Living with an allergy that leads to your body reacting each time that certain foods are consumed is a nightmare, especially if you love restaurants. You can take back control of your life by taking a few measures to prevent flare-ups from happening. For example, you must find out which specific foods are causing your body to react the way it does. You can actually still enjoy dining out at restaurants when you are properly prepared. There is a list of tips in this article that can help you cope with your food allergies without so much stress.

Get Tested for an Official Diagnosis

Although you might have a general idea of the types of foods that you are allergic to, the problem might be more extensive that you think. It is wise to get tested so an allergy specialist can figure out if you are allergic to more foods than you think. You will then be able to keep flare-ups under control better. A specialist will not only test you for foods that you are aware of, but also for additional foods that are known for causing allergies. A test that involves your skin being pricked and exposed to the foods in question will allow a specialist to observe your reaction.

Never Leave Home without Medication

The most important thing that you can do as a food allergy sufferer is to always be prepared for flare-ups. Make sure that you keep drugs handy that are able to work in a timely manner. If your allergies are severe, keeping prescription drugs with you is the best thing to do. You can be prescription pills that are designed for relieving allergy symptoms fast. However, an epinephrine ejector pen is the fast way to get relief when the symptoms are severe, which must also be prescribed.

Create a Chef Card for Dining Out at Restaurants

If you want to start dining out at restaurants more often, you might want to create chef cards that can be taken with you. Index cards are the perfect size for completing the task. Basically, you will have to write down information on the cards in regards to each type of food that you are allergic to. You can then ask a waitress to hand a card to the chef each time that you dine at restaurants. He or she might then be able to prepare special meals for you by leaving those ingredients out.

Contact a company like Allergy Asthma & Immunology Associates to learn more.