Food allergies can present themselves in many different ways. Unfortunately, most physicians were not trained well enough to understand the impact that food has on the body. Even most allergists and dermatologists are not up to date on understanding how food allergies present themselves.

If you have ever had constant problems that never seemed to go away, yet your physician gave you a blank stare which you interpreted as them thinking "you're crazy", then join the club. While food allergies could be the problem, many typical food allergy signs and symptoms can be caused by other conditions.

Food allergies can cause havoc with your body, and signs and symptoms could be triggered by ingestion, inhalation, or by touching the allergen. The signs and symptoms can range from a runny nose to hives, or could get as serious as difficulty with breathing, or even a life threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. Food allergy signs and symptoms can also be very esoteric, and can impact your thought process, concentration, or even cause dizziness. Food allergy symptoms can also cause seemingly unrelated symptoms, making the diagnosis ever harder.

The severity of symptoms is different for everyone. And on top of all that, food allergy signs and symptoms can be delayed for up to three days from the time you ate! If people get sick, they most often assume it was something in their last meal, but who knows -- it could have been something eaten three days ago!

So the next time your physician thinks you're crazy, take a look at our list of signs and symptoms and have him/her look into the possibility of food allergies.

The following list was compiled from the inputs of FAST list members. The list is far from inclusive, but most of these problems show up on a consistent basis among members. Based on all the research I've done regarding food allergies, all of these signs and symptoms are fairly well known. Most current food allergy books support the personal experiences of FAST members.

Child vs. Adult Reactions: In most cases, children and adults have the capacity for similar food allergy signs and symptoms. For those cases that seem to be limited to children, notes have been made. Consult your physician if you have questions.

This following list was compiled by FAST members: Melissa, Ygg, Amy, Jen, Cindy, Bid, Michelle, Shirley, Lynn, Dorothy, Laura, Sue, Sharon, Juliann, Janice, Jennifer, Miche, Joy, Judy, Kenny, and a few other helpers who didn't sign their name.

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