Eating out with allergies – are you safe?

9th October 2018

Eating out with allergies – are you safe?

Everyone loves going to a restaurant to celebrate a birthday, a promotion, or a Wednesday. There are countless options covering cuisines from around the world. It’s a veritable treat for the senses.

For those without allergies, it’s difficult to imagine what it must be like to always read ingredient lists or request dietary menus. It’s hard work, and unfortunately, even if you take these preventive measures, it won’t always help.

What’s the danger?

This is a topic you may well have read about in the national news. A teenage girl died after eating an ‘artisan’ baguette from Pret A Manger. Even though she took careful consideration to check the label, it didn’t say that it contained sesame seeds.

Pret’s lack of labelling caused the individual to go into cardiac arrest on a flight to Nice and sadly pass away. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Pret products have led to allergic reactions. Several cases have been reported as far back as 2012. Allergic reactions often lead to hospitalisation. And it’s not just Pret. Another individual passed away after eating at Wagamama as once again, sesame was not listed on the menu. It can sound scary for a parent, but just because you have an allergy doesn’t mean you can’t dine out.

What can you do?

You probably don’t want to cook at home all the time – and you shouldn’t have to. So, what can you do to ease your anxiety of eating out?

A must is to check the labels and ingredient lists or menus. It’s worth requesting additional nutritional information if it’s not listed on packaging or menus. Some places, like Pret for example, include more nutritional information on their website instead of in store. Here are some other precautions you should take:

• Read reviews of different restaurants. See if you can find any reviews specific to customers with allergies. For larger chain restaurants, including Pret A Manger, Buyagift has an easy-to-use reference guide.
• Some cuisines are likely to contain certain allergens than others. For example, staple ingredients of Italian food include wheat and gluten. East Asian cuisine uses a lot of nuts
• Be prepared for the worst. Pack EpiPens or other equipment you might need.
• Just ask. Don’t be afraid to talk to the manager about your allergies and ask if any specific ingredients are used. If it makes you feel better, call ahead before your visit.

The future

There are already stringent guidelines in place for restaurants and cafes to follow, so most locations should be above board. The parents of the teenage girl are pushing for stricter guidelines, so eating out for someone with allergies should become even easier.

The odds are high that you know someone with an allergy; maybe someone in your family. You may have one without even realising. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so why not get yourself tested for food allergies. You might thank yourself later.

Find out if you or your child has allergies through our allergy testing services for peace of mind when eating out. Request a home test kit or book an appointment with one of our consultants today to find out more.

*All statistics referenced in this article are taken from here.

Food allergies and anxiety

4th April 2018

Food allergies and anxiety

It may seem obvious that experiencing an allergic reaction is uncomfortable. Reactions cause harmful symptoms including rashes, rhinitis, and anaphylaxis, all of which can be painful. But having an allergy causes more than just physical pain. Allergies and anxiety go hand in hand.

A European survey of studies published in Chemical Immunology and Allergy found a strong link between food allergies and reduced “health-related quality of life”. This was defined in terms of social, dietary, and psychological factors. These are the less talked about experiences of living with an allergy, yet they are very common. Many people are left wondering how to cope with them.

Food allergies

Around 2 million people in the UK have a food allergy. This includes 5-8% of all children. Vice once published a story titled ‘How food allergies can ruin your life’. If this title is to be believed, that means 2 million people’s lives in the UK are at risk of being ruined by something out of their control. The term ‘ruin’ may be slightly extreme for some people with allergies. In some cases, food allergies can cause death, but for many, there are effective treatments and ways to keep allergies under control.

But, there are subtle ways that allergies can take their toll on your well-being. The constant vigilance required to prevent an allergic reaction is tiring for many. It takes control over where you go, when you go, who you go with, and removes spontaneity from your life. With everything you do, there is a constant worry. “What if I have a reaction?” “What if they mess up my order?”

These concerns are more than legitimate. People have died when restaurants have messed up an order and forgotten to remove an allergen from someone’s meal. Peanuts are incredibly common, especially in certain cuisines. There is a constant, rational fear that comes with having an allergy. A fear of life or death. This fear can lead to anxiety. You become anxious about travelling, trying new foods, going on public transport, or visiting places where there are lots of people whose actions may affect your allergy, yet are out of your control.

Feeling anxious

To complicate matters further, the symptoms of anxiety can be similar to those of an allergic reaction. If you have an allergy, you may panic because you suspect you have come into contact with an allergen. You could misinterpret the resultant symptoms of anxiety as an allergic reaction. This is dangerous in some cases through the maladministration of anti-anaphylactic drugs, but mostly it is highly distressing to experience.

So how do you stop the allergy-anxiety cycle? We should not allow allergies to ‘ruin’ anyone’s life. Varied treatments for anxiety exist but they depend on what is causing your anxiety and who you are. Some people may already have anxiety which is worsened by having allergies. For some, having severe allergies can cause anxiety to develop. Anxiety can also rear its head if you have a child with allergies.

If you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety, it’s best to speak to your doctor who can talk you through your treatment options. These can include therapy, medication or calming techniques. Getting to the root cause of your anxiety will allow you to treat it for an improved level of social, physical and mental wellbeing.

To ease your mind, it’s a good idea to understand exactly what you are allergic to so that you can start to take the necessary steps to prevent future reactions. To arrange an allergy test, book an appointment with one of our consultants today.