Dating in Carlsbad is hard enough. Adding food allergies into the mix only complicates the process. You could spend the whole date on high alert, constantly worrying about your food allergy. Or, you could go in prepared.
The first thing you will need to do is visit your Carlsbad ear, nose and throat doctor to have an allergy test performed. Food allergies can be diagnosed through a blood test. A blood test is used to measure the amount of allergen-specific IgE antibodies present in your blood.
If blood testing is negative, an oral food challenge can also be performed in order to rule out a food allergy. This test takes place in the clinic where you will be under constant supervision by your ear, nose and throat doctor. This ensures if you experience an allergic reaction it can be treated immediately. The food in question is ingested in small amounts and the challenge is stopped at the first sign of a reaction. After a few hours, if no reaction has occurred, you are no longer allergic.
If the cause of the allergy symptoms cannot be determined, an elimination diet is recommended. Potential trigger foods are eliminated from your diet for a few weeks. If the symptoms resolve, the eliminated food is most likely the culprit. To make sure, you may be asked to reintroduce the food back into your diet to see if the symptoms return.
Great. Now you know what is causing your allergic reactions. Now that you are armed with this knowledge it is your responsibility to pass it along. Before ordering anything in a restaurant (the most dangerous place to be if you have food allergies), make sure your date is briefed on what you are allergic to and what to do if you start experiencing symptoms. Don’t want to make your first date awkward? Too bad. Cross contamination is a real and potentially life threatening issue.
As your relationship gets more serious, your food allergy will soon become their food allergy too.
A study conducted in 2002 found that as many as 5.3 percent of participants experienced an allergic reaction from kissing someone who ingested a food they were allergic to. Carlsbad ENT specialist suggests waiting four to five hours between your non-allergic partner eating a problematic food and kissing them. If the non-allergic partner has a meal in-between and brushes their teeth afterward this can also help eliminate the treat of an allergic reaction. The easiest way to prevent a reaction? Your partner can simply avoid the same foods you do.
If you are having trouble finding a partner that can handle the possibility of an allergic reaction, there is some good news. Dating apps specifically for those with food allergies are also growing in popularity. This shift towards food allergy acceptance is a move in the right direction.
If you want more tips on how to date safely with food allergies, schedule an appointment with your Carlsbad ENT specialist.