allthingsallergies

And Then There Was One

And in August of 2021, after twenty four years of embodying the identity of “the allergy kid,” my laundry list of food allergies narrowed itself down to just… one. Rewind In preschool, my parents taught my teachers how to properly administer an auto injector in case of emergency. In elementary school, I sat alone atContinue reading “And Then There Was One”

Invisible Consequences of Anaphylaxis: My Personal Struggle with Mental Health and Food Allergies

The Reaction During the summer of 2014, as a 17-year-old incoming senior in high school, I took a walk with friends to a local ice cream shop that would unknowingly change the course of my life forever. Half of a brownie flurry later, I was reaching for a bottle of Benadryl in our medicine cabinetContinue reading “Invisible Consequences of Anaphylaxis: My Personal Struggle with Mental Health and Food Allergies”

My COVID-19 Vaccination Experience

As a training mental health clinician in Illinois, I recently qualified for the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Despite a history of severe anaphylactic reactions, I safely received my vaccination on Saturday January 23rd through Loyola Medicine. Pre Vaccination Upon hearing the news that the revolutionary COVID-19 vaccine capable of producing 95% immunity withContinue reading “My COVID-19 Vaccination Experience”

Allergy Friendly Restaurant Guide: Columbus

Home of The Ohio State Buckeyes, and my home for almost four years. The capital of Ohio, and the fourteenth largest city in the United States. Likely not your first vacation destination, but I’m looking to change that. I’ve had a whole bachelor’s degree worth of time to hunt down the city’s safest and mostContinue reading “Allergy Friendly Restaurant Guide: Columbus”

Allergy-Friendly Guide to Chicago

Disclaimer: This collection of restaurants were thoughtfully included based on community reviews, available nutritional menus, and my personal experiences. The contents of this post should not be substituted for medical or professional advice. Please do your own research before dining at any of the following locations. Fast Casual Bibibop Moon Bowls The Fat Shallot ElephantContinue reading “Allergy-Friendly Guide to Chicago”

Believe it or not: The Strangest Places I’ve Encountered an Allergen

How many times have you heard “Oh, you’re allergic to peanuts? Just don’t eat them.” You would think that avoiding a food allergen would be as simple as just not eating it… But we all know.. It’s NEVER that easy! The amount of times I have come across one of my allergens in a bizarreContinue reading “Believe it or not: The Strangest Places I’ve Encountered an Allergen”

Dating with Food Allergies

Who remembers the mid 2000s Nickelodeon sitcom Unfabulous starring Emma Roberts? And she bakes peanut butter cookies before going on a first date and gives the boy a severe allergic reaction after they kiss? Well I do – And I have been scarred forever! All Things Allergies was founded to serve the young adult populationContinue reading “Dating with Food Allergies”

My ID Medical ID Shop

I have been an Ohio State fan for all my life, but just because I’m a Buckeye doesn’t mean that I like nuts. I attended an undergraduate institution whose mascot was a literal walking tree nut… I lived in a state for four years whose traditional dessert was a chocolate covered peanut butter ball… IContinue reading “My ID Medical ID Shop”

We all scream for (safe) ice cream!

I suffered my most recent allergic reaction almost five summers ago when I was an incoming senior in high school. I frequented a local ice cream shop in my hometown, and feeling invincible like any other teen, I walked out with my usual order without informing the employees about my severe allergy. I ate myContinue reading “We all scream for (safe) ice cream!”

FACES Conference 2019

Recapping the second annual Food Allergy Conference for Education and Sciences in partnership with Lurie’s Children’s Hospital and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Headed by Dr. Ruchi Gupta of the Science and Outcomes for Allergy and Asthma Research Program (SOOAR), the Food Allergy Conference for Education and Science (FACES) is a celebration of foodContinue reading “FACES Conference 2019”