Living With Severe Allergies

Living with severe food and animal allergies has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and it shapes every aspect of my daily routine, whether I like it or not. My allergies are extremely severe, and sometimes even life-threatening, so they require constant vigilance no matter where I am or what I am doing.

On the food side, I am allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, and shrimp. Something as simple as eating at a restaurant, attending an event, or even grabbing food on the go requires me to ask questions most people never have to think about, such as whether the dish made near nuts or sesame, what type of oil is used, or if a dish truly contains none of my allergens. Unfortunately, I have never had a KitKat or much sushi before because of this, even though I hear so many amazing comments about these. Instead, I always have to check ingredient lists in the grocery stores, communicate my allergies clearly to everyone around me, and never leave home without my EpiPen. Cross-contamination is a real and serious concern for me, and over the years, and I have learned to navigate it in a way that feels second nature now, even if it was overwhelming at first when I was younger, because if I do not, then I am at risk of a reaction.

I also have severe allergies to dogs and cats. This one always surprises a lot of people because animals are everywhere you go, whether at friends' houses, parks, even on campus at the University of Miami, or even in places you would never expect, such as airplanes. Managing these animal allergies means I have to be aware of the environment I am in and always carry my medication, such as Benadryl and Zyrtec, with me. Sometimes I have to make difficult decisions about where to go to protect my health. When I was younger, I used to have a lot of friends over my house because they usually had dogs or cats.

Living with allergies throughout my entire life has taught me so much about preparation, self-advocacy, and resilience. It has also made me more organized, more aware of my surroundings, and more empathetic toward others who navigate invisible challenges every single day.

Peanut butter & jelly sandwich: the innocent culprit behind my first reaction at 2 years old.

How It Started

My first allergic reaction happened when I was only two years old, somewhere over the skies between New York and Florida. My entire extended family was on the same flight as we were all heading down to Sarasota, Florida, for a family wedding. What was supposed to be a celebratory trip turned into a complete disaster before we even made it to our destination. On the flight, I was sitting next to my aunt, who was eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at the time, and she leaned over to kiss me on the cheek. Shortly after, I started developing hives all over my body. Nobody in my family panicked right away because they did not fully understand what was happening, yet my little body was already reacting to the trace amount of peanut butter that had transferred from that one simple kiss.

Once we landed, my parents immediately took me to a pharmacy to get allergy medication. At the time, they were scared but did not fully grasp the significance of what had just happened or what it would mean for my life going forward.

The cannoli cake at my dad's birthday party in 2009: the dessert that changed everything

The Moment We Discovered My Allergies

After the incident on the plane when I was two, my parents were cautious, but life went on like normal for the next few years. It was not until I was five years old that I had my next allergic reaction, and it happened at my dad's birthday party on New Year's Eve in 2009. My dad had a three-tiered cannoli cream filled cake, and I had a slice as it looked too good not to eat, but shortly after, I started developing hives and have itching myself all over my body. As it turned out, another guest at the party was also having a reaction and asked whether the cake contained nuts because they had pine nut allergies. That question changed everything as it was the moment my parents connected the dots and realized something more serious was going on with me. I took Benadryl at the time and was okay after a few hours.

A few days later, my parents scheduled an allergy test for me, and the results confirmed what we all had been fearing. I was allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, cats, dogs, and shellfish. Although my family was so thrilled to have the answers, but it also marked the beginning of a whole new way of living. We used to have peanut butter in the house all the time, my brother had almond milk every single day for breakfast, and my parents loved ordering shrimp cocktail at restaurants, even though I never had any.

Over time, my allergies have shifted slightly or have become more intense. About three years ago, I grew out of my shellfish allergy, which was a small win, however, I developed a much more life-threatening reaction to sesame, which has become one of the most difficult allergens to manage in my daily life, especially as sesame has become increasingly common in foods and is now labeled as a major allergen in the United States.

Recent Changes With Sesame

In 2021, the U.S. government passed the FASTER Act, which officially classified sesame as the ninth major food allergen in the United States, alongside peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish. The law went into effect on January 1, 2023, and while the overall goal was to improve food labeling transparency and protect individuals with sesame allergies as it was becoming more prevalent in the country, it unfortunately had a significant unintended consequence that has made life much harder for many people in the allergy community, including myself.

Rather than investing in the costly deep cleaning procedures required to prevent cross contamination in their facilities, many bakeries and food manufacturers found a loophole with this. They began intentionally adding small amounts of sesame flour directly into their products, such as breads, buns, and baked goods, so that they could label their products as having sesame and avoid the liability of cross contamination warnings altogether. Basically, products that previously did not contain sesame now suddenly do but because of a legal and financial workaround.

I experienced the result of the FASTER Act firsthand about a two years ago in one of the most frustrating ways possible. I was eating a hot dog with a bun during my family’s weekly Sunday night barbecue, using the exact same brand I had been eating my entire life without a single issue, and I ended up having an allergic reaction. I could not understand what had happened until my mom looked at the label and saw that sesame had been added to the ingredients, where it said, “may contain sesame.” This was a product I had trusted for years, and it ended up not being safe for me anymore, and this moment became a real wakeup call about just how drastically and fast things can change.

The reality is that sesame is now in almost every bread product on grocery store shelves, which has completely changed the way I shop and eat. I now have to diligently read food ingredients labels at the store and avoid the free bread that restaurants give out (this was my favorite part about going out to eat). After realizing I could no longer safely rely on store bought bread, family made the decision to buy a bread maker, and now I make my own bread from scratch every single week. It allows me full control over every ingredient that goes into it and the peace of mind that comes with knowing exactly what I am eating.

For more information about the FASTER Act and sesame as a major allergen, visit: https://www.foodallergy.org/living-food-allergy/food-allergy-essentials/common-allergens/sesame

Animal Allergies

In addition to my food allergies, I also have severe animal allergies, particularly to dogs and cats. And when I say severe, I mean it in the most dangerous way possible. My animal allergies are not the kind that cause sneezing or watery eyes, but instead, they are life threatening and usually call for a hospital visit. It is something that is hard to explain to people, which makes it even more diffcult to navigate.

I unfortunately experienced this firsthand in the second grade. At the time, I was visiting my friends house, and I have been there many times before without any major issues, but on this particular day, something was different. Out of nowhere, I felt my throat starting to close and my ears starting to itch like nothing I have ever experienced before; it came on fast and it was absolutely terrifying. I was then immediately rushed to the hospital where my parents watched over me, but that experience made it crystal clear just how dangerous my dog allergy truly is, and it became a wakeup call for myself and everyone around me.

Since then, navigating my animal allergies has required an increased level of awareness and preparation that most people never have to think about. Before visiting anyone's home, I have to ask whether they have any pets, and if they do, that determinates whether I can go into that space or not. Certain environments, such as hotels, cars, or even outdoor spaces where animals have been can trigger a major reaction for me.

As a precaution, I always carry my EpiPen and my medication, and I have learned to speak up for myself even in situations where it feels uncomfortable to do so. Because of the severity of my animal allergies, I also have them formally listed on my accommodation form at the University of Miami to make sure that no animal comes into the classroom.

This allergy has been the hardest to navigate because a lot of people do not realize the magnitude of them and think I am making it up. I wish it was all a joke, but it is not. This is something I get a lot of pushback on, but I have begun to speak up for myself more because if I do not, then who knows what would happen. The lifelong journey has taught me the importance of advocating for my own health and not compromising my safety at any cost.