Do You Know Someone with Food Allergies?

I'm curious if you work or go to school with or know someone who has food allergies?  The life-threatening kind of food allergies is called Anaphylaxis.  This isn't your pal in the office who has decided to go gluten free.  This is the person in your office who could die from eating a cookie you've baked because it has peanuts or nuts in it.  This is the person on the airplane they are talking about.

I'm one of those people and that bracelet on my wrist in that photo above is from  MedicAlert.  It tells you that I have life-threatening food allergies and to call 911 immediately if I'm even in a situation where I'm having a reaction (and hope it's not while on an airplane!). I also carry Epi and Benadryl in my purse, bathrooms, workplace, kitchen.  My husband and our four boys, parents, sisters, brothers, friends, and everybody I know that touches my life in some way, knows I have life-threatening food allergies (or they do now!) 

This isn't ad an for MedicAlert, although I am a national spokesperson for them.  It's rather a response to seeing a young person die from eating a candy bar.  I also don't think he was at work, but reading the article (posted below) this morning triggered a response in me that I need to do even more.

I'm writing about work because these kids are all starting to age and are in college now or in the workplace.  There are some of us adults who have developed the allergy also.  But the kids and young adults - an estimated 1 in 13 with food allergies now are out and about.  At some point, it will be the pilot we are talking about and not the child on board.

Please be aware.  Please ask around in your home, office or school if someone is carrying Epi or Benadryl.  Please train people in your home,office or school to help you.  If you are the one with the allergy, speak up & train others to help you in the event of an emergency.  I know I spent a good amount of time and years hiding the fact that I had anaphylaxis out of fear on a number of levels.  I'm vocal about it now in an effort to help others stay alive and thrive with anaphylaxis.

My heart goes out to him and his family this morning.  You are one I wish I could have reached. Clearly I have more work to do.

Peanut Allergy Kills Twin Cities Man

https://www.startribune.com/peanut-allergy-kills-22-year-old-twin-cities-man/366152021/

I wrote this in Facebook this morning with the posted link:

This is very sad to me. As a person with life-threatening anaphylaxis to nuts, peanuts, fish and shellfish for nearly 20 years now, I always wish I could do more and reach each person, especially as they become an adult with food allergies. I will keep teaching the ins and outs of how to live, thrive and stay alive with these allergies. It requires incredible discipline. It requires, unfortunately, not trusting certain things, people with the best of intentions, events, buffets, and other items in order to keep yourself safe.

I teach people with food allergies and parents who have children with anaphylaxis and intolerances to eat and drink clean. Things like candy bars, donuts and all these processed items are not only not good for an already taxed digestive tract and immune system, but also not good for you anyway. The are a double whammy for someone with food allergies, because not only are they not good for you, but also often contain hidden allergens, mislabeled allergens, or the catch all that you can't trust, "may contain". I always just assume it does contain and avoid it.

This means I do not eat a lot of things. This means, buffets, baked goods, home cooked meals where someone says "I've checked everything" (but did you double check each ingredient?), processed foods, food that contain more than one ingredient, restaurant food, being on an airline that serves nuts, etc. etc..

Staying alive and thriving with food allergies means do not eat it or be around it unless you are as certain as you can be. It's not worth your life to fit in although it may feel like it at the time. With these allergies, you can't eat the way other people without the allergies eat. It may require life coaching, therapy and other means also to help mindset that goes around it. Another thing that can done is to become a creature of habit. This means eat clean, avoid foods that are suspect and have a group of foods that you know you can pick from regularly to stay alive and thrive.

and also, this never goes without saying... with a person who has anaphylaxis, please carry not only Epi, but also Benadryl and wear a MedicAlert bracelet and train those around you how to respond in the event of an emergency. Anyone around someone having a food allergic reaction should call 911 and understand how to use these medications for the person.

This isn't just in schools and colleges with kids. The kids grow up. For me, it's been with workplace, airlines, travel and so much more.

Love, Elizabeth

About Elizabeth (the food allergy side of me...)

Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino is a spokesperson for MedicAlert & FAACT.

Hay House author and Best Ever You Network CEO, lives her daily life with allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. In 1998, Elizabeth nearly lost her life due to an allergic reaction to almonds. In 1999, she had a second near-fatal allergic reaction while pregnant with her third son, after which she was hospitalized for more than a week. Elizabeth turned these challenges into a mission to help people living with allergies thrive and be their very best. She founded the Best Ever You Network, which is a leading multimedia provider of lifestyle and self-help content. With Brian Hom, she co-founded the Food Allergy Zone to find a cure and the cause of food allergies. Elizabeth hosts “The Best Ever You Show” on BlogTalkRadio, which has over one million global listeners.  Now she adds “author” to her resume. In Percolate: Let Your Best Self Filter Through (April 2014), Elizabeth empowers readers to implement powerful, positive change to thrive in every aspect of your life.   Elizabeth has a degree in communications and broadcasting and also works as a life coach. She lives with her husband and four boys in Maine. Visit BestEverYou.com for more information about Elizabeth’s work and passions. 

ps- This post may have typos.  If you see one, just let me know.  I didn't have it edited before posting.  Thank you :)