Food Allergies

I have food allergies, and by that I don't mean to say that I'm allergic to one or two foods. As my friend Alene put it, I'm pretty much allergic to food and all of its components. I've always known that I have *some* food allergies. I even knew for sure what one of them was. For as long as I can remember, I've known that I am allergic to red food coloring, most probably Red #40. I avoid all red food colorings, however, just to be on the safe side. Intense stomach cramps, vomiting, anaphylaxis, etc. is just not how I prefer to spend my time.

I've also known for about as long as I can remember that I am allergic to other foods too, but I just didn't know what those were. None of them had such a dramatic effect as when the dentist put the red plaque build up detecting tablet in my mouth, and I had a seizure. Ibuprofen sent me to the hospital when I was in high school for a nice shot of antihistamine in the butt following breaking out into hives and nearly passing out in the school nurse's office. I also avoid Ibuprofen.

However, there's always been some lingering thought that I was allergic to something else, but I had no idea what that something else was. I'd been also living with severe asthma. On good days, I wheezed when climbing a flight of stairs. On bad days, well let's just say, the ER was involved. Following two bouts of pneumonia and bronchitis within twelve months, I decided to do whatever it took to get to the bottom of this asthma business and get it under control. Ultimately, I wound up at Allergy Associates of LaCrosse where I was tested for *both* airborn and food allergies. Up until that day, I'd never actually been tested for food allergies.

I had to wait few weeks for my food allergy blood tests results. When I got the letter, I cried. I found out that in addition to the things I already knew (tree nuts too - anaphylaxis again) that I was allergic to, I am allergic to the following:

• Wheat
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Yeast
• Peanuts

That eliminates an awful lot of foods, but I was not about to die of starvation. Instead, I've been adapting. I can eat veggies, fruits, meat, potatoes, corn, rice, and combinations thereof. While being allergic to so many foods is awful, I am seeing clear results in my asthma improvement. In a three month period, I needed my inhaler twice. Prior to the allergy results and allergy treatments that I am taking, I would need my inhaler up to four times a day.