Food Allergies: A Complete Guide for Eating When Your Life Depends on It

Allergy expert Sicherer (pediatrics, Mount Sinai Hosp.; Understanding and Managing Your Child's Food Allergies) provides another overview of food allergies in his new title—this time for a general audience. The question-and-answer format makes the book easy to use as a reference for those beginning their research into food allergies. Sicherer focuses on debunking the myths. He defines the term allergy (it requires an immune response), distinguishes between food allergies and other chronic health issues caused by food (lactose intolerance is not an allergy, for example), and discusses the latest research on prevention ("Overall, there appears to be no strong evidence that the mother's restriction of allergens during pregnancy is preventative"). Most questions are answered briefly, with "Delving Deeper" sections taking on more complex questions (i.e., "How do I know if I should inject epinephrine?").