I think this little guy can safely rule out peanut allergies. Although he may have seen a few too many KISS shows…As a Woman with Uneasy Relationships to Food, let me tell you: the easiest way to restrict your diet is to take out a whole group of foods. And nothing cuts food pushers off at the knees like a moralistic food resistor. Sure you can always decline that burger by saying, “I’m trying to eat healthy” but how much better – and less arguable – is it to say, “I’m a vegetarian. Don’t you know that cows are the number one polluter of groundwater? And besides, red meat consumption is linked to a 30-50% increase in colon cancer.” Not only do you not have to eat the burger – probably they will never offer you meat again – but you put the focus back on the person by making them answer the lose/lose: Which do you hate more – me or the planet?
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying that all vegetarians have eating disorders (nor am I saying all vegetarians are militant jerks). But I am saying that vegetarianism has long been used by anorexics the world over as a way to hide and distract from their disordered eating. This is a point that my family and I still talk about, a decade after my sister and I “went veg” as a way of not eating. Me, I eventually went back to being (mostly) a vegetarian for a host of health, moral and spiritual reasons without being disordered about it. My sister, on the other hand, while she sympathizes with vegetarianism has said that she fears returning to it will cause a resurgence of her long-overcome eating disorder. Then there’s my brother: current vegetarian, never eating disordered, and happy about both.
But in the ever-evolving world of “not dieting” food restricting, things are always changing as people come up with new ways to perpetuate the old behaviors. The current fad? Food allergies. As with many trends, these things seem to start with celebrities. Everyone from Elizabeth Hasselbeck to Rachel Weisz to Geri Halliwell claim to be gluten intolerant. Victoria Beckham and Orlando Bloom, among others claim to be allergic to dairy. And then there is Gwyneth Paltrow who is pretty much avoidant of everything except water.
A 2006 study of general practitioners found that almost all had seen a rise in patients saying they had a food allergy after watching a celebrity interview on the subject. The doctors said that 94% of those patients had no idea of the difference between an allergy and an intolerance. “Food allergies and intolerances can be serious for individuals who are affected. Whilst it’s encouraging that awareness is improving, it’s crucial that people don’t jump to conclusions based on what they’ve heard or read. Excluding particular food groups can upset a balanced and healthy diet.”
A 2009 study reported in the LA Times states, “Only about 25% of people who think they have a food allergy will actually have one.” Adding, “And the twice-as-high rates of peanut allergies and four hundred percent increase in those who suffer from celiac disease has got to have more to do than just increased awareness and more frequent testing.”
To add to the psychosomatic aspect of self-diagnosing food allergies, it turns out that the blood tests that many (most?) doctors rely on to diagnose them often aren’t correct either. Apparently the only true way to test for a food allergy is to have the person – under close doctor’s supervision – gradually eat more and more of the suspicious food. I can’t see anyone, patients or doctors, thinking that is a fun idea. (Is that an EpiPen in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?)
So now the question becomes why would anyone who is not a clinical hypochondriac want to have a food allergy or intolerance? Any person who is deathly allergic to nuts will tell you how miserable it is just trying to buy food at the grocery store, much less eat out. It severely restricts what, where and how you can eat. And that, I think is the key to their meteoric rise. It’s one more way to give yourself a reason to not eat something or more likely an entire group of somethings.
Do all people with food allergies or intolerances have an eating disorder? Absolutely not. But are some people using the allergy/intolerance umbrella as a reason to restrict food? I’m betting yes. And it’s not just celebrities.
So, do you think I’m nuts? Or have you seen someone who suddenly became gluten intolerant overnight, treating it as the newest diet fad?
PS> Want to see vegetarianism from “the other side”? Check out this hilarious video! Seriously, even I laughed and I’m a vegetarian (when I’m not pregnant):
Note: If you are reading this via e-mail or a reader, click thru to see the video blah, blah, blah.
I have a friend who would actually tell people she was allergic to fruits and vegetables. Not trying to slim down, I guess- just being a brat. But she IS actually super slim. A few years ago (before the recession!) she was bragging to everyone how her family of 3 had a $75/month food budget. I think she just starved herself, used all the budget to feed the toddler, and the poor husband probably snuck funds from the budget & ate at work.
My two boys had a dairy intolerance (not allergy). I was breast-feeding and had to cut out all dairy from each of our diets to see if that was the cause. It was and I was at my skinniest weight ever (being the dairy queen that I am). So I absolutely buy that *some* people do it for the weight loss.
The thing with some of that is if you go long enough without eating a whole food group, you CAN become intolerant to it – if it's a whole food group and not one food, your body can stop producing enzymes, etc and basically be unable to digest that food group. I've been vegetarian since I was a small child and could get pretty sick if I tried to eat meat again.
I did stop eating dairy for awhile as part of my eating disorder, however. I told some people I was vegan for moral reasons (partly true) and some that I was lactose intolerant. The thing is, after doing that for awhile, I tried to eat dairy again – and that time I WAS lactose intolerant. Apparently, since humans are the only animals who don't wean off milk as babies (and who drink other species' milk), if you basically wean yourself off dairy later in life, you become lactose intolerant.
I don't know if this holds for other food groups or things like celiac or nuts. But I know for me at least it has proven true with meat and dairy, that after long enough your body just can't digest it any more. Those are intolerances though, not allergies.
The movie clip was funny, as a vegan. I never expect other people to adapt to my eating though, unless it's my birthday or something. I've told my dad many times that when we got to eat for his birthday, pick a place that he wants – and if it's just a normal meal, I'll go along with what the majority wants. I can often find SOMETHING, and if I can't (or it's not much), I often have a snack bar in my purse and can eat at home after. When visiting family and friends, I often make my own small meals, or make things like fajitas with the veggies and meat in different pans so everyone makes his/her own. I'm always surprised when friends make me special vegan meals – it's my choice to eat that way, and while I ask you to respect it, I don't expect you to go out of your way to accommodate me or eat only that way (unless you want to – some of my vegan food is yummy!)
Oh, yeah. Actually having been anorexic and done the whole : "I'm a vegetarian, lactose intolerant and celiac…oh and my parents are diabetic so I try to steer clear of excess sugar too)" routine I tend to be suspicious of women who have more than one of these "moralistic" and/or allergy restrictions. I've ben there done that. Also in my group therapy as well as my other run ins with people with eating disorders many have coped to faking allergies, after all people can't force you to at a food they think could kill you.
Nearly everyone on my cross country team was a vegetarian (especially after we gained our fastest runner who was one) and most also had an "allergy". A few of them actually were lactose or celiac, but I know for a fact most weren't (as they later admitted or as I saw them eating something that didn't fit).
So, it's a great cover. Been used for years.
Charlotte– I love your blog, but be careful here. Food allergies ARE on the rise in this country– it is only doctors who are not educated on the topic (and frankly most doctors know nothing about nutrition) who discount the incidence of food allergy/intolerance. Why is it on the rise? Hard to say, perhaps the increase in so much highly processed food has messed with our immune systems. Celiac disease alone affects 1 in 100 people, and many more have allergies or intolerances that go undiagnosed. People may have severe stomach pain, headaches, joint pain, brain fog, gastroinstestinal upset etc, and not realize their symptoms are associated with food. I personally suffered from chronic asthma for 15 years until I finally linked my symptoms to gluten and dairy. You are right that an elimination diet is not fun at all, and as a nutritionist I would NEVER put someone with a history of eating disorders on such a plan. But do not discount that food allergies are very real for many people. It is REALLY frustrating for someone who gets very ill from eating certain foods to have people roll their eyes and assume that I am faking or trying to get attention– I am simply protecting my health. As for celebrities, who knows if their aversion to certain foods is real or just a crazy diet, but Elizabeth Hasselbeck for one, has Celiac disease, a very serious and potentially life threatening disease where in even tiny amounts of gluten cause such severe damage to the gut lining that it can cause malnutrition, osteoporosis, and even death– not something to take lightly. The fact she uses her celebrity to bring awareness to the disease is admirable.
Okay, stepping off my soap box now… 🙂
INTERESTING!! and as someone who eats gluten (I know I know) and yet breaks out in a purdy rash as a result Im kinda surprised…and not.
and not at all.
(heres the link I was telling you about: http://watrd.wordpress.com/2009/07/20/the-pledge/ which is the cornerstone of our thing IF youd wanna link it. feel free to delete this comment now :))
While I understand eating disorders from a clinical perspective, this way of thinking is so foreign to me personally that I always find it fascinating.
I have no doubt both are true: allergies are really on the rise, and at the same time, they provide a convenient cover for some who use them as a cover for disordered eating.
Guilty, but not in the way one might think. There was an article a few months ago about the rise in vegetarianism linked as a cover for eating disorders. Being a vegetarian, I sent this on to my family with the adage that apparently my vegetarianism was a mask for an eating disorder…which is why I'm overweight. Huh? We had a laugh at my expense, not at anyone else's. Please don't mistake my joke as an insensitivity to the plight of others; not my intention at all. I have, however, used the allergy line to not eat peanut butter. "I'm not allergic to peanuts, but something they put in when they process peanut butter." Whether I am or not is irrelevant as I hate the smell and taste of peanut butter. It stopped people from offering it, and that was fine with me. Have I ever used the line as cover for not eating? The answer is still no. I did cut out certain foods for a time period to drop some weight, but I picked them up again after four months. Oddly enough, no one ever asked about why I wasn't eating those foods, which either means they don't care (likely) or they didn't notice (which means I'm too good at hiding it and maybe I have an eating disorder). In truth, I do have an eating disorder, of the "see food" variety. I love food. I see it. I eat it. The more sugar the better. My stance on all the candy I eat? I might as well enjoy it now before I become diabetic.
I agree 100% with Sabrina. The incidence of these intolerances and food allergies are on the rise because our food is so adultered and we are actively weakening our genetic material (and those of our children) through our diets and lifestyle. Our bodies simply can not cope. I have personally known many people who transformed their health once they started avoiding the most common food allergens. Myself included – I lived with eczema and dermatitis for decades, but since I've cut out gluten my skin has healed completely and my digestion has improved immeasurably. Since cutting out dairy I can breathe properly, which means that I can exercise and my husband can sleep. Cutting out sulfur dioxide has stopped me from getting hives and having to be hospitalized with severe swelling to the face and throat.
We must always remember that the idea of food groups is an economic one, not a scientific one.
I for one am glad that celebrities are openly talking about these things, as doctors are ignorant when it comes to this and we often have to figure things out for ourselves. For instance, I had allergy testing for my face-swelling and they found nothing wrong with me. Yet, my life was in danger. It was only through my own research and trial and error that I found the culprit.
And yes, there are many people who have eating disorders, but they will use whatever excuse they can!
I LOVE the video!
My mother has a bunch of intolerances and sadly, they're real. She eats fruit, she breaks out in execema (sp?), she drinks milk, she suffers. And yet she still does.
But I'm skeptical when celebrities suddenly jump on the bandwagon. I remember an interview with Anne Hathaway last year where she boasted of allergies/intolerances to sugar and fried food, otherwise known as junk food. Now if that's not a diet, I don't know what is!
My Husband would like that video. The bit at the end when they were calling the cat was a little to unpleasant for me.
A friend of mine tried some gluten free pasta and said that she felt better after eating that type than regular pasta and wondered if she was allergic to gluten. I gently pointed out that then she would not be able to eat anything with flour – for example: bread.
Oh. Yeah.
She went back to regular pasta.
As someone on the "opposite" end of the eating disorder spectrum(and yet, are they really that different deep down?)…people will use any friggin excuse, justification, cover up story, etc. to seem as "normal" as possible. On the outside at least.
My ex used to say he was allergic to things he didn't want to eat so that no one would force feed him (or forget to remove) the items he hated.
I tested positive for several food allergies as a child, but I was not going to stop eating watermelon no matter what! As far as I know, it did no harm 🙂
Two things on this topic that I find irritating: that we have to justify our food choices at all (why doesn't a simple "no, thank you" suffice anymore?), and that people without legitimate allergies have made allergies their go-to excuse for refusing to eat something. The second is damaging for those of us with allergies because people tend to take them less seriously. As someone with that deadly nut allergy, I absolutely cannot eat something with nuts. If I do, I can't breathe. Period. People have gotten so used to brushing off allergies (after all, EVERYONE has them, right?), that they completely discount my questions about whether their goodies contain nuts. "Oh, not many, you should be fine." "Just on top, go ahead and brush them off." "I don't think so–it's really good, try it!" All things I hear frequently and that I have learned (the hard way) mean that I should not eat something.
Mostly, though, I don't say anything and just don't bother. I don't expect anyone to cater to me, and most people seem to feel bad if they realize they've made something I can't eat (even if they didn't know about my allergy). Though I would like my allergy to be taken seriously when it comes up, in the end, it's my responsibility to ensure that I don't eat something that will make me sick and isn't a point I need to belabor every time food is being served.
back.
I do think allison nailed it in a way.
I read a ton about this after seeing your post this morning and uncovered more than a few teenish sites where the "diet tips" were, indeed, "say youre allergic!! then people wont "make" you eat!!!"
sad.
and as allison says:
people without legitimate allergies have made allergies their go-to excuse for refusing to eat something.
it's the boy who cried gluten intolerance…
Absolutely.
On the other hand, people often give me hell over my healthy eating habits. They literally try to force-feed me junk food, and it drives me nuts, so there's been a few times when I've resorted to saying that I'm intolerant to certain foods etc just to get them to lay off. It's really horrible when it gets to the point that food intolerances are socially acceptable, but wanting to be healthy is not.
Charlotte I have been sitting here for ten minutes trying to formulate an insightful contribution to the discussion but I cannot stop laughing at that dog… where do you find these pictures? hehe 🙂
I just got home and watched the video. As a vegetarian…I found that absolutely hysterical. Absolutely, 100%, without a doubt hysterical.
This is going to sound totally psycho, but I've actually had panic attacks out of fear that I would have an allergic reaction to a food. My mom once went into anaphalaxis from a sudden reaction to shrimp (she wasn't allergic before that). Ever since then, I'm so freaked out about common allergens that I won't eat shellfish, peanuts, etc. I know it's totally nuts, but at least I'm aware of it I guess.
I can see how some people may use this as an excuse not to eat things… they can say, "Oh, I can't eat that because…" and people will leave them alone rather than question them.
Me, I like food too much to do this…. no way I am giving up my PB, almonds or anything else unless I really have to!!!!
I have wondered lately why the dramatic increase in food allergies. Anaphalaxis is hard to fake and Sabrina gave a good explaination about food tampering that I think is a contributing factor.
But are there people in this country misdiagnosing or lieing about food allergies? Of course there are! It sounds better than "I'm a really picky eater" or "I am cutting out entire food groups to lose weight" or "I just want sympathy and attention."
Charlotte, you are so not nuts. I see this kind of thing everywhere. Back in the day, I did the vegan thing to maintain my weight loss – way too restrictive, and it was definitely not for moral reasons.
Thanks for the video! Watched it 3 times and couldn't stop laughing!
My boyfriend is allergic to all nuts (except almonds) so I know how hard it is to shop nut-free. I never realised how much I liked nuts until I had to give them up. Thankfully I can still eat almond butter!
I've actually found an opposite trend related to people leaving you alone if you say you are allergic, as someone who is allergic to dairy and beef. Because I don't go into complete full-blown anaphylactic shock, people seem to think that I must just be intolerant and if I "just have a little" I will quit being intolerant and be able to eat it again. Which inevitably leads to me getting incredibly sick, puking, having an asthma attack, and breaking out with hives. I almost killed my then-boyfriend when he decided to make a milk-gravy instead of a corn starch and broth gravy and not tell me just to see if it was true. Luckily it's hard for someone to slip you beef without noticing (that sounds dirty!).
Sometimes I think it would be easier to say I was vegan and be a closet poultry eater.
"Apparently the only true way to test for a food allergy is to have the person – under close doctor's supervision – gradually eat more and more of the suspicious food. I can't see anyone, patients or doctors, thinking that is a fun idea. (Is that an EpiPen in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?)"
We've done this COUNTLESS times for my brother. Once you get to day 4 where you can touch it to his tongue to "test the theory" we undertook this in the emergency room parking lot. Scary. I've seen my brother "die" (clinical definition) more times than I case to recount.
I avoid a number of foods because you can heighten your sensitivity to those foods if you already have an intolerance to them. The more you consume the more your body tries to fight them off. I learned this the hard way when I had Soy Milk based smoothies for a month. I ended up admitted for 2 days. *Sigh*