Food Allergies: Tips for Eating Safely

Lactose intolerance is a common example of a food intolerance. It’s estimated that 75% of the global population is lactose intolerant. On the other hand, milk and dairy products can also cause food allergies, which involve the immune system acting abnormally and can be life-threatening sometimes. Anaphylactic reactions include difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat and mouth and even unconsciousness.

The majority of food allergies are caused by proteins in milk, egg, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and soybeans. Currently, the most effective way to deal with this issue is to avoid foods that trigger allergic reactions. The first step is to identify which foods you are allergic to. One way to find out is by doing a blood test.

Eating foods with natural and simple ingredients is beneficial for those who have food allergies. Evidence has shown that a whole-food, plant-based diet can be helpful in lowering the chance of an allergic reaction because it contains minimally processed ingredients and is free of additives. Instead of having nuts, you can fill your diet with grains, whole oats, legumes and seeds, such as hemp and chia seeds that are packed with healthy protein. Instead of wheat flour, you can opt for coconut, chickpea, cassava or teff flour.

Remember to keep a food diary so you can keep tabs on what you have eaten and how they have made you feel. It is useful if you keep a food allergy chef card handy in your wallet or purse. A medical bracelet would be a great option, too, for your young ones.

Supreme Master Ching Hai has spoken about how a vegan diet can help children avoid allergens as in this excerpt from a May 9, 2009 conference held in Lomé, Togo. “About the health of the precious youngest ones, the vegan menu is one of the most easily digestible in the whole world and the only one we should give to the babies and to ourselves. Also, by feeding our baby the vegan diet, we can protect our child from many of the allergens and toxic substances that are often part of the meat-based diet. Being entirely natural, it is so easy to transition to the vegan diet.”