The body can do many amazing things without you even knowing it. For example, protecting you against viruses and bacteria or filtering your blood to remove toxins. Did you know that your body could also be hiding things from you? Hidden allergies are more common than you might think. They can impact your life in big ways if you don’t sign up for allergy and intolerance testing to get precise details. If you’re curious to read more, look at the details below!
Are allergies common?
Allergies, in general, are common, yes. In fact, the past 20 years have seen a sharp rise in allergy diagnoses worldwide. There isn’t a clear idea of why allergies are so popular other than that there are more testing options that make it possible to get a diagnosis. That, and more and more people are sharing how their strange symptoms turned out to be a food allergy or food intolerance!
Are hidden allergies possible?
You can already guess that this answer will be a huge “yes.” Some specific allergens can get overlooked because allergic reactions can be mild. They can also be easily assumed to be something else. For example, many people are unaware they are allergic to soy or wheat. Their allergic reactions are assumed to be indigestion or a rash due to some cosmetic product.
Likewise, some allergens are also missed because the sufferer hasn’t had them. Two common examples of that are shellfish and tree nuts. Many people become aware of moderate and severe food allergies because they try something new as an adult and then have a severe allergic reaction.
These examples show how valuable allergy and intolerance testing is in childhood and later years. It gives accurate results to potential allergies and intolerances so that you can know what causes a problem in your body and what doesn’t.
What are some uncommon allergies?
You can have an allergy to all sorts of things, of course. From foods to environmental allergens, the list is endless. Some of the most uncommon allergies that show up in a detailed test include the following:
- Bananas
- Potatoes
- Tuna
- Cockroaches
Other less common allergens include specific kinds of artificial colouring but only certain shades. It is also very common to be allergic to raw versions of something but be fine eating cooked versions of the same ingredient. However, this is due to the protein allergen being destroyed during the baking rather than some highly selective immune system response!
Do hidden allergies impact someone’s quality of life?
So, you’ve learned about hidden allergies and how they can be hard to diagnose without proper tools and tests. But do those tools and tests matter? Can you still have an excellent quality of life? For the most part, it depends on how you see it.
As far as data is concerned, a food allergy does have a statistically significant impact on someone’s quality of life (3). This is a fancy way of saying that hidden allergies impact someone’s life noticeably, even if these impacts seem invisible to us.
The other detail is that environmental and food allergy symptoms can cause reactions to different parts of the body at the same time. It isn’t just about having one noticeable reaction that goes away. You could have runny eyes, coughing, sneezing, fighting nausea, and dealing with a bad skin rash all at the same time. That one example is enough to show that a food allergy can noticeably affect someone’s enjoyment of life. And that’s assuming an allergy is mild or moderate, at worst! Then there’s the fact that food intolerances can be notoriously tricky to diagnose on your own, and their reactions can happen hours or days after you’ve come into contact with the trigger.
What can I do about food allergies?
So, with all of that being said, what should we do about hidden allergies? How do we protect ourselves from food intolerance and allergies impacting daily life and long-term quality of life? The first thing to do is accept that researchers are still trying to understand why food allergies happen. No one known cause makes prevention extremely difficult.
The next thing to do is make time and effort for allergy and intolerance testing. Not only will this give you peace of mind, but it’s also related to getting a clear diagnosis. Many well-intentioned parents assume their children have food allergies or intolerances when, in reality, they are struggling with something else that flies under the radar. Proper testing for allergies and intolerances can help rule themselves out as much as anything so parents can take the next steps to understand what is happening to their little ones!
Some people find these “hidden” functions of the body terrifying, but they can also be fascinating when you think about it. To work as an ally for your body, arm yourself with information, testing, data, and whatever else you can do to protect your overall quality of life. This will always lead you to a better understanding of, and appreciation for, your hard-working body and all of its functions!