When someone says allergies, most people think seasonal allergies, but about 20 million Americans—16 million adults and 4 million children—suffer from food allergies. The most common food allergies come from nine food items—milk, soy, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, and shellfish. Allergic reactions to these foods can range from hives and rash to closing of the air passages and anaphylactic shock. The scary thing is that you never know what a person’s reaction will be from one exposure to the next.
Food allergies are serious. Foods that might make one person stronger might make another very sick, or worse. If you suffer from food allergies, carry an Epi Pen, an autoinjector of epinephrine that opens air passages to give you enough time to seek immediate medical help, and instruct everyone around you on how to use the medication if you should have a reaction. If someone you love suffers from a food allergy, remind them to always carry an Epi Pen and be well-versed in how to use it. Epi Pens buy allergy sufferers precious minutes to seek more advanced medical care. They are also effective for allergic reactions to insect bites, medication, latex, and even exercise. Those minutes could be the difference between life and death.
Epi Pen users can download a savings card directly from the manufacturer’s website which provides significant savings at the pharmacy.
Visit Food Allergy Research and Education for more information on all types of allergies.