Food allergies, intolerances, aversions and imagined problems

[ajhuff]

Where I work there's been a load of weird allergies. I think a lot of them are in their head. Another one that pisses me off is people who say "I can't have xxx because I'm a celiac" yet they order something that clearly contains gluten

This is EXACTLY my point. Dusty I didn't say people with allergies are faking it. I am saying that people like my mom who stopped eating wheat doesn't have Celiac. Or the woman I created a lactose free menu for because she has a milk allergy doesn't really because she loves ice cream and cheese. Add to that that allergies are protein based, that means that A) if it doesn't have a protein you can't be allergic to it and B) lactose intolerance and milk allergies are NOT the same thing. Milk allergies are much rarer. Yeah you eat shrimp and swell up and get hives, you've got an allergy. You probably even had a doctor tell you that, maybe even got a prescription for an Epipen. If you gave up corn because your friend did and you now feel better, that doesnt mean you had a corn allergy. Or if you eat something and feel queasy get the shits or just feel funny you dont have a food allergy. Don't run around telling people you have a food allergy and expecting others to accommodate you. Cause you don't.

[mr drinky]

IM(rant)O the explosion has something to do with the hyper-parenting of today, and there have been a handful of studies in the last few years where they have found that adults way over-estimate their allergies. This NYTimes article says that 30% of adults report allergies, but only 5% actually have them. That means there is an 85% allergy fantasyland out there.

And that peanut allergy is extremely rare -- but has somehow become the poster child of 'potential death' by eating that can come at any time to any child. The hyper-parenting to prevent 'food death' often extends into wild exaggeration once the kids hit school because the parents can no longer control every bit of food that enters their kids' mouths. By exaggerating allergy issues, they hope to get the school and others to take their fears seriously and 'takeover' their worrying job -- now that they have less control. Kids are sensitive creatures and get rashes and body dysfunctions for numerous reasons, and I have seen parents casually attribute it to a food. That myth may then be perpetuated into later years and possibly adulthood.

It also doesn't help that parenting books have this regime of introducing foods to kids in the US. According to best-selling parenting books, you must introduce foods one at a time over a period of days to monitor for 'allergies' and continue this food by food for months. You can't even mix foods, because then you won't know which food created the allergy. Many parents are being trained in allergy awareness to the extent that it breeds food fear. And god forbid that kid every get diarrhea, a rash, or spit up when you introduce bread -- the hyper parent will probably label that kid celiac for years to come.

That is just my opinion, and I don't mean to downplay real food allergies. A neighbor of mine has a kid that is allergic to corn and gets sick all the time. Think about how many foods have corn syrup in it, keeping a kid away from candy is not easy.

k.

[Chuckles]

I get the impression people often say they have an allergy when they actually just don't like something. I'll leave things out if I can either way. Why are people afraid to express a preference but have no problem fabricating a serious health issue?

Example- I'll have the turkey burger with a gluten free bun, I'm a celiac.
There are bread crumbs in the turkey burger pattie.
That's fine, but I still want the gluten free bun.

I'll never understand it.

[Pensacola Tiger]

"I'm a vegetarian. Well, except for fish, and the occasional steak. I love steak!"

[eaglerock]

[heirkb]

I am happy to help customers make safe decisions about a life threatening acute disorder, but if you want me to redesign the menu to maximize your energy levels, mineral uptake, and gastrointestinal regularity, get the **** out.

Not all, but I think some of these "allergies" fall right into this. I imagine that the placebo effect is pretty powerful in cases of so-called gluten allergy, for example. Something along the lines of, "Gluten is bad, and would you look at that, I feel better when I don't eat it!" (placebo) or "Wow, I feel so much lighter when I don't eat those 12 slices of bread, I must be allergic to gluten!" (stupidity). Then again, I could be totally wrong. I've just noticed similar things in my life where I was convinced that foods were supposed to make me bloaty/heavy, etc. and they did. I revisited those foods at other times and didn't and don't have the same reactions. It could be a million things, but my mind first went to placebo.

[sachem allison]

my favorite: a lady walks into my restaurant and say's " I am deathly allergic to onions but, My favorite dish is onion soup, can you strain out the onions for me? It will be alright my parents do it this way all the time." I say," get the hell out of here and don't come back", " If I ever see your parents I'm going to slap both of them!"

[sachem allison]

I did have a 32 year old white male from the midwest eat at my Thai restaurant and died at the table. apparently he had a peanut allergy and never new it. How can you grow up in America and never eat peanut butter? You go to a Thai restaurant for the first time in your life order Pad Thai noodles and Die at the table. poor bastard. The Thai customers response, keep eating.

[DevinT]

I'm allergic to all foods. When I eat them I swell up, or maybe that's just fat.

Hoss

[Lucretia]

I'm allergic to all foods. When I eat them I swell up, or maybe that's just fat.

Hoss

They make me break out in fat.