New to Allergies?

This post is inspired by a friend who recently was diagnosed with a dairy allergy and is a little bit lost! I thought I would write a post with a few tips and tricks for being new to allergies or eliminating things from your diet.

1) It is not the end of the world! Whilst finding out you have an allergy might seem like the world is crashing down around you, I assure you it is not. There are so many worse things than having an allergy, though it may not seem like it at the time! There are so many fantastic support groups and communities out there dedicated to sharing allergy experiences.

2) It is natural to be anxious. After having an allergic reaction,it is expected that you will be anxious about eating out or consuming foods you are not sure of. Being anxious is nothing to be ashamed of! Every person with allergies goes through an anxious period but don't fret! You will soon find foods you can eat safely and places you can go out to eat without worry!


3) There are things you can eat! It might seem as though there is not a single thing you can eat, especially if you have eaten that particular food for your whole life thus far! Working around allergies is a matter of substitution and trial and error! It takes time to work out what substitutions and products work for you! Your diet does not need to be bland and tasteless, there are so many recipes and delicious foods you can eat!

4) Check every label! You will be surprised at what products contain your allergies. Chocolate can contain nuts, bread can contain milk and such things that you would never guess! It is important to read every single label of everything you eat/buy. You may also be surprised at what you can eat with your allergies, so read everything!

5) The health food aisle will be your best friend! The health food aisle in supermarkets has grown from a tiny bit of shelving to half an aisle! It has a mass amount of products catered to different allergies, and you can find some really amazing stuff in there! With all the new innovations in allergy friendly food, who knows what they will have next! Always do research, you never know what kind of food you will be able to buy next.

And Finally: RELAX! It takes time to adjust to such a major life change, don't expect to be adjusted to your new diet in one night. Remember to utilise the resources around you and don't be afraid to ask tons of questions! It can be a scary and tough time adjusting to life with allergies, but you can lead an extremely normal life despite cutting out major parts of your everyday diet.

I hope this post helps you or a friend who is going through an elimination diet or has recently discovered they have a new allergy. Let me know how this relates to your experiences!