I've had my allergy to nuts for most of my life. In fact, I was only 5 when I had my first reaction to tree nuts -- Brazil Nuts to be exact. I don't really remember it, but I do remember my throat feeling itchy and tight. Ever since then, I've been avoiding nuts.
Try as I might, there are occasions when nut proteins enter my body unexpectedly. Maybe it was someone who made a sandwich with walnut bread and didn't clean the counter or wash their hands afterwards. Then, I come into the kitchen to fix myself a sandwich, lay my bread down on the counter and when I take my first bite, I get itchy and my body starts reacting to the nuts.
Or, maybe it was the very first time I kissed my husband.
Yep.
My husband sent me to the emergency room that night because he had eaten caramel cashew ice cream 4 hours before he kissed me. And, when he did, I immediately knew he'd eaten nuts -- my throat began to get tight and my mouth was all tingly.
Lovingly, he took me to the emergency room and all ended well that night for both of us. But that experience taught us of the true severity of a nut allergy and how my body's immune system can be triggered to respond with even just a minuscule level of nut protein.
This spiraled me into a world of fear -- and propelled me into the kitchen.
Over the past five years, God has blessed me with being able to find joy in eating good, healthy and safe foods and to enjoy cooking and food-events once again. He is to be praised for this journey that I am on.
A bloggy friend Lynn and I have been working on a series focused on nut allergies, this series includes topics that are hopefully informative and helpful to you as a reader:
Try as I might, there are occasions when nut proteins enter my body unexpectedly. Maybe it was someone who made a sandwich with walnut bread and didn't clean the counter or wash their hands afterwards. Then, I come into the kitchen to fix myself a sandwich, lay my bread down on the counter and when I take my first bite, I get itchy and my body starts reacting to the nuts.
Or, maybe it was the very first time I kissed my husband.
My husband sent me to the emergency room that night because he had eaten caramel cashew ice cream 4 hours before he kissed me. And, when he did, I immediately knew he'd eaten nuts -- my throat began to get tight and my mouth was all tingly.
Lovingly, he took me to the emergency room and all ended well that night for both of us. But that experience taught us of the true severity of a nut allergy and how my body's immune system can be triggered to respond with even just a minuscule level of nut protein.
This spiraled me into a world of fear -- and propelled me into the kitchen.
Over the past five years, God has blessed me with being able to find joy in eating good, healthy and safe foods and to enjoy cooking and food-events once again. He is to be praised for this journey that I am on.
A bloggy friend Lynn and I have been working on a series focused on nut allergies, this series includes topics that are hopefully informative and helpful to you as a reader:
- What is it like to have a food allergy? Living with a Nut Allergy
- How severe is it really? How severe food allergies differ from itchy eyes and the sneezes
- What can I eat? Wading through the labels and products to find foods I can eat
- Adjusting: Finding what's "normal" when I have a nut allergy
- Cooking for a loved one with a nut allergy
Wow. Such an interesting story. Isn't it funny how food can change one's life.
ReplyDeleteKatie
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