Monday, January 17, 2011

Food Allergies: Weakness or Strength?

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people view food allergies as a weakness. Fair warning: this is a (bit of a sarcastic) rant.

Too often food allergies are viewed as a weakness:
my son gives me strength
Some think that having food allergies means that we’re not as strong as the non-food-allergic. They think that we are sickly, and more prone to diseases. They think we have weak immune systems, and that if we walk into a room where someone has sneezed we will instantly get sick. They feel sorry for us. Or worse yet, they don’t believe us when we say that food makes us sick.

Try this for an alternate scenario:


We are strong human beings. Our immune systems aren’t weak; they are stronger than most – so strong that they overreact when we eat certain proteins. Perhaps this is nature’s way of telling us that we as a species have eaten too much wheat, or that cow’s milk is meant for calves. Perhaps we are an evolved species – we’ve just evolved faster than our non-food-allergic relatives. And we were put here to find new and healthier ways to eat.

Now don’t get me wrong – I am not suggesting that anyone set aside their 504 plans or stop working with their doctors. Less-evolved members of our species need us to conform to their rules. But they’ll come around… someday.

Image by horizontal.integration via Flickr

7 comments:

Medical Billing Software said...

They are definitely difficult to live with with restrained almost on all products containing the foods...but they have to be carefully noted and kept away from to stay healthy.Nice outlook here.

Anonymous said...

I like this theory! ;o)

My son is anythig but weak and sickly and I actually read in two different magazines and now in the Telegraph Newspaper ( one of the respected ones) that people with allergies are less likely to get cancers here; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7757816/Allergy-sufferers-less-prone-to-cancer.html

I know it sounds silly but reading that makes me see your view, that maybe there are strengths to having such a "sensitive immune" system. x

Colette said...

ibakewithout, sure thing! If I had to choose between food allergies and cancer, it's an easy choice.

gastric bypass surgery Los Angeles said...

It depends which half of the glass you are viewing the empty part of the full portion.It is not a big deal to stay in spite of the allergies yes that will make you a very conscious individual.

Alexia said...

Great point Colette. I tend to say to people that having food allergies (or any other) is living with a paranoid immune system and yes, we don't get ill so much. My 2 yo poly allergic child is never ill..
Great Blog!

Colette said...

Alexia, so glad you agree. I think we need to start a movement!

Anonymous said...

I have food allergies and I am proud of them!!! Who wants to eat what came out of a chicken? I hate those people who think people with allergies are weak. I can't wait to sit with them next to their bed in the hospital after these "strong people" were diagnosed with cancer.