SOy Sick of Food (allergies)!

I’ve talked about making this blog for a long time now.  I’m sure at this point, everyone knows someone who has a food allergy, if they don’t have one themselves.  In my office there are about 11 girls and of them half have food allergies.  Of those, two have life threatening, don’t you dare bring that food to work, allergies.

My own allergies aren’t quite that sudden, but I wouldn’t say they aren’t that dangerous or that desperate.  Whenever I see something yummy that I really want like a cheese roll, I refer to them as little bits of death.  Carrs Safeway in Alaska has these rolls that they fill will cheddar cheese and then bake – Oh so delicious, but seriously for me they are like a little slice of death bake into warm, flaky breading.

Going forward please know - I make fun because you can either laugh or cry about it.  I choose to laugh – or at least I try.  So if you suffer from these same symptoms/issues please don’t be offended.  The only person I’m poking fun at is myself.

My symptoms:  

- Swollen up monkey lips, tongue, face, eyes and esophagus - not to the point of being unable to breathe – though on occasion it has gotten a bit hairy.  

- Couple that with the allergy shiners and in essence, I look like a hyena.   

- Of late I get a general State Puff Marshmallow man swelling all over effect. 

- I get a raspy voice, and sometimes even lose it (do to the swelling). 

- Cough

- Hives, usually centered around - but not limited to - hot spots such as the backs of the knees and insides of the elbows, though lips and inside nostrils aren’t completely off limits either.  (Imagine that for a moment. Blek.) 

- And the most recent, and not the most unpleasant but most debilitating is when I eat something I shouldn’t my energy meter gets drained to fumes. 

The reason I finally broke down and decided to start this blog is that last week I ate a bagel and cashew butter (read the ingredients and there was no soy).  Usually, my reactions take about an hour or so, but not this time, my lips started itching immediately but I didn’t pay much attention.  Within 20 minutes of finishing the bagel my breathing was labored.

Reading the back of the cashew butter, it indicated that though there wasn’t allergens in the ingredients, it was made on shared equipment and could contain, peanuts, soy and wheat.  As far as the bagel goes, who knows.  I picked it up at the coffee shop.  For all I know they could have used soy flower, soy milk, soybean oil and textured vegetable product (which is code for SOY).

So, I’ve decided no more.  Previously, after a major reaction that had a similar unpleasant but more severe result, I started eating only foods that I prepared, made almost entirely of whole foods.  It’s time to get back to that.

Luckily, I have the benefit of a boyfriend who is professionally trained as a chef. (Like fancy, expense culinary college trained chef.)

Living with food allergies can feel very restricting and let’s face it, frustrating.  I would like this blog to be a place to share experiences, tips, recipes and anything that will help make living with allergies a little bit more convenient, healthier, and most importantly tastier.  

So, please join in the discussion and share your own experiences, tips and recipes!