Difficulties of and Tips for Coping with a Mammalian Meat Allergy

DIFFICULTIES AND COPING: (This is after 14 years with increasing problems.)

1. Acceptance and disbelief
2. Altered shopping habits
3. Cooking and adjustments
4. Eating out
5. Travel
6. Barbecues
7. Gardening
8. Avoidance
9. Frequently asked questions 
10. General advice
11. Disadvantages
12. Coping

DISCUSSION AND TIPS (to deal with the above points, as numbered)

1.ACCEPTANCE AND DISBELIEF:

Explain to relevant persons (family, hosts for meals and waiters in restaurants) the difference between a mild allergy and one leading to anaphylaxis, the various stages this involves and the use of an EpiPen.  Many people are still unaware that tick bites can cause such a dramatic change in one’s eating habits and lifestyle.

2. ALTERED SHOPPING HABITS:

I am no longer able to eat my favourite or any meat dishes as I’m anaphylactic to all mammalian meat.  For me this required a complete reorganisation of the weekly menu and shopping lists. We have new recipes almost weekly to add to my favourites and this includes a lot more Italian dishes with ricotta, bocconcini, feta and mascarpone.  But a second anaphylactic episode over 9 years ago required an even bigger adjustment when milk, cream and soft cheeses were the culprits so therefore these have been eliminated from recipes that I cook.  

I do check labelling on packets especially for any hidden MMA products.  Be wary of packets of potato crisps, burger rings, and cheezels as they contain milk or milk products. And white and red wine can be fined in milk products but not every bottle is labelled with this. Within minutes of sipping red wine I have an allergic reaction very similar to the skin prick test, involving a sudden hot flush with redness on my cheeks, neck, elbows and sometimes knees!!  I no longer drink white wine for this reason as most white wine is fined with milk.

3. COOKING AND ADJUSTMENTS:

I eat more poultry, seafood and a lot more vegetable dishes. But be wary of chilli in some dishes if also allergic/anaphylactic to milk by- products – there is a compounding effect as chilli is a natural allergen: it will produce an anaphylactic reaction if combined with dairy products. I have apple juice on my cereal and drink weakened black tea.

Red indicates danger and therefore sends an alert so use only RED UTENSILS and separate plates in the kitchen for your meat-loving spouse/partner/family to avoid cross-contamination AND use different oil for cooking meat dishes.  Use a special chopping board only for meat and not for any of your food.

4. EATING OUT:

Food preparation remains the biggest concern no matter where it is prepared!  In restaurants, check menus carefully and ask for eliminations from a dish if possible OR even a different combination of vegetables.
I love Asian food but I need to avoid many Asian  restaurants as lots of pork is in many dishes, meat stock is used and cross-contamination occurs frequently with spoon  handling of dishes, especially banquet style serving. Always inform functions of your allergies if there is a set menu, as with a la carte dining one can usually get by. At functions avoid all finger food, unless obvious, as the waiters do not know what is in the food.  The first sign of contamination usually happens within 30 minutes or up to 60 minutes of finishing a meal and this has the symptoms of severe stomach cramps, followed by gastro.

At work (a school) I avoid the canteen now, as with a roster system of parents, one cannot expect them all to remember not to cut the salad sandwich with the knife that has just also cut the ham/salad sandwich. This is relevant to all sandwich outlets as there is no guarantee that knives and chopping boards are not used for different cuts of meat: poultry, fish and mammal meat.   This includes where you buy your meat, whether it is at a butcher’s shop or a supermarket outlet.

Be wary of what fried food is cooked in (eg lard or meat fat) or what might also be cooked with it. Many times at hotels I have seen omelettes cooked in the same pan that has just had bacon or sausages cooked in it!  Also the same applies to soup as beef or veal stock could be used along with finely chopped bacon.

I have soy cappuccino sometimes but if the milk jug is not cleaned thoroughly when I order soy coffee then I will also suffer a ‘gut’ reaction within minutes. Drinking black tea is the safest option for me.

5. TRAVEL:

When travelling on planes don’t do the vegetarian option as you only get salad. I tried it but now I find there is always chicken or fish available. If out of luck salad is ok too, but be wary of bacon, prosciutto or feta in salads.  If in doubt don’t eat!!  In a non-English speaking country download your allergies in the local language (there are specialist websites and Google can translate if necessary) and hand it to the maître d’ or chef.

6. BARBECUES:

Take your own fish or chicken wrapped ‘en papillote’ to avoid meat contamination on barbecues and save the host the trouble of a special meal, because the hotplate will still retain some meat residue - so the fish or chicken must not go directly onto the hotplate. And then both host and guest can relax.

7. GARDENING:

To garden in a tick prone area, I spray my clothes with Permoxin, a dog/cattle spray from the vet. This must be diluted with water. Recommended to me by a Mona Vale vet who lives in Avalon. The blowflies love it! Then I spray my body with Rid and bingo it really works. No tick bites but one has to spray thoroughly to avoid bites. I now also use the white disposal coveralls from Bunnings, costing about $5.00.

I have not been bitten by ticks for over 14years but from 1995-2005 I would have had at least 1,000 bites, with weals measuring 14cm by 11cm, sometimes 20  or more at any one time.

8. AVOIDANCE:

Carry your EpiPen everywhere and your spare one too when travelling. If travelling on planes make sure both pens are in the cabin with you. So far this has not ever been a problem going through security.

When on holidays and travelling, here or overseas take anti-histamine before meals as this will delay and reduce a reaction.

9. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What happens to you when you have an anaphylaxis?
Can you be de-sensitised?
Will you ‘grow out’ of it?

Have your answers prepared…

And the question I tire of:  Are you well?  People just don’t believe me. So they say, ‘Really, are you?’   (“I am not sick but would be if I ate the wrong thing!”)   Many people think it is Lyme disease!

 People generally seem to regard MMA as an illness.  Maybe because it is not yet curable and with no obvious symptoms unless I eat something to trigger it then it is just a nuisance unless a cure can be found in the future. So I just blame it on: ‘The tick problem ‘altering the immune system!’  Incomprehensible to the questioner but it’s the best answer I can give for now!!!  So far I have not needed to use my EpiPen!

10. GENERAL ADVICE:

Remind people of your allergy when invited out as it is such a rare one and meat is in many people’s diets. The host will forget that you are still allergic especially if you were entertained 12 months or more beforehand.

Tell people you can’t eat anything that comes from any mammal (effectively, any animal with 4 legs or whale or dolphin!) but you can eat 2 legged birds or anything that lays eggs (not echidna or platypus!) or lives in the water. Tell them you can’t eat vegetables cooked with meat or with a beef/veal/lamb stock.
In my case no 4 legged by-products, especially milk, cream, soft cheeses; but hard cheese is OK. Lindt chocolate will also cause facial and upper body redness, lasting for several hours. Avoid ice-cream and yoghurt too.

Remind people that 4 legs includes: salami, sausages, prosciutto, processed meats, speck, pancetta, bacon, ham, pork, beef, veal, lamb, (and kangaroo, goat, rabbit, venison, etc), stocks , bonox, lard, suet and soft cheeses including mascarpone, ricotta, feta, goat’s cheese, blue cheeses, camembert, brie and everything else that is yummy. Cream, sour cream, crème fraiche, double cream and milk included. Desserts are a real test!

11. DISADVANTAGES:

Entertaining: Some will accept your offer to bring your own food; others will happily bend over backwards and adjust their menu to include you. More generally people avoid including you!  It’s an easier option.

Now with my mammalian by-product allergy most people just find it too difficult to organise a menu around my requirements and I find this a burden to expect people to change their cooking habits. Consequently the dinner parties and lunches have largely ceased.  And I don’t enjoy cooking or the smell of meat dishes but I do cook them in smaller quantities for family and grandchildren. As a result entertaining changed dramatically.

12. TO COPE: TURN YOUR LIFE UPSIDE DOWN!!

Accept that you just can’t change what has happened and get on with the enjoyment of what you can have and there is still PLENTY of choice. (For now I can still have margarine, butter and all hard cheese as well) Hopefully this will not change again.
Finally, be positive. There are so many other nutritious dishes to ENJOY!