Question
every time I drink alcohol or eat lots of chocolate my knees and hands swollen up and hurts like its broken?
CJ

Answer
Hi CJ and thanks for writing,

It sounds like you may have common allergies which can be very serious and even life threatening! Chocolate is a very common allergen so you're lucky you've noticed this early before you had any severe symptoms (like anaphylactic shock)!

My advice for you is to:

1) pick up an Epi Pen from a local pharmacy asap and carry it with you at all times

2) make an appointment to see your family doctor and ask to be tested for allergies

3) also get tested for allergies and intolerances by a good Homeopath as s/he will probably identify many more food items that you are sensitive to

4) get a Medical Alert bracelet if you do have sever allergies (if you don't want to wear it, you can always just keep it in your wallet so EMS personnel would be aware).

You should also keep Antihistamines with you (at home, at work and in your car) and take them at the first sign of a reaction. You should also keep a written record of any unusual reactions so you can report them to your doctor

Many people ignore allergies or think they're not serious but they really are. Long term exposure to something you're allergic to can lead to serious health risks later in life, and even being exposed a few times can lead to a life threatening reaction. My Mother took Penicillin 3 or 4 times in her life with no problem at all then she was given one dose a few years later and had a sudden and severe reaction and would have dies had she not received immediate medical attention (luckily she was in the hospital and received immediate IV medication to reverse the shock).

I hope this answers your question and I wish you all the best,

Margot