Tips for new allergy sufferers?

Hi all,

So I've been having problems lately while eating out, things like itchy throat, redness on the skin and whatnot. So I went to an allergist specialist, and low and behold, it turns out I have food allergies. And the odd thing is, is that some of the foods I did eat from time to time in the past, and they've only now surfaced as allergies. It turns out this is not uncommon, which kind of sucks. So now I'm here, and was wondering if you guys could give me some tips.

What should I watch out for? Especially with eating out or traveling?
Do waiters usually know what’s in the food they serve? Do you ever worry about if they are telling the truth?
What do you find most annoying about your food allergy?
What is the most difficult/cumbersome part of your allergy-prevention routine?

There are many threads on keeping a food journal. You can find them by using the search box at the top of the page. It will help you and your allergist.

Some food allergies, often called intolerances if they don't close off your throat, are dependent on how much of a trigger food you consume. You may be able to tolerate a small amount if you avoid them most of the time. Itchy throat is a sign of "true" allergy, not just intolerance. You really do need to avoid foods that set this off, and you probably need to carry around an EpiPen. Talk to your allergist!

Allergies can come and go. No matter how young or old you are, you can get new ones and some old ones may disappear or lessen.

Forget waiters. They don't know anything about recipes.

What you have to watch for depends totally on what sort of allergy you have. Is it a single chemical?

Eating out isn't a very good way of getting a good diet. There's usually way too much food and it's often "comfort" food you like best, not the nice vegetables you need. But prepared foods in the grocery store can be worse. My rule of thumb is if the listed ingredients is longer than an inch I don't buy it.

Allergic reaction to food actually affects the immune system. When the immune system identifies potential threats to the body just like substances from food, it releases chemicals that cause hives or allergic reaction. Since the body is already sensitive to substances from a specific food that we eat, there is a tendency that it will also react to some other types of substances from a different food that it finds as a potential threat.

I would suggest, avoid protein rich foods specially seafood. If possible bring with you ready-to-eat foods that will not trigger your allergy. Never hesitate to tell somebody, specially restaurant staffs that you have allergy, for sure they will understand.