Treat Food Allergies Naturally

There are many home remedies and nutritional supplements that are beneficial for both treating and preventing food allergies in adults and children. People with food allergies usually develop the symptoms in childhood. Symptoms can worsen or improve with age, but many children carry food allergies into adulthood. Common food allergies include shellfish, peanut, fish, and dairy allergies. Allergies to certain types of fish and dairy products can occur in all people at certain times.

Those more sensitive to food allergies can have dangerous reactions, sometimes leading to anaphylactic shock, from unknowingly coming into contact with an allergen. Food allergies are often determined by either having an allergic reaction to something early in life or through allergy testing preformed at a doctor’s office. Allergy testing consists of using tiny syringes filled with specific allergens and injecting them into several places on the back. Doctors then gauge the level of allergic reaction a substance based on the development and size of inflammatory bumps surrounding the injection site.

Avoiding foods that can cause an allergic reaction is often the first step towards preventing food allergies and the reactions associated with them. Other foods that can cause an allergic reaction include tree nuts like almonds, walnuts, and pecans, as well as soybeans and wheat. It is common for people with food allergies to be allergic to one type of food but also quite tolerant of many foods that others may be sensitive to.

When hives occur, one of the best home remedies is simply a warm washcloth placed on the surface of the skin. In most cases, the allergic reaction will diminish in time, but itchy skin can be aggravating in the meantime. A half cup of baking soda in a warm bath can also ease itchy skin brought on by food allergies. For breathing problems initiated by allergies, peppermint tea has been shown to help soothe mucus membranes and open up airways.

Basil tea has also been used to treat allergies. Basil contains high levels of an anti-allergic property known as caffeic acid. Horseradish is also one of the most well-known home remedies for treating allergies of all kinds. A quarter teaspoon of grated horseradish not only helps clear sinuses, but can help the body eliminate allergic foods more rapidly and halt allergic reactions within the body. Horseradish is also found in wasabi—which can be used instead of plain horseradish.