· By Ohh! Foods
#OhhMoments - Nicole shares her Food Allergy Journey and what makes her inspired to be Food Allergy Influencers
"Hi, I’m Nicole, a future registered dietitian nutritionist, current food allergy advocate, as well as the founder and content creator of Nutritionally Nicole, LLC. I was born with multiple anaphylactic food allergies including milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, sesame seed, poppy seed, mustard seed, coconut, and lamb".
Believe it or not, there were even more foods I was allergic to as an infant in the late nineties. Being a young adult in my early twenties, I must self-advocate throughout life to stay safe needless to say I have been through various unique situations where my food allergies needed to be managed.
For the majority of my time growing up, my food allergies were respected by family, friends, restaurant staff, and travel destinations. Food allergies as a medical disease may not have been understood but people did understand the severity and potential fatality of my food allergies if a reaction were to occur. To be honest, I felt safer eating out and travelling when I was younger whereas I currently avoid eating out, only book hotel rooms with kitchenettes included, and pack an extra suitcase solely for food. With the rise of food allergies, higher prevalence of food intolerance including sensitivities, and people blurring the lines of the conditions’ diagnosis criteria, I no longer feel that safety in public. The world has become more dangerous in that way.
The frustration of not finding social media influencers sparking relatable food allergy conversation for young adults like myself seamlessly led to my passion for sharing my experiences with the world via written blogs and YouTube videos. I strive to help those living with food allergies to cultivate positivity, navigate through similar situations, and find a love for their life. There is much more advocacy needed especially when conveying the severeness and psychological implications of food allergies to those blessed without them. I aim to inspire the education of future food allergy allies who can help strengthen the food allergy community."
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