I’ve only met one person whose health was effected by a weird food allergy. She was the science teacher at the same school where I was a history teacher. We were in the same grade level and had the same lunch time so we often ate together. We made life very difficult for our other teachers. She was allergic to bell peppers and I was allergic to onions. Her allergy was way more serious though, she couldn’t even be in the same room with someone eating bell peppers because she would have difficulty breathing. If she accidentally ate something with a pepper she’d puff up like a bull frog (that was her joke not mine).

The thing is teachers like to eat frozen meals (at least where I worked) because they were tasty, easy, and quick…all good things when you have a 20min lunch ‘hour’. She and I were only able to find a handful of dinners that didn’t have onion/pepper in them (they seem to go together most of the time). I swear, we came to the conclusion that the primary seasonings in frozen meals are onions and peppers.

Here is my advice to all frozen food manufacturers: diversify! Try basil, lemongrass, jalapenos, anything but bell peppers and onions. 

Photo Credit: Phigongoi

The title probably gives me away, right? Yes, the sad truth is I can’t eat or drink any of the cool diet sugar free stuff because all of it makes me sick. It doesn’t seem to matter which artificial sweetener it is either. Although I haven’t tried the newest ones, the older ones all did bad things to my health and state of wellbeing. I never really liked the taste but didn’t realize what a problem it was until I started getting sick every single time I ate out at this one restaurant. I finally realized the only thing each of the meals had in common was the desert I was getting.

It was from their diet menu but was so good I got it every time. Once I made the connection I asked the waiter the next time I was there and sure enough it was made with an artificial sweetener. That was when I began enforcing my no fake sugar rule. Of course my allergy specialist says it is more likely a sensitivity than an allergy but the results are about the same, as in really bad. I have friends who avoid the artificial sweeteners as well, for other health reasons but not because it makes them ill. I’m sure I can’t be alone. Do you have an allergy to artificial sweeteners?

Photo Credit: Uwe Hermann

I am allergic to onions. I bet you didn’t even know that was possible, right? I mean when thinking of food allergies who thinks…onion. No one! You know how I know that? Because almost every prepackaged meal, mix, take out, dine in, carry out food choice has onions in it. Is my health any less important just because my food allergy isn’t in vogue? I know that wheat allergies, peanut allergies, and milk allergies are more common but I want in on the food labeling love.

I get incredibly sick if I eat even a little onion. In fact my allergy doctor told me it would get worse with exposure and recommended that I carry and EpiPen just in case. Just in case I happen to go out to dinner anywhere. I always ask servers if there are onions in something and they almost always so no. Even when there is. Why? Because the onions are finely chopped and you can’t really see them. Also, everyone cooks with onions but no one really thinks about it. Except me apparently. I can almost tell by the smell now, but every once in awhile I’ll slip up and then I suffer for days.

Is anyone else allergic to onions? Do you feel alone and underrepresented too?

Photo Credit: I Love Butter

My children have severe food allergies to peanuts, although I am not allergic. Allergy testing is vital for keeping kids healthy and working with your doctor to have a game plan. Other parents should have their children tested for food allergies and other serious allergies. Hopefully someday, a cure for all allergies will be found! I hope!

In the meantime, check out this article about undiagnosed allergies: http://www.diagnosingallergies.com/articles/undiagnosed-allergies/index.php

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/macinate/2105923713/

I didn’t know about the new tools available to diagnose food allergies until I read this article. These tools take away some of the guesswork involved in pinpointing an allergy – and they made me much more willing to see my doctor to talk about my recurring symptoms. Turns out I don’t have an allergy after all!

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/euromagic/2351628831/

A common myth is that all severe food allergies are diagnosed early in childhood. In reality, severe food allergies may not be apparent until an individual has eaten that food on several occasions. This means that anaphylactic shock can occur to anyone, at any time.

Take a look at this article to get more info on how food allergies can develop: http://www.diagnosingallergies.com/articles/anaphylactic-shock/index.php

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jetalone/188820094/