Thankful Thursday

Almost exact a year ago, I was in a pretty dark place.  The looming decision (race or not to race a dream distance) loomed over me.  My meals were a disaster and I, if I was being honest, could sleep for hours at a time.  Energy - rare an issue for me - was non-existent.  I was living on a diet of between 500-800 calories a day and I expected my body to crank out long runs.  Thankfully, I wised up and deferred racing for a year.  I stepped away from a coach and online community to figure out what exactly was happening.  While I am better - a year later - the struggles continue.  This is what I have learned in the past year and maybe it will help someone, who has family members or friends with allergies.

1)  Provide labels or ingredients for all foods!

• Yes - this makes spontaneity a challenge, but it will decrease the stress of the friend or family member with allergies.  If you think watching them have a limited menu is tough, reverse it.  They will try not to look enviously at the other food, which they cannot eat, but they will try to be a good sport about it.

2)  Do not draw attention to a plate with not much on it!

• This only heightens the overly aware person with allergies.  Just try - really hard - to ask if the person is enjoying the food, eat your own and, if they ask you eat to something from the plate, do so or find someone who will.  It is not easy for the person with allergies for the people around them.

3)  Encourage the allergy prone individuals to bring snacks, beverages, and other foods to help them maintain a good energy level.

• Try bringing a main dish or dessert, if you can, and then protect enough servings to help balance out foods that cannot be consumed.
• Pack snacks!  If the gathering is large and someone asks to try it, explain calmly why sharing is not possible or, if the food is not overly expensive, have enough on hand to share.

4)  Do not take offense - especially if questions are asked about food preparation or if labels are examined with microscopes!

• By following tip 1, this is easily avoidable.  Or invite the allergy prone person to assist with food prep to extent the individual can.  This requires a good knowledge of the allergy by both the family and the individual.
• Depending on the household, I have been know to avoid visits due to knowing I will react and have to handle the side effects for multiple days on top of facing open criticism at every meal.  Bringing a set of food, that would work for me, was not an option.  Avoiding it was easier than facing a meal.  

5)  Unless you have a special diet to follow or prepare foods regularly for someone with a special diet, do not pretend to understand.

• People will try to sympathize with you.  Or say, "Wow, I cannot imagine how tough that must be.  How do you handle grocery shopping?"  Simple - a person with allergies knows what will work and accepts what won't.  Experimentation - depending on the severity of the allergy - is possible.  It has side effects, though, and in some cases can lead to allergic reactions for multiple days.  Asking these questions multiple times or at every visit only serves to draw attention to the limited diet.  While the question asker might feel better, it rarely helps the individual with allergies.

6)  Last but not least - Make the individual's with allergies as comfortable as possible.

• This does not mean one should add stress to an already stressful atmosphere by making a special menu or creating a special place.  Instead - contact the person with allergies and work to find a menu or items that the person can eat.  Lastly - help protect servings for the individuals with allergies, which will then make life more comfortable for everyone.

Between now and Thanksgiving, I hope to experiment with my new ice cream maker (not opened yet).  If I can find a semi-normal tasting one, perhaps I will bring it with me.  I do not expect dairy free ice cream to be delicious, but being able to have it at all would delightful!

Happy Thankful Thursday!