A man with 28 food allergies that apparently began with baby formula when he was an infant is speaking out about the issue and revealing how difficult it is not only to eat out — but to choose foods he can eat safely on an everyday basis.
Alex De Sousa said his life has become “increasingly difficult” as his list of severe food allergies has grown over time, news agency SWNS reported.
He’s discovered over the years, he said, that over two dozen foods trigger allergic reactions in his body — some of which can be life-threatening to him.
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His most severe allergies, he reported, are to peanuts and legumes, such as peas and lentils.
Other allergies include kiwi, he said, plus seeds, such as coriander.
Eating out at restaurants, plus shopping at grocery stores, is difficult, he said.
“You’re going out to eat and you’re not just the one person who gets affected by that — everyone at the dinner party is affected by the decision of where it is we are going to eat, based on one person’s food allergies,” said De Sousa, 28, of Glasgow, Scotland.
He added that if others are eating out with him, “it is pretty much about” where “it is safe for me to eat,” he told SWNS.
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He said he must always read the back of food packages and labels — “you get pretty good at reading them after a long time.”
Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening reaction to allergens.
It is said to develop frequently in childhood but can show up at any stage in a person’s life, SWNS reported.
“Anaphylaxis causes the immune system to release a flood of chemicals that can cause you to go into shock — blood pressure drops suddenly and the airways narrow, blocking breathing,” the Mayo Clinic, whose main location is in Rochester, Minnesota, notes on its website.
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“Signs and symptoms include a rapid, weak pulse; a skin rash; and nausea and vomiting. Common triggers include certain foods, some medications, insect venom and latex.”
It also points out, “Anaphylaxis requires an injection of epinephrine and a follow-up trip to an emergency room. If you don’t have epinephrine, you need to go to an emergency room immediately. If anaphylaxis isn’t treated right away, it can be fatal.”
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While he was in his teens, De Sousa said he had to learn to cook for himself — and that his parents had to change up the entire household due to his allergies.
By cooking for himself, he said, he was able to choose safe and specific ingredients that did not pose a threat.
“The easiest cuisine for me,” he said, “is Italian food.”
There are not “a lot of ingredients” in that type of food, he said, that pose a hazard to him.
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To help navigate his issue, he’s developed a web tool to help restaurants display allergens more easily, he said.
He said he’s spoken with many other people with food allergies — and they all say they have had the same struggles he’s dealt with his whole life.
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