Food Allergies in your 20's

Food allergies in your 20's is not fair. Not that it's ever fair to be told you can't eat something yummy but here is my reason that finding out in your 20's is the worst time. Think about what most people in their 20's are doing: school, starting a career, going out, traveling, living on tight budgets, working late, still learning to cook, starting families, always running here and there, you get the point. Throwing food allergies into all that on the go confusion is just a huge thorn in my side. I'm glad I didn't have to deal with this during college, especially since my diet consisted of a lot of spoonful of peanut butter dinners with ice cream and chicken tenders from the caf.

As I tried to think of a new blog topic this morning it just hit me....this food allergy thing is a total wrench in my daily fun. My schedule from week to week is never the same. I'm working late some nights, starting to plan a wedding, taking dance classes, pretending I'm a runner, on the Komen board, loving girls nights out, traveling to various states to visit family when I can, and I'm on a budget.

Getting home at 9:30 at night after being gone all day, the last thing I want to do is cook myself dinner. I have a cookie obsession but I hate that my cookies cost 3 times as much as normal cookies. Before food allergies I could eat whatever I wanted and it was always easy to eat a balanced diet. Now I'm often wondering, "am I getting too much soy, not enough calcium, am I tired because I forgot my vitamins or because of something else, what can I eat to get more iron?" Going out with the girls I never used to worry about whether my drink had corn syrup in it, or if the beer was gluten free, or if I was going to get sick from the post bar food runs. 

Had I been born with these allergies I wouldn't have grown up knowing just how good real peanut butter is, or had time to develop my love for carbs like bread and pasta. I would have been well adjusted and getting meals would be second nature. I would be used to asking a million questions at restaurants and wouldn't be embarrassed when the chef comes out to talk to me. 

I didn't start this post with the intention of writing out the pity party that goes on in my head when someone makes popcorn at work or I smell pizza. I may find it harder or easier to deal with food allergies as time goes on but I will remain on my stand that food allergies developing in your 20's is just plain not fair.

Till next time...