Allergies…DUN DUN DUNNNN

Considering they call it “The City that Never Sleeps”, this rainy day is making me incredibly sleepy! It has been raining all day in good ol’ NYC, and I can’t seem to muster up enough motivation to get out of my apartment! Luckily, I’m signed up tonight for an awesome “Dance Cardio” class at “Body By Simone” taught by one of my beautiful friends Beth (check out her website… it is a desert lovers heaven!)!!! If you live in the NYC area, and have not tried this kick ass work out, I highly suggest it. We have worn heart rate monitors, and burn well over 800 calories (Beth says she usually reaches over 1000). It is literally the most intense cardio class I have ever experienced.

…maybe this wasn’t such a great idea!

ANYWAY!

I haven’t shared this on my blog, but most of my friends know that I have severe allergies. If I accidentally ingest food that I am allergic to, I will go into anaphylactic shock. This means that my body essentially shuts down. My histamines go into over drive, my airway closes up, I break out in hives all over my body and everything gets really swollen (hot I know). If I don’t get epinephrine (a super antihistamine) into my system, there could be SERIOUS trouble. Unfortunately, I have had to be hospitalized a number of times due to serious allergic reactions. My allergies include:

• Peanuts
• other Nuts (except pistachios and pecans )
• Soy (tofu, tempeh, edamame etc.)
• Legumes (chickpeas, peas, humus, lentils etc.)
• I also try to be as gluten and dairy free as possible. I’m not ALLERGIC, but my body feels better without them.

Allergies can be terrifying, and difficult to deal with. I have had these issues my entire life and therefore have learned to adapt a healthy lifestyle despite my restrictions.

If you or a family member has allergies, it is  crucial to remember these things (these are just a few):

1) Always be prepared:

You must always carry Benadryl, (or your antihistamine of choice). Also, if you are seriously  allergic, you should ALWAYS have an EpiPen.

2)Never downplay your allergy:

Waiters and Waitresses often times don’t understand how serious your restrictions may be. When ordering, you have to stress that if you eat a certain food, you will have a very bad allergic reaction. The restaurant doesn’t want any trouble, and if you emphasize the whole “I AM SERIOUSLY ALLERGIC” situation, they will handle your food with care.

3) Be aware that different parts of the country prepare foods differently:

I learned the hard way that many places in the Mid-West fry their food in peanut oil. I also learned that most restaurant veggie burgers have some sort of soy or legume in them. If you can’t see the ingredients in front of you, there is no way for you to possibly know how it’s prepared. Make sure you ask about everything, and stick to foods that you know are safe.

4) Find alternatives!

There are plenty of allergy friendly products out there! If you can’t do peanuts, try almond Butter or my personal favorite Sun Butter. If gluten isn’t your thing, get gluten-free breads and pastas (try Udis) If you are dairy intolerant, try almond milk, Coconut Milk (im obsessed with SO Delicious brand!), Rice Cheese, or Coconut yogurt. There are dozens of allergy friendly bakeries and ice cream shops…have fun and explore!

and lastly…. a bit of food from my day 🙂

Cheesy Quinoa Broccoli and String Beans

(This is all from left overs but it was great!)

• 1 cup raw broccoli
• 1 cup raw string beans
• 1/4 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/3 cup cheddar cheese of choice (I used galaxy brand rice cheese)
• 1/2 cup alfredo sauce
• Garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

steam broccoli and string beans until they are “Al Dente”. If needed, microwave alfredo sauce for 30 seconds just to warm it up. Mix cheese, sauce, veggies and cooked quinoa together. Transfer to a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 30sec. to 1 minute (or until cheese melts). Enjoy!!!

xoxo SYN