Living with a food allergy can be frustrating and can greatly impact your daily life in more ways than one. Additionally, many people develop food intolerances when they get older, such as lactose intolerance, which can be difficult to manage, particularly when you have gone your whole life without having to worry about this before.
Obviously, these are issues that should not be ignored as this could lead to severe health issues as well as discomfort, so read on for a few tips for living with a food allergy or intolerance that will hopefully come in helpful and allow you to have an enjoyable diet.
Research Ahead When Going Out for Dinner
Many people find that their food allergies or intolerances are easy enough to manage at home when they have more control over their food, but when going out for dinner or ordering a takeaway, it can be an issue. You do not want to be slowing everything down and making a scene in the restaurant, which is why you might find it helpful to research ahead before going out for dinner and to find a meal suitable for you. You could even make a note that you have a certain allergy so that the staff are aware when you arrive.
Let Friends Know in Advance for Dinner Parties
Similarly, if you have been invited to a dinner party, then this can be another challenging situation. The best approach is simply to raise the issue early on and let them know that you have a certain allergy or intolerance, which should help to save an embarrassing and awkward issue at a later date.
Find Substitutes
It can be frustrating when you cannot enjoy many foods that others do (and seem to take for granted), but often you can find substitutes that are just as good and sometimes even better. Beyond The Equator has some of the best peanut butter substitutes that you can find that have a great taste, crunchy texture, and are packed full of nutrients using chia, flax, pumpkin, sunflower, and hemp seeds as a substitute.
Know Your Symptoms & Have a Plan
If you have an allergy to food, you need to know what your symptoms are and to have a plan in place. A few of the more common symptoms are:
- Rashes and skin issues
- Shortness of breath
- Swelling of the tongue
- Abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Cardiovascular issues
Join Online Communities
The internet can be a great resource for anyone with a food allergy or intolerance. Here you can find online communities where you can share recipes, get advice, share stories, and more. People can often feel alone when they have a food allergy or intolerance, but this is not the case, and online communities can be a great resource for both advice and support.
These tips should help anyone with a good allergy or intolerance and hopefully improve their life. Allergies and intolerances can impact many aspects of life and need to be managed, but you can still enjoy food and socializing when you know how to manage.
