When you think "food allergy," what comes to mind? The biggest is of course anaphylactic shock, where the mouth and throat swell up and the person is in danger of suffocating or choking to death. This is often made light of on TV and in the movies (I'm thinking of the scene in "Hitch" right now, that was funny...) but it's really not a laughing matter. Besides that very obvious form of allergic reaction, though, what else do you look for?

Common food allergy symptoms include:

• Gastrointestinal distress, including but not limited to, abdominal cramps or pain, diarrhea, and nausea/vomiting.
• Skin issues like hives, rashes, or eczema.
• Sneezing or a runny nose.
• Shortness of breath.

The tricky part is that many of these symptoms can also indicate other issues like hayfever allergies or a flu virus. Paying attention to when and where the symptoms occur, and keeping track of what you eat, can help you see any patterns and see if a food allergy might be the problem.