For many children and adults asthma is a seasonal condition, brought on by pollens and other environment sources. For those with food allergies, asthma knows no season and can be brought on without warning, as a direct result of contact with a food substance with which they are sensitive.

Asthma is the result of irritants or in the case of food allergies food triggers which cause a swelling of tissues around the air passages making it hard for sufferers to breathe.  Symptoms of asthma are coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing. Typically asthma is an environmental condition brought on by mold, pollen, animals, cigarette smoke, pollution or dust. Asthma can also be exercise induced or can be a result of food allergies however it is somewhat uncommon accounting for only 8 percent of asthma cases in children.

The most common cause of food triggered asthma is the eight most common allergens – milk, eggs, soy, wheat, peanuts, fish, shellfish, and tree nuts. Sulfites have also been known to trigger asthma, a common additive in foods used to preserve foods.

Food allergy induced asthma is diagnosed normally in children or adults whose asthma symptoms appear in combination with other allergy symptoms such as hives, eczema, stomach problems or runny nose.

For most people the best way to avoid an asthma attack is to avoid the food to which they are allergic to, including avoiding any potential environmental sources such inhaling dust which is a common problem for wheat and peanut allergies. For those with allergic asthma complete avoidance of the allergen can result in remission of the symptoms of asthma.

For those diagnosed with allergic asthma that is not so easily controlled there are a multitude of medications available. Your doctor will most likely prescribe an inhaler for you if your symptoms are not chronic, that you will use if accidental exposure does occur. For chronic conditions further food revisions may need to be made, as there may be other foods that you are allergic to.