The idea of eating a ‘so-called normal’ food and ending up with a ‘not so normal’ emergency reaction has become a reality for many living with food allergies. Is this ‘new normal’ a plain fact we must simply live with? Well, the answer is NO or GOODBYE, if we take control of the situation and plan accordingly!
Everyday living can bring many surprises and unexpected situations. There is no guarantee that life will be predictable. The impact on one’s life can be obvious or not and the “what if’s” can take a toll….
Reactions to food allergies can be examined on a variety of levels including emotional and physical. Societal reactions is a whole other level that includes institutions, government and general public.
Anxiety on a personal level can arise with uncertainty, doubt and fear with many scenarios in play. These situations can range from new environments, no information available on ingredients, and persistent offering of foods. These associated feelings can result in fear, doubt and hesitation.
Resultant behavior can range from arriving late, leaving early or not attending at all! The antidote to such experiences is planning beforehand by seeking adequate information available, regarding the foods provided. A back-up option for food choice can be achieved with bringing your own safe snack/food, to remedy any doubts.
Anxiety on a physical level an best be described with a definition of the word anxiety itself: Anxiety is a personal feeling of fear, doubt and hesitation. These feelings can result in stomach upset, headache, panic attack and hives.
More education and increased government regulations on the labeling of foods and related ingredients. These needed actions will result in increased safety and confidence for those individuals with food allergies. Personal confidence with food choices for those with food allergies, their families, friends and service providers is a big one, greatly reducing any anxiety for all involved!
To sum up, here are 5 antidotes for successful living with food allergies. Above all else, control must be taken and plan accordingly, to say goodbye to anxieties.
Here are the 5 antidotes:
1. Plan head for your activities.
2. Get information prior to, if possible. Otherwise, get the information upon arrival.
3. Identify contact person and provide your allergy information
4. Find out if food will be offered, along with any ingredient information. Also, ask if there is a recipe or container with ingredient information to see.
5. Have your own safe snacks/food available.
Wazo la kula chakula "kinachoitwa cha kawaida" na kuishia na athari ya dharura "isiyo ya kawaida" imekuwa ukweli kwa wengi wanaoishi na mzio wa chakula. Je, ni "kiwango kipya" hiki ni ukweli wazi kwamba ni lazima tu kuishi nayo? Naam, jibu ni HAPANA au HAPANA, ikiwa tutachukua udhibiti wa hali hiyo na kupanga ipasavyo! Maisha ya kila siku yaweza kuleta mshangao mwingi na hali zisizotarajiwa. Hakuna uthibitisho kwamba maisha yatakuwa ya kutabiriwa. Athari juu ya maisha ya mtu inaweza kuwa dhahiri au si na <unk>what if<unk>s<unk> inaweza kuchukua toll.... Majibu ya mzio wa chakula yanaweza kuchunguzwa katika viwango mbalimbali kutia ndani kihisia-moyo na kimwili. Mmenyuko wa kijamii ni ngazi nyingine kabisa ambayo inajumuisha taasisi, serikali na umma kwa ujumla. Wasiwasi katika hali ya kibinafsi unaweza kutokea na kutokuwa na uhakika, shaka na hofu na matukio mengi katika mchezo. Hali hizo zaweza kutofautiana kutoka mazingira mapya, kutokuwa na habari zinazopatikana juu ya viungo, na kutoa chakula kwa ukawaida. Hisia hizo zinaweza kusababisha hofu, shaka, na kusita-sita. Matokeo ya tabia hiyo yaweza kuwa kuanzia kufika kwa kuchelewa, kuondoka mapema au kutohudhuria kabisa! Suluhisho la uzoefu kama huo ni kupanga kimbele kwa kutafuta habari za kutosha zinazopatikana, kuhusu vyakula vinavyotolewa. Chaguo la ziada kwa uchaguzi wa chakula linaweza kupatikana kwa kuleta vitafunio vyako vya usalama, ili kutatua mashaka yoyote. "Kufikiria wasiwasi katika hali ya kimwili ni bora kuelezwa na ufafanuzi wa neno "" wasiwasi "" yenyewe: "" wasiwasi ni hisia ya kibinafsi ya hofu, shaka na kusita." Hisia hizo zaweza kusababisha maumivu ya tumbo, maumivu ya kichwa, mshtuko wa hofu, na kibofu. Mafunzo zaidi na kanuni za serikali zilizoongezeka juu ya kutia alama ya vyakula na viungo vinavyohusiana. Hatua hizi zinahitajika zitaongoza kwa usalama na ujasiri ulioongezeka kwa wale watu wenye mzio wa chakula. Uwezo wa kuchagua chakula kwa wale walio na mzio wa chakula, familia zao, marafiki na watoa huduma ni kubwa, kupunguza sana wasiwasi kwa wote wanaohusika! Kwa ufupi, hapa ni njia tano za kupambana na mzio wa chakula. Zaidi ya yote, ni lazima udhibiti ufanye kazi na kupanga mambo ipasavyo, ili kuondoa wasiwasi. Hapa kuna dawa tano za kuzuia: Panga mambo utakayofanya. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Pata habari mapema, ikiwezekana. Vinginevyo, pata habari unapowasili. 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Kuanzisha mawasiliano na mtu wa mawasiliano na kutoa taarifa ya mzio wako Tafuta ikiwa chakula kitapewa, pamoja na habari yoyote kuhusu viungo. Pia, uliza ikiwa kuna kichocheo au chombo chenye habari za viungo vya kuona. 5. Uwe na mtazamo mzuri. Kuwa na vitafunio vyako mwenyewe salama au chakula.