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Columbia, MO | Rochester, MN

Food Allergies & Intolerances

Nutrition Therapy

 
 
 

Navigating Allergies for Children & Adults

This feels too complicated!

Food allergies can be SO hard to deal with alone. Not only does it sometimes feel like a guessing game, but it can become very debilitating. You may have terrible symptoms, anxiety around foods making you feel bad, fear around purchasing or cooking with the wrong ingredients. Eating out with others can become a hassle and it is easier to just be alone and eat the same foods over and over.

Maybe it is simpler than that, you only have a few allergies, but it’s still hard to know what to lookout for, how to cook differently, what snacks to avoid or include.

Perhaps you’re a parent, spouse, caregiver and your loved one has an allergy that makes navigating homemade meals and snacks (and organization) a challenge. Lovingly put… you are tired of making 3-4 different meals for everyone each night!

 

How can we help?

You don’t have to tackle all of this on your own. Often an allergist or primary provider doesn’t have all the answers, or the time to spend reviewing some of the day-to-day struggles. That’s what we are here for.

Our dietitians can help you with the following things to help make your life easier:

  • Meal plan, grocery shop, find recipes / new foods to try

  • Reintroduce allergens

  • Read labels, questions to ask, precautions to take

  • Monitor and improve physical symptoms

  • Increase flavor and satisfaction

Work With us

Pediatric Care for Allergies & Intolerances

My child has allergies, I am lost on where to begin helping my child!

Allergies and intolerances can start at birth. Sometimes we grow out of allergies, and sometimes they are off and on, or sneak up on us later in life, making it challenging to know if it is a “real” allergy or not.

How to know if you have a food allergy

Symproms can vary from person-to-person. One person may experience mild symptoms and choose not to completely avoid that food, whereas another person may have to avoid all contact with that allergen or it can be life-threatening.

Some of the most common symptoms of a food allergy include:

  • Skin reactions: hives and itching

  • Swelling of the face, lips, or tongue

  • Coughing or wheezing and shortness of breath

  • Chest pain

  • Tightness in the throat, or trouble swallowing

  • Runny or itchy nose

  • Watering eyes

  • Nausea and/or diarrhea

  • Dizziness or feeling light-headed

  • Babies may show signs of allergies if they have a rash around their mouth, gag or throwing up after eating (even up to hours after), fussiness for an upset stomach, and the symptoms above.

If someone suspects a food allergy, they should consult their doctor. A physician can provide a formal diagnosis and required medications.

when should someone meet with a registered dietitian?

A dietitian can help you understand your nutrition needs, what foods you react to, and provide you with education on how to safely avoid those allergens.

Parents may also need support for how to monitor symptoms, navigate a child with multiple allergies, or multiple children in the home with different allergies. It can be very hard to get into a rhythm when you’re juggling so many things. When a child is young, it may be a recommendation by the doctor to reintroduce allergen foods if the child’s allergy testing numbers improve. A dietitian can help with reintroduction and monitoring symptoms.

Work With Us

common Allergies we work with include (but are not limited to):

  • Eggs

  • Wheat

  • Gluten

  • Tree Nuts

  • Peanuts

  • Shellfish

  • Crustaceans

  • Fish

  • Milk

  • Soy

  • Sesame

  • Alpha-gal

  • Metals

Alpha-gal Syndrome

Alpha-gal is more and more commonly diagnosed in the United States. This food allergy can develop after a lone star tick bite and is an allergy to red meat (beef, pork or lamb) and other products from mammals (dairy products or gelatin).

Alpha-gal can be active in someone and that person may not know it. Like all allergies, everyone reacts differently and some have very serious reactions, and others have mild reactions. Sometimes a reaction can occur hours after the allergen has been consumed.

The treatment for Alpha-gal is to not eat these mammal products. Our dietitians would strongly recommend a second opinion if you are diagnosed with this syndrome and to get tested again. Ensure that this is a blood IgE test. Although skin prick testing can be easy and affordable, it is not the gold standard. A blood test is more accurate.

talk to a dietitian