ALL about ALLergies
I cannot begin to tell you how many people in my lifetime have said to me, “You’ve never eaten a Reeses peanut butter cup?” with a quizzical look on their face. No, world, I have NEVER eaten anything with tree nuts, peanuts, or sesame seeds since those fateful days I discovered my allergies. If you suffer, like me, you learn to adapt and embrace your allergy (My bat mitzvah party theme was “Go NUTS with Chelsey!” to poke fun at myself!…see pic below!). With so many substitutions available I don’t feel like I miss out on anything!
Did you know that 15 million Americans suffer from food allergies1? If you have one of the top eight allergies, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans, you’re truly not alone. The good news? Since 2004, all food packages must be labeled with these ingredients, or if they “may contain” these elements2. Although supermarkets now dedicate entire aisles to gluten-free foods (and the government continues to strengthen laws clarifying claims), it’s still difficult to live with a life-threatening condition.
A tricky aspect of allergies is that no matter how well-versed you become in reading food labels (and I consider myself a pro!), allergens can go unnoticed or hidden, and if your condition is severe enough, a small amount of protein derived from your kryptonite can cause immense medical trouble. Furthermore, not all foods have regulated labels. Those delicious cookies from your local bakery could have touched peanut brittle and you would never know. In these cases, my motto is better safe than sorry!
Allergy/Asthma Awareness Month isn’t until May, but for those of us suffering, one month doesn’t cut it to remind everyone about importance allergies. If you’re affected, know someone who is, or want to find out more about this popular complication, use these tips and tricks I’ve picked up in my day to vanish allergy-induced stress!
- If you can’t read it, don’t eat it. Growing up, this phrase was drilled into my head! It’s not worth risking your life, or even requiring a hospital visit, just to eat something. Those cookies from that mom and pop shop might look delicious, but they may be hiding almond paste that the high school worker behind the counter doesn’t know about. Thanks Mom for teaching me this one!
Delectable treats I couldn’t try in Paris! They’re still pretty to look at though! (PS- I got in trouble for taking a pic, so it’s a bit blurry!)
- Know the lingo. While it’s easy to recognize “eggs” on a food label, your allergen can be disguised. According to a favorite book of mine2, Read It Before You Eat It, eggs can be labeled as “albumin, globulin, lecithin, livetin, lysozyme, vitellin, or any word with the prefix ‘ova’ or ‘ovo'” (Taub-Dix, 2010). It is especially important to know the buzz words if you don’t have a top eight allergy. (Bonus tip: Just because a product was previously safe for you to consume, always read the labels. Manufacturers constantly alter ingredients without a noticeable change to the label. Read, read, read!!!)
- Don’t be afraid to speak up & ask! If you’re naturally shy, having a food allergy can be troubling. You will always need to speak up for yourself and ask questions, especially in restaurants. Don’t be embarrassed, there are 15 million other Americans just like you1!
- Allergy-free products do NOT have the same nutritional makeup as their counterparts. If you’re someone who suffers from multiple allergies, it can be difficult to consume a nutritiously adequate diet. This can best be exemplified using milk. A traditional cup of cow’s milk provides 8-11 grams of protein. Many alternatives exist, but if you’re allergic to milk, soy, and tree nuts your options diminish drastically. Rice milk, a probable option, only has 1g protein and double the amount of carbs as cow’s milk or soymilk. This doesn’t make rice milk a bad selection, just keep in mind that your morning bowl of cereal will not contain as much protein to hold you over until lunch as you think, so look for this nutrient elsewhere. Click here to see how various milks compare.
- 100% avoidance is not necessary if you don’t have an allergy. The gluten-free craze has been touted as a weight loss diet (hint: it’s not!!), so many people have been cutting gluten, without an apparent allergy. Celiac disease is an autoimmune response to the protein in gluten. If your body can tolerate wheat, you can have a perfectly well-balanced and nutritious diet consuming grains. Gluten-free products are often laden with sugar and salt to distract from the lack of gluten present, so don’t be fooled by it’s seemingly healthy label!
Many of the recipes I will feature on this blog will be allergen-friendly. As someone who’s suffered from food allergies my entire life, I no longer look at a recipe that contains an allergen as something I cannot make, but rather, I think of how I can make it work for me. I look forward to sharing more of my allergy insight with you soon!
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If you have allergies, what tips can you share?
1: http://www.foodallergy.org/facts-and-stats
2: Taub-Dix, Bonnie. Read It Before You Eat It. New York: Plume, 2010. Print
Chelsey….Your info is invaluable. Thank you so much for your
great ideas and suggestions. Your advice, given from personal
experience and/or research, will be such a help to all who
read your blogs. We all appreciate you more than you know!
Congratulations Chelsey – your entire family (and extended Colorado family) are so excited for you. It seems to me that you are absolutely on target – that you will surely educate people where nutrition is critical – and that you are embarking on a very exciting career path. I shall look forward to reading your blogs. Again, congratulations – cousin Madeline in Colorado
Thanks so much Madeline! Hope all is well in Colorado & please say hi from me! XO