Skin asthma, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a condition that makes your skin red and itchy. Skin asthma commonly occurs in children but it may actually occur at any age. What kinds of skin asthma food to avoid should you be aware of?
Atopic dermatitis or skin asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition that leaves the skin red and itchy. People of all ages can get it, but it’s most common in young children.
This can be triggered by a lot of different factors. Your skin asthma can be triggered by pollen and dust. Irritants to the skin such as skin products, sweat and excessive heat can cause skin asthma.
One of the main triggers of skin eczema is food allergies. If you are allergic to a specific food, there is a big chance that you can develop skin asthma because of this allergen.
Eczema symptoms include:
- Inflamed, dry, sensitive, or red skin
- Patches of skin that are dark in color or scaly
- Swelling
- Extremely itchy sensation
- Skin that is crusty
Skin Asthma Food To Avoid
Allergies can be caused by many foods.
Milk
Milk is included in the list of skin asthma food to avoid. An allergic reaction to milk or milk-containing products is an abnormal response of the immune system. Allergies to cow’s milk are most common, but allergies to milk from sheep, goats, buffaloes and other mammals may also occur.
- Milk (low fat, full cream, etc)
- Cheese
- Butter
- Yogurt
- Half-and-half
- Ice cream, gelato
Eggs
Egg allergies occur because the body’s immune system reacts abnormally to the proteins present in egg whites and/or yolks. Eggs are also skin asthma food to avoid.
Protein in eggs is considered a foreign invader by the body, and the immune system produces chemicals to fight against it which results in an allergic reaction.
- Marshmallows
- Mayonnaise
- Meringue
- Baked goods
- Breaded foods
- Processed meat, meatloaf and meatballs
- Puddings and custards
- Salad dressing
- Many pastas
Peanuts
Peanut allergies are caused by peanut proteins triggering the immune system, making them skin asthma food to avoid. Whether it is a direct or indirect contact with peanuts, it can still trigger an adverse response from the immune system.
- Arachis hypogaea (Known as the peanut plant)
- Mixed nuts
- Monkey nuts
- Artificial nuts
- Nut pieces
- Nutmeat
- Peanuts
- Peanut butter
- Peanut flour
- Beer Nuts
- Peanut protein hydrolysate
Tree Nuts
The immune system of an individual with an allergy to a tree nut may produce antibodies that can cause a reaction when they are exposed to that nut.
Tree nuts are skin asthma food to avoid, along with other nuts such as:
- Almond
- Butternut
- Cashew
- Chestnut
- Filbert/hazelnut
- Nut byproducts such as butters, milk, oils and paste
- Pecan
- Pesto
- Pili nut
- Pistachio
- Shea nut
- Walnut
Fish
Normally, your immune system works against infections, but when you are allergic to fish, it overreacts to fish proteins. This makes fish another skin asthma food to avoid.
Some fish may cause an allergy but not all fish can cause allergies. The allergic reaction usually occurs when someone consumes fish but even touching the fish may also cause allergies.
- Swordfish
- Anchovies
- Tuna
- Bass
- Catfish
- Flounder
- Mahi mahi
- Cod
- Tilapia
- Trout
- Salmon
Also avoid these fish products:
- Fish sticks
- Fish Flavoring
- Gelatin
- Fish oil
Skin Asthma Food To Avoid: Shellfish
An allergy to shellfish is caused by the body’s immune system reacting abnormally to proteins in certain marine animals. Among the marine animals classified under the shellfish category are crustaceans and mollusks.
Shellfish is a common skin asthma food to avoid. When a person is allergic to shellfish, proteins in the shellfish bind to antibodies that trigger an immune response from the body.
Crustaceans
- Shrimp
- Crab
- Lobster
- Prawns
Mollusks
- Clams
- Scallops
- Mussels
- Squid
- Abalone
- Oysters
- Octopus
- Snail
More people are allergic to crustaceans than they are to mollusks. Allergy to shrimps is the most common crustacean allergen in children and adults.
Soy
It’s common to be allergic to soy, a product of soybeans. In most cases, soy allergy begins in infancy with a reaction to infant formula containing soy. In spite of most children outgrowing their soy allergy, some suffer from it into adulthood.
- Soy products such as ice and ice cream
- Soy sauce
- Miso
- Soy flour
- Vegetable products such as oil, gum, and starch
- Natto
- Shoyu
- Tofu
Wheat
Wheat is among the list of skin asthma food to avoid. Wheat is known to cause allergic reactions when eaten but it can also cause allergic reactions when inhaled.
- Breads
- Pastries
- Breakfast cereals
- Pasta
- Crackers
- Soy sauce
- Dairy products
- Natural flavorings
- Modified food starch
- Vegetable gum
- Processed meat
Key Takeaways
Skin asthma, also known as atopic dermatitis, is usually caused by triggers such as pollen, dust, sweat, excessive heat, and at times, food.
Food allergies can cause skin asthma. The most common food allergies are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat.
Learn more about Skin Health here.
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