First of all, a good news: Like fish, shellfish allergies may be one of the easiest to avoid.
Now, a bad news: Shellfish can cause the most serious allergic reactions and the allergies are usually lifelong.
It is during adulthood that the initial allergic reaction to shellfish most often occurs. What most commonly causes the allergic reaction is the protein in the flesh of the shellfish. Having an allergic reaction to shellfish gelatin, made from the skin and bones of shellfish is also a possibility.
Self-Help Tips for Avoiding Shellfish Allergy:
Following are some tips that can help you avoid shellfish allergy.
For the shellfish allergy sufferers, in order to prevent a reaction, strictly avoiding shellfish and even the foods that contain shellfish are suggested by the allergists world over.
Some allergists suggest that once you know exactly which type of shellfish causes you allergies, than you only need to eliminate that type of shellfish from you diet. However, for most of the victims of shellfish allergy this is not an option and all forms of shellfish must be avoided.
Listed in the following are examples of shellfish:
- Mussels
- Crawfish, crayfish
- Clams
- Cockle, sea urchin
- Abalone
- Lobster
- Crab
- Oysters
- Shrimp
- Scallops
You need to be careful with fried foods as some restaurants use the same oil to fry French fries, chicken, and shrimp. What you also need to keep in mind is that many manufacturers add shellfish for flavoring and as a result imitation shellfish may still contain shellfish. Read the label to be sure of that before using it. |
