My Allergy Journey, Part XI: Out Out, Damn Sunflower Seeds!
I sit down at a fancy restaurant. “How may I serve you tonight?” Asks the waiter. Before I peruse the menu and place an order, I tell them my tale of woe: “I forgot to bring my Epi-Pen,” I begin. This gets his or her attention. “I have a severe allergy to sunflower seeds as well as several tree nuts. Before I give my order, could you check with the chef to see if any of these ingredients are being used, and in which menu items?” I stress that even dishes prepared with sunflower oil could cause a severe reaction.
I have always asked, but these days I’m even more vigilant because Sunflower oil costs less than many other oils and therefore is used instead of other oils to save money
It gets worse: More and more processed food recipes have been modified. I’m seeing X oil and/or Sunflower oil as ingredient item. While a small helping may not have a profound effect, I can’t take a chance. Certain plant-based meats (especially Beyond Sausage) have caused extreme nausea. Ugh.
Yes, I know. I shouldn’t eat too much processed food. And I don’t. But once in a while, a veggie burger or a bag of potato chips is a special guilty pleasure, one that is currently being denied.
My lonely journey
My bad luck: Sunflower allergies are quite rare. I’m a “lucky” one. Some food companies substitute sunflower seeds for peanuts (which I’m not allergic to). Others look at the stats and say “yeah, this is safe enough.”
The increase of use of Sunflower oil in ingredients makes my efforts to eliminate the effects of accidental contamination so important.
Oral Immunotherapy Update
This week I graduated to the slightly larger mini-spoonfuls of powdered nuts, as my dose was again doubled. I’m at step 4 of 13, which means I’m well on my way towards desensitization to allergens.
Street photography
I’m not sure why, but I’m not very impressed with what I got today. Here are a some of my better shots. A street shooter is allowed an off day now and then!
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