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~
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