Food Allergies and Eating
Food allergies are very common. Not everyone has one, but most of us know at least one person who has a food allergy because up to 15 million Americans have food allergies. Some of the more common allergens include peanuts, shellfish, dairy products, and grains such as wheat.
In fact, a very close friend of mine, while she loves peanut butter and especially certain peanut butter-filled chocolates, cannot eat them much because her significant other is deathly allergic to peanuts.
But, not everyone’s food allergies are so severe that they can’t even be in the same areas as their allergen (aka, the actual thing that they’re allergic to).
For example, I’m also allergic to peanuts. Though, I wasn’t always. Hard as it was for me to believe, allergies to food can develop at any time one’s in life. I was sad to give up peanut butter but my allergy isn’t horrible. If a friend of mine decides to spread peanut butter on toast a couple of feet away from me, I’ll be alright. I just can’t eat it.
While I am specifically allergic to peanuts, I’m not going to risk the possibility that other tree nuts could also trigger my allergy so I will avoid those as well. That means no cashews, macadamia nuts or pistachios to name a few.
Trying to avoid eating any allergen is difficult. It really is a pain to turn over whatever package of food, read the ingredients and then go on to dub the food as ‘can eat’ or ‘can’t eat,’ but this becomes routine and isn’t so bad, really. Especially when you find some cookies that are peanut and tree nut free.
It proves even harder for our friends around us to eat or to get us foods. They may not have an allergy and can’t put themselves in our shoes because they don’t know what it feels like to never have a certain food.
So, how can they better understand? How do we not make them worry about every little piece of candy or snack because of our one allergy?
Well, for starters, specifically telling them your allergy triggers is a good way to go. Some might try to argue that sharing that info is ‘being TMI’ but, no. That’s not the case.
You’re telling about your allergy to keep yourself safe, as keeping the allergy to yourself is dangerous.
That doesn’t mean you have to sit there and explain how you found out about the allergy — just quickly say you’re allergic to whatever it is and move on.
Or, if you want to avoid the word allergic you can simply say, “I can’t have [certain food].” The latter works especially well at ice cream shops and restaurants. Servers and staff more or less ‘get it’ when someone uses that phrase and then they recommend other options.
Our differences make us who we are and, while food allergies aren’t a ‘fun’ trait to discuss, talking about them is raising awareness. Please check out this video by Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE). Their website is another good place to find out more about food allergies.