soy
• Wheat