Egg Allergy and a Food Diary: How to Keep Records More Effectively

What to record

• What was eaten: the specific food, brand, key ingredients on the ingredient list, and whether it was raw or cooked and how it was processed
• The time of eating and the time gap before symptoms appeared
• Symptoms: location, extent, duration, severity
• Whether there was exercise at the time, whether other medicines were taken at the same time, and whether there was any illness at the time
• How it was managed and the effect

How to record in a more practical way

Use a phone notes app or a table, write in time order, and be as specific as possible. Take photos of the packaging of suspected foods, and record the ingredient list and production batch, then show them together at the follow-up visit. If you use a period of avoidance, also record the diet and changes in symptoms during the avoidance period; this is very helpful for judging whether there is a link.

Records cannot replace diagnosis

A food diary is a clue to help the doctor make a judgment, not a conclusion. Whether there is an allergy and whether long-term avoidance is needed should be judged by a doctor based on the history and tests together. It is not recommended to avoid many foods long term based on your own records, especially in children, as this may affect nutritional intake and growth and development.

This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Please follow your doctor's instructions for specifics.