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At different points in our lives, we all face a variety of medical problems, some of which impact us as physical ailments while others hammer away at us with perhaps more frustrating diseases. But when an affliction - such as a food allergy - comes as a result of simply eating, this can be particularly discomforting.

Finding out what causes allergies can be difficult at best. Try to identify your culprit foods.

Typically people who have an immediate reaction can pinpoint their allergy down to one or two foods. However, those who experience delayed allergic reactions may be allergic to as many as 14 or 16 different foods. To learn how to track your diet and target the cause of your allergies, keep reading.

How the Allergic Reaction Works

When you have a food allergy, the immune system reacts by releasing antibodies, which attack the culprit food from white cells. Their attack releases other substances from white cells, such as histamine and leukotrienes, that cause inflammation. This inflammation results in the production of reactive oxygen particles (free radicals), which can damage the body.

The immune system may also manufacture antibodies. These “mop up” the food in the intestines, blood or elsewhere in the body, creating tiny particles called immune complexes. These can also lead to harmful physical effects.

Generally, with immediate-onset allergies, you’ll experience your allergic reaction within an hour or two of eating the trigger food. The allergy will often manifest itself as hives or hay fever-like symptoms, but it can also be a swelling of the throat or mouth area.

With delayed-response allergic reactions, symptoms will appear up to 72 hours after eating the culprit food. They’re usually provoked by eating a large amount of it or ingesting it frequently.

What Foods Cause Allergies

Keep a Food Diary

Keep a food diary for three months, recording everything you eat and any symptoms. This may help you to identify an obvious relationship between a food and an adverse reaction.

Cut Out Suspect Food

When you think a particular food may be causing your allergies, try to stop eating it for at least three weeks. Once the food is out of your system, try reintroducing it. If you experience the symptoms, then you’ve found your allergy.

If you believe your allergy may be caused by multiple culprit foods, try eliminating all the suspect items from your diet for three weeks. After this cleansing period, begin to eat a little of each individual food, one-by-one. Allow for a four-day window between introductions. During this period, keep a careful eye on your symptoms.

Sometimes, eliminating certain foods which were previously staples of your diet can lead to withdrawal symptoms like fatigue, headaches and aches and pains. That’s not at all unusual and ought not alarm you.

Eliminate the Culprit Food

Once you identify your culprit foods, you can omit them from your diet altogether, in which case all your symptoms should disappear within three to six months. Or, if you are not severely allergic, see whether you can eat a small amount once every four days or more without trouble. You may need to exclude the culprit foods completely for six months before you gradually reintroduce them in this way.

By creating an awareness of what you eat and how it affects your body, you can begin to learn the causes of your allergies and take appropriate action.