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Food allergies and sensitivities aren’t all that uncommon. In fact, you may have an allergy and not even realize it. Allergies of all kinds occur when a body’s immune system kicks in, attacking the irritant that it views as an invader.

Most of the time, your body doesn’t attack the food you eat because of food tolerance, which is regulated by the immune system and your gastrointestinal tract. But as you age and practice more inflammatory habits, you can develop intolerances, sensitivities, or even life-threatening allergies to specific foods. Your immune system starts attacking either because too much of a particular component of that food is present or because there’s something wrong with the way that food affects your body due to your genetic predisposition.

After the body first identifies — or rather, misidentifies — a particular food particle as an invader, the body starts mass-producing antibodies. When you eat something you’re allergic to, antibodies lock onto an antigen (the offending food particle) and trigger an inflammatory response. In most cases, the inflammation quiets down again; however, if you have a genetic predisposition to food allergies, high levels of toxicity, digestive system imbalances, or a weakened immune system, this normal immune response can kick into high gear and wreak inflammatory havoc in your body in varying degrees.

Think of a bee sting. Everyone has some level of irritation or sensitivity to the stinger, even if it’s not a full allergy. When the bee stings you, there’s a small red bump where your antibodies immediately attack the area and work to protect the rest of the body. The same thing happens with food allergies and sensitivities, only the inflammation comes in the form of arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, or other issues.

Food allergies can be lethal. Some people must avoid not only the product itself but also anything that may contain that product in its ingredients list. People allergic to peanuts, for example, have to avoid anything made with peanut oil. In extreme cases, people must even avoid foods that have come into contact with their allergen.