Anyone who has suffered from a common allergy knows that the questions people ask you about your allergy can be almost as bad as the symptoms themselves. I say almost because, let’s be honest, allergic reaction sucks- not much is worse than them. However, it just seems to add insult to injury when you’re suffering from something you’ve eaten and someone feels the need to ask you about how you reacted to it. Trust me, you don’t want to know. Even if you do want to know, I don’t want to tell you. I’ve compiled a list below of the day to day disappointments and mishaps that someone who is allergic to everything often endures.
- “You’re allergic to gluten? I don’t think that’s a real allergy. I’ve (insert: read a study, heard from a friend, etc) that gluten intolerance isn’t a real allergy. It is just a trendy thing people are doing to lose weight.”
My counter argument to this: Shut up. There are real tests, done by real doctors, at real hospitals to confirm this allergy. Further, people experience real symptoms and real pain when they unknowingly ingest gluten and are allergic to it. I don’t care what your cousin Ryan from U of T has to say on the matter, celiac disease exists and it sucks. As for some people that self-report gluten sensitivity and may or may not be genuinely allergic, who really cares. The increased availability of gluten free products benefits a wide range of people. Whether they are allergic or just wanting to try and eat healthier, increased gluten free products are an excellent thing.
- Having nothing you can actually eat at any work meeting, volunteer event, etc.
As mentioned above, thankfully gluten free products have become more readily available at restaurants, grocery stores, and even at Starbucks. However, these products also have a higher cost. Due to this, at any event where free food is provided to people, the gluten free options are lacking. Unless you want to attempt to make it through a full day finance conference on just a plate of salad and a handful of grapes, it is often necessary to bring your own food to events with you. The saddest part is when pizza is ordered as a thank you/an easy meal (because it always is) and you have to decline.
- Being asked what your allergies are, only to have them ignored.
It’s one thing to attend an event and having nothing provided that you can safely eat. Sure, it sucks, but you can brush it off because whoever organized it probably just didn’t stop and think about it or wasn’t aware that someone with allergies was attending. However, the most infuriating thing to experience is to be asked your allergies, painstakingly list them out in a detailed email, and then have them completely disregarded and ignored. “Sorry, I know you told me we were allergic to nuts, but all we have to eat here is peanut butter, almonds, pistachios, and almond milk.” Even worse, the pouted lips and soft tone they use when they tell you how sorry they are for forgetting. Jerks.
- Being perpetually careful when out anywhere in public.
Better not touch that hand rail. Someone who touched peanut butter within the last several hours could have also touched that railing. No worries, you think you look cooler when you walk around with your hands in your pockets anyways.
- Finding an alcoholic beverage you can safely drink.
There is an added layer of difficulty here because it can be very easy to mistake hangover symptoms with allergic reactions. Plus, the more hydrated you get, the less and less you care about what you’re outing into your body. Which brings me to the next point…
- The lack of good drunk food options.
Pizza? No. Shawarma. No? Subway? Better not. Wendy’s? Maybe would be okay but don’t want to risk it. Poutine? Ugh I wish. Who wants to have some nice, crispy celery to sober us up. No? A cup of black coffee and a handful of raisins? Oh, that’s cool… just enjoy your pizza.
- No matter how careful you are with your allergies, there will come a point in time when you accidentally ingest something you are allergic to you.
Paprika can be ground up and used as a spice on fries. Didn’t know that? Well now you do! Lip balm can include cotton seed oil, something you had never even heard of before yet alone known you were allergic to. There are so many ingredients in everything that knowing them all and being sure you aren’t allergic to any of them is basically impossible.
This is just a small sampling of what your friends with allergies have to go through daily. Don’t add to their problems by asking for detailed descriptions of their symptoms. In this case, the age old saying ‘ignorance is bliss’ really is true.