Connect with others who understand.

sign up log in
Resources
About MyFoodAllergyTeam
Powered By

Food Allergy Awareness: How To Get Involved

Posted on May 02, 2022
View reactions
Article written by
Anika Brahmbhatt

If you’re living with food allergies, you’re already aware of the impact the condition can have on your life — but chances are strong that other people in your orbit don’t know as much as they could about the disease. That’s why it’s important to raise awareness for the condition — particularly in May, which is Food Allergy Awareness Month.

It can be hard when your friends and family don’t know what you’re going through. It can also feel difficult to say no to loved ones who don’t understand your situation because you might worry about how your relationships will be affected.

Raising food allergy awareness is important so your friends, family, and acquaintances can better understand how to support you.

Start by Raising Your Own Awareness

Before you can create public awareness by sharing information with others, it’s a good idea to understand the specifics of food allergies. Learn more about the condition’s causes, signs and symptoms, and treatment options.

Food allergies develop when a person’s immune system becomes sensitized to proteins from a certain food. Whenever the person eats the allergenic food, the immune system launches an abnormal reaction as though the food were a dangerous invasive particle such as a virus, bacterium, toxin, or parasite.

Food allergies can cause a wide range of symptoms, which may be mild or severe. An allergenic food may cause a mild reaction in a person one day and a severe one in the same person the next day. Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.

One in every 13 children has a food allergy. Although more than 170 different foods can cause allergic reactions, eight foods are responsible for most of the serious food allergies worldwide:

  • Eggs
  • Tree nuts
  • Milk
  • Peanuts
  • Wheat
  • Fish
  • Crustacean shellfish
  • Soy

Share Awareness Resources

After you’re armed with information about food allergies, you can share that information with others. The fastest and least expensive way to take action is through social media. If you feel comfortable, you can post information about food allergies and possible medical reactions to allergens. You can also join communities of other people who are also working to raise awareness for this issue.

You can follow organizations like Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Additionally, to ensure your messages on social media reach as many people as possible, consider using an appropriate food allergy-related hashtag, like #FoodAllergyAwareness or #FARE. This way, your posts will be seen by more people who have the same interests, and they’re more likely to share and comment.

Social media helps raise awareness for the condition, and it also allows other people with food allergies to realize they aren’t alone. Joining a food allergy community on social media, such as MyFoodAllergyTeam, can also help you connect with others.

Participate in Awareness Activities

Another way to raise food allergy awareness is to participate in an activity dedicated to the cause. You can walk or run for food allergy research, play bingo, participate in fundraising events, or even create a unique event that works for your interests. You can help other people understand more about food allergies while having fun and raising money for the cause.

If you are able, you can also donate (or encourage others to donate) to organizations like FARE to support food allergy advocacy and research.

Remember to engage in self-care. It is emotionally taxing to educate others about your experiences, so know your limits and accept when to put your mental well-being first.

Connect With Others Who Understand

MyFoodAllergyTeam is a social support network for those living with food allergies. More than 39,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with the condition.

Share your food allergy journey in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.

Posted on May 02, 2022
View reactions
All updates must be accompanied by text or a picture.
Anika Brahmbhatt is an undergraduate student at Boston University, where she is pursuing a dual degree in media science and psychology. Learn more about her here.

Related articles

To determine how you can reduce your medical expenses, MyFoodAllergyTeam sat down with Susan Nul...

How To Reduce Medical Bills: Top Financial Expert Shares 10 Tips

To determine how you can reduce your medical expenses, MyFoodAllergyTeam sat down with Susan Nul...
KEY TAKEAWAYS:Adapt favorite recipes by subsituting safe ingredients for allergenic ones. Try al...

Safe and Tasty: Cooking with Food Allergies

KEY TAKEAWAYS:Adapt favorite recipes by subsituting safe ingredients for allergenic ones. Try al...
KEY TAKEAWAYS:Research situations and communicate with others about your food allergy. Avoid foo...

3 Key Strategies to Manage Food Allergies

KEY TAKEAWAYS:Research situations and communicate with others about your food allergy. Avoid foo...
Eat healthier. Exercise more. Learn a new skill. Pay off a credit card. Many of us have made simi...

Setting Intentions for 2020 With Food Allergies

Eat healthier. Exercise more. Learn a new skill. Pay off a credit card. Many of us have made simi...
Living with food allergies may change your holidays, but you can still have enjoyable and meaning...

How to Enjoy the Holidays Despite Food Allergies

Living with food allergies may change your holidays, but you can still have enjoyable and meaning...
The possibility of allergens hiding in packaged foods is a source of stress and worry for member...

Tips for Avoiding Hidden Food Allergens

The possibility of allergens hiding in packaged foods is a source of stress and worry for member...

Recent articles

Food allergy develops when a person’s immune system becomes sensitized to proteins from a certain...

Food Allergies: An Overview

Food allergy develops when a person’s immune system becomes sensitized to proteins from a certain...
Many people confuse food allergies and food intolerance, and it is easy to do. Allergies and into...

Food Allergy vs. Food Intolerance: Are They One and the Same?

Many people confuse food allergies and food intolerance, and it is easy to do. Allergies and into...
Some people have such an intense and immediate reaction to a food that it seems clear what is cau...

Food Allergy – The Path to Diagnosis

Some people have such an intense and immediate reaction to a food that it seems clear what is cau...
Avoiding allergenic foods is the only way to prevent food allergy symptoms. However, it can be ha...

Medications for Food Allergy Symptoms

Avoiding allergenic foods is the only way to prevent food allergy symptoms. However, it can be ha...
Food allergies develop when the immune system mistakenly identifies a specific food protein as a ...

What Causes Food Allergies?

Food allergies develop when the immune system mistakenly identifies a specific food protein as a ...
In people with food allergies, the immune system becomes sensitized to the protein of a particula...

Food Allergy Symptoms

In people with food allergies, the immune system becomes sensitized to the protein of a particula...
MyFoodAllergyTeam My food allergies Team

Thank you for subscribing!

Become a member to get even more:

sign up for free

close
MyFoodAllergyTeam
Add to your home screen
MyFoodAllergyTeam Tap below and then 'Add to Home Screen'