Living With Severe Food Allergies

Welcome To My Food Allergy Blog

Hi, I’m Sarah, and I share my life living with severe food allergies. I was born and raised in New York City but moved to Los Angeles for college and have never looked back. I love hiking in the California sunshine and visiting the many beautiful beaches here. However, my true passions are cooking and baking! My friends and family joke that I am in the kitchen testing allergy-free recipes no matter what time they call me. But they are always happy to volunteer as recipe testers. A fan favorite is my best gluten-free vanilla cake.

How It Started

I had my first anaphylactic reaction (a severe allergic reaction where one’s body goes into shock, causing the airways to close) when I was three, just the beginning of a long journey of figuring out what was safe for me to eat. Throughout my childhood, I often felt like I was missing out. I longed to have a slice of cake at birthday parties and not have to bring my own “safe snacks” when out. However, the biggest struggle was the emotional toll of my allergies.

The Emotional Toll

I was bullied because of what I couldn’t eat for most of my childhood. Peers thought it was funny to test my allergies, even going so far as to eat peanuts around me, leading to a severe reaction. My freshman college roommate even threatened to kill me with peanuts, which deepened my sense of isolation.

For years, my allergies kept me from socializing and made me feel like a burden, always worrying about whether restaurants and events would be safe. But everything changed when I moved to California.

A Fresh start

For years, I was known as the “allergy girl.” Moving to Los Angeles, California, for college felt like a fresh start. I could finally redefine myself. I thought that meant I had to hide my allergies. I felt like my allergies made me unlovable. I spent my freshman year trying to make my needs smaller, hoping to gain acceptance from others. I didn’t realize I was trying to squeeze myself into boxes I would never fit in.

It wasn’t until I embraced my allergies and realized they weren’t a flaw that my life changed. I started sharing my life online, fostering a community of open-minded people. Refocusing my energy from feeling embarrassed about my allergies to embracing them made a huge difference in my well-being.

I took my POWER back. I could write my narrative and share my point of view. I am so excited to share with you all the ways I live a full life, even with food allergies—and how you can too!

Follow Along On My Socials