Episode 46: 'The Allergy Chef'
Living with more than 200 food allergies and intolerances
healthHackers ep 46 with Kathlena, ‘The Allergy Chef’ - food blogger, author and culinary entrepreneur
In this episode, you’ll hear Kathlena’s views on:
growing up while suffering from constant food sensitivities
being told she only had 30 days left to live
managing her children’s different allergies
helping yourself if you suspect you’re reacting to foods
things that have surprised her most while catering for the allergy community
a key question restaurants should be asking allergic customers
the areas of allergy research she’s most interested in right now
how you’ll know when you’re with a good allergy specialist
plus, a reason to be cautious of products labelled ‘non-dairy’ in the USA if you have a milk allergy
‘You have to pick what’s going to hurt the least today’
I asked Kathlena, also known as ‘The Allergy Chef,’ if she remembered a time when food did not make her unwell. Her answer: “Honestly, no.”
Kathlena has over 200 allergies and intolerances. A few years ago, she was told she had only 30 days left to live. Her sensitivities are so prevalent she can’t even drink most water and has spent the last four years wearing an industrial mask to protect her from airborne allergies.
“I got to the point where if you were to just barely touch me, I was in excruciating pain. And I was later told that my histamine response was just off the charts and that's really what was causing it,” she told me healthHackers episode 46.
“Even right now… my face is probably 30% more puffy than it should be. And that's just inflammation from food right now.” [picture here]
Kathlena’s allergy symptoms were considered non-traditional (and her anaphylactic reactions didn’t occur until adulthood), which meant she proved to be a more-than-tricky case for many doctors, she explained.
“There came a point with my diagnosis, [where] we just kind of quit Western medicine, and even alternative medicine because everyone just kept saying the same thing: ‘Wow, this is the worst case I've ever seen,’ ‘I don't know what's wrong with you.’”
“We were spending thousands upon thousands of dollars every month.”
She later came to hear about mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), which she describes as a condition in which “your reactions can mimic anaphylaxis but don't necessarily produce death.”
“It's really bizarre. I can definitely tell you I've experienced pretty close to death, if not actual death, there was a point where we were pretty sure I was dead,'“ she said.
According to Kathlena, one of the ways her body reacts to allergens is by gaining weight. After receiving a diagnosis and adjusting her diet to remove the biggest triggers, she lost a significant amount - although she still had the psychological scars.
“For years, being picked on for my size - that messes with your self-esteem as a kid. It just kind of changes you as a person. But turns out, it wasn't really my fault,” she told me.
Among her worst trigger foods is corn. It’s not allowed in her house.
Kathlena’s children also have restricted diets because of allergies and intolerances. Picture: Instagram/@theallergychef
“I have a severe corn allergy but not just corn kernels, but all forms of corn. Corn has over 200 different names. It's used in the medical, agricultural, food world in all sorts of different ways.”
Not only does Kathlena have to look out for her own food triggers, but her husband and four children also have restrictive diets because of intolerances. “Truth is, it's a full-time job,” she said.
Picture: Instagram/@theallergychef
Kathlena has great empathy for any parent who’s suddenly found themselves trying to navigate the world of allergic living.
“If you're an adult without food allergies, and your child has the food allergies… They're extra afraid. They have to rely on so many other factors and clues,” she said.
Picture: Instagram/@theallergychef
Despite the limitations on her day-to-day living, Kathlena is devoted to helping others living with food allergies or special dietary requirements by creating safe and tasty meals featured on her website, blog and books. She runs an allergy-friendly bakery and catering business in the San Francisco Bay Area and offers online courses too.
She hopes there will come a time when “we can stop these problems before they start.”
The current rate of food allergy among children in the US is estimated to be 8% and in the UK it’s thought to be just over 7%.
While the numbers are increasing, researchers can’t pinpoint an exact reason as to why. And a ‘cure’ seems equally unobtainable.
For Kathlena though, she takes life one bite at a time. “Food still makes me sick. It's just you have to pick what's going to hurt the least today.”
Follow Kathlena, The Allergy Chef on Instagram.
📌Important note for new healthHackers viewers: anything you hear or see within healthHackers content should not be considered personal or medical advice. You’ve all heard it before, so you know the score - always talk to your health provider about your own concerns.🧑⚕️