Food Allergies Suck... Or Do They?? alternate title: Rockin' Food Allergies Like a Boss!

Anyone who has food allergies, or who has kids with food allergies can attest that they certainly do make life more difficult, and scary.  Allergies are greatly misunderstood and trying to find foods that don't contain your particular allergens can be trying.  It is frustrating when people assume you are just following some current fad, or that you can "just have a little this time".

I was shocked when I got my allergy tests back from the doctor.  I had no idea that I had food allergies, and as I looked over the list of my allergens (wheat, corn, soy, rice, egg, tomatoes and peanuts) I wasn't sure if I should cry or laugh, and so I sat in a sort of bemused silence, nodding that I understood, and agreeing as the doctor explained about how I should start by cutting out all the allergens and begin a food journal.  "Are you alright?" the doctor asked me, "You seem to be taking it very well.  Most people are extremely upset when they get these kind of results."  Honestly, I was a combination of confused, surprised, and relieved to finally have an answer as to why I had been so sick.

Like many people, I had very little understanding of food allergies.  I assumed that they either caused extreme digestive upset, hives, or anaphylactic shock.  Food allergies in my mind did not result in congestion, respiratory distress, and asthma.

After leaving the clinic, I immediately contacted a few people- family and friends, who, like me, had been waiting to hear the results of my allergy tests.  The responses were all similar- "Wait, What?,   How are you allergic to all those things?  Who the hell is allergic to RICE?"  One friend laughed at the absurdity of it- "What are you going to eat??"  Ummm- fruit, vegetables, potatoes, oatmeal, and cheese??  I laughed with her, and then I cried, as I thought about how pervasive Corn (corn syrup anyone?), Soy (ever heard of soy lecithin- it's in everything!) and Wheat are in our society.  We sat and brainstormed the foods that I could still eat, rather than focusing on what I couldn't eat.

Over the next few days, I began to realize that those allergens were in even more products than I had thought.  Almost every single gluten-free product contains rice flour (again- who the hell is allergic to RICE??), and many natural or organic products utilize brown rice syrup instead of sugar (I can eat sugar people!!).  Corn starch or corn syrup or soy lecithin are in the most surprising of products.

It became apparent, that my life was going to change dramatically.  I felt like I had two choices- I could focus on how difficult this was going to be, and what I would no longer be able to eat  OR I could look at this as a challenge, an opportunity to discover what I could eat.  Never being a glass- half-empty kind of person, I chose to view it as an opportunity.  For the last few years, I have been working towards developing a healthier lifestyle, with a goal of moving away from processed foods, and eating more natural foods.  With my particular allergies- eating processed foods just got a whole lot more difficult, and maybe that's not a bad thing after all.

I am fortunate that I have always enjoyed cooking and baking, and have generally had great success in the kitchen.  I am also fortunate that I love a good challenge- tell me I can't do something, and I am bound and determined to prove to you that I can!

I began to look for foods that I loved, and that I wasn't allergic to.  I started to search for substitutions for favorite food items.  I used Pinterest (who doesn't love Pinterest??) to find recipes and thought of ways I could tweak recipes to make them allergy-friendly.  I found out what items were going to be served at parties and barbecues, and figured out what I could make and bring so I wouldn't feel left out.  I prepared items well in advance, so that when the cravings hit, I had something ready and available that didn't contain any allergens.

And when the days come that I feel frustrated that I "can't eat what the other kids are eating" (insert pouty face and whiny voice here), I remember how awful it felt when I was sick all the time, and how scary it was when I developed asthma and breathing became extremely difficult (really, of all the things I could suck at- I suck at breathing??).

Food allergies have given me the push I needed to make healthier eating choices.  Food allergies have challenged me to try new things. Removing allergens has given me more energy, made it easier to breathe, and has eliminated a lot of nausea, digestive upset, and chest and head congestion.  I feel better, I have an answer to why I was sick. I have made a decision to make the best of my illness and use it to better my life, and to spread awareness and help others in any way that I can.  I am Rockin My Food Allergies Like A Boss- I am an ALLERGISTA!!

For anyone out there who is struggling with food allergies or intolerances, I challenge YOU to make the most of it, to see difficulties as an opportunity, and to become an Allergista (or Allergisto, that doesn't flow quite as well, but I am all about equal opportunity ).

I hope that my blog can be a source of support for others, please let me know if there are any topics that you would like me to cover, recipes to try to convert, or products to review.

With Aloha
~Erin the Allergista~

The Revelation.... I'm Allergic to What?!?!

What is an Allergista, you ask??  It's someone with food (or other)  allergies, that is facing the challenge head on and doing his/her best to ROCK it!  But, let's rewind, and go back to the beginning...

This all started with illness, lots of recurrent illnesses that just wouldn't get better.   I had infections, and respiratory problems, and stomach problems.  Every week something new would crop up,  I had recurrent congestion, and I was going to the doctor's office all the time.  It seemed like my immune system was shot, and I just couldn't figure out what was going on.  Eventually, I developed asthma.  Finally, after two courses of Prednisone, continued respiratory distress, and a lot of tears, I asked to see an allergist- BEST DECISION EVER!  Seriously- one thing I will say- advocate for yourself!  I have often found that doctors just treat the current concern, and don't always seek to find the underlying cause.  Speak up- state your concerns- and request referrals.

Fast forward, I went to see an allergist, and they took about a ton of blood.... That might be an exaggeration. They actually took 4 vials of blood and sent them off to test for 40 different allergens. The test took 4 weeks to come back, so in the meantime, they started me on asthma medications- Hooray!  The asthma medications started to help quickly, and I was feeling better.

4 weeks passed, and I went back to get my results.. and let me tell you- they were surprising.  I expected to have allergies to dust and mold, some environmental stuff, and maybe pet dander (which terrified me because I am an ANIMAL LOVER).  I did end up having allergies to most weeds, grasses, and trees- which I expected.  I did NOT have allergies to dust mites or mold- weird?!

But then came the real shocker- all the food allergies! Now, let me state for the record- I am a food addict.  Not even joking, I have been to therapy and Overeaters Anonymous to try to deal with my food addictions.  So, needless to say, finding out I had food allergies- was not the happiest revelation. But just wait- it gets better... What am I allergic to you ask??  Wheat, Corn, Soy, Rice (WHAT??- Who's allergic to rice?), Eggs, Peanuts and Tomatoes.....  Just let that sink in for a minute.... Corn (as in corn syrup) and Soy (ever heard of soy lecithin?) and Wheat are in EVERYTHING!  Seriously, start reading food labels- it is shocking!  Now, to top that all off, I've got the rice allergy- the MOST common flour substitute in gluten-free products is rice flour, so that means most gluten-free products are out for me.

Needless to say, it has been quite a change to my life, and 6 months later, I am still figuring out what foods work for me, and which ones don't.  It is difficult to find packaged foods that are free of my allergens, and eating in restaurants is a challenge.  Fortunately, I love to cook and bake and enjoy experimenting with various substitutions. That's where the idea for this blog came along!  I would love to share my findings and recipes with others who are struggling with food allergens.  It has been amazing how much better I feel since cutting allergens out of my life, and I want to help others that are dealing with the same problems.  Then I thought- if I'm doing a blog, why not share about some of my other interests and things that are important to me??  I will be covering other fun topics such as body positivity, plus-size fashion (cuz I'm a curvy girl who loves clothes!)
and natural living.

Please join me on my journey- I plan to post recipes, substitution ideas, companies that avoid most allergens, and general information that I find about allergies.   For those of you that are more interested in my other topics, stay tuned!

~Erin the Allergista~