It can be too easy to slip into a ‘why me?’ mentality and obsess over what you now cannot do, and jealousy of your friends creeps in. They can eat what they want, drink what they want, wear the make-up they want and go wherever they want without a moments thought.
Anyone who has any allergies will understand the heartache of having an allergic attack. At first you don’t quite know what’s happening, then when you do pin it down to real allergies, get diagnosed and begin your new life avoiding one, more or many foods and/or substances it can feel very lonely and depressing.
But hang on a minute. Over the last few years I have begun to view my allergies in a very different way. At the moment I can’t change them. They are here to stay, at least for the forseeable future, but I can embrace them. Learn to live with them, challenge my boundaries and experiment with new and exciting allergy free foods.
Here are just a few very good reasons you should be proud to be different:
1. Simple pleasures! – Finding a new allergy free treat that actually tastes delicious is always a high point for me. My most recent discovery has got to be Marks & Spencer Sticky Chilli Chicken.
2. Sometimes, just sometimes, you get a better deal – Ever been out for a big dinner, or a wedding and you’re completely stuffed? The puddings come out and your waist band strains in anticipation, all you really want is a light fruit salad at this point. Stay with me here all you chocolate lovers. There is an element here of my convincing myself I wouldn’t rather have the cheesecake or chocolate profiteroles, but often I get a fruit salad to surpass all others with the star shaped one (is it a star fruit?), papaya, melon, pomegranate, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, I could go on… and it’s just right. I savour my perfect pudding with a smug grin while others look on with pudding envy saying, “Oh I wish I could have that!” Perfect! Thank you chef!
3. It keeps you slim! – Most of the time this one rings true. If I’m feeling particularly wifey and bake lots of cakes it can very quickly go wrong as I generally have to eat them all up before they reach the tin, they are such a treat. Luckily for me I’m quite a lazy bones at times, especially when tired or rushed, so snacking on naughty things is out. I can’t eat biscuits in meetings, or grab food on the run easily. I can’t often eat puddings when out for dinner, and always have to go for the simple option without sauce etc. Sometimes, hell yeah this really bugs me, but most of the time, I’m so used to it I can happily abstein and my figure stays trim.
4. I’ve learnt to cook! – Memories of sitting on the horrible lino floor of an old flat we rented with a tub of rice cakes in my lap, sobbing at the loss of all that was nice in my life, are now a distant memory. I have had to learn to cook, and now I love it. It has made me really appreciate good, simple, organic ingredients, and cooking from fresh can be fun, and always tastes better.
5. You’re special! – Your body is doing something quite amazing when it reacts to trigger foods. No, we don’t know why, and we can’t stop it happening, but nature is quite fascinating. Rather inconvenient at times I agree, but something sparks up a reaction where your body is trying to fight for its life. Remember that it could be worse. With careful planning living with allergies is no problem at all. A bit of a pain sometimes, but not a problem. Honest! Hell you’re a goddam super hero!
6. You are less likely to get a brain tumour! – You think I’m joking right? Scientists from the University of Illinois, Chicago, say they found evidence of a link between low glioma risk and allergies: the more allergies a person has, the lower the chance he or she will get that type of tumour later. They don’t know why, it may be due to allergy sufferers having a hyper active immune system, things are just flowing out of the body instead of building up and causing problems in later life. Well, shall I list my allergies? All nuts, dairy, celery, tomatoes, latex, dust, nickel, animal fur, mould, grass etc.
That’s all I can think of right now but six positives in a sometimes painful and dangerous world aint bad.
Allergies are cool!
Allergies are sexy!
See the positives in any situation and it doesn’t seem quite so bleak so embrace your allergies. Take care, stay safe and keep smiling.
Positive is definitely GOOD! A few years ago we did an article about a young boy who was nut allergic plus a whole load of other-stuff-allergic too but who had just ‘improved’ to the point that he was only peanut allergic rather than all nut allergic.
His mum did an ‘interview’ with him about how he coped with his allergies and whether he was pleased not to be all-nut allergic now. ‘Well, sort of’, he said, ‘but when I was all nut allergic I was REALLY special – now I am just ordinary allergic….’
That is just so sweet. Reminds me of when I was little and first discovered with nut allergy. By this I mean my Mum pinned down the cause of the sudden bouts of sickness. My younger sister was a bit jealous I think and also developed a nut allergy too. Adamant that she too was very very allergic and couldn’t eat any nuts. She just wanted to be like her big sister, but when no one was looking she was tucking into the peanuts with gusto!