a traveling Wife: Food Allergies & Latex-Fruit Syndrome







Food Allergies & Latex-Fruit Syndrome

Friday, February 26, 2016

What do a banana, kiwi, avocado, and latex have to do with each other? Keep reading and find out why I become envious of food posts on Instagram


Have you ever heard of Latex-Fruit Syndrome? It is an allergy or immune system reaction to the proteins of latex - more specifically chitinases and hevein-like proteins. What does this mean for people that have a latex allergy or intolerance? It typically means that they need to avoid particular foods that also contain proteins found in latex. Symptoms can vary from a severe allergic reaction to a simple sensitivity or intolerance to the proteins.
Click to tweet: What do banana, kiwi, avocado, and latex have in common?
A little unknown fact about me, I am a victim of Latex-Fruit Syndrome. It all started years ago with a reaction to bananas. I would eat fruit and yogurt parfaits every morning and top the yogurt with berries and bananas. I kept getting severe stomach pains and thought I might have a lactose issue. Upon removing lactose from my diet, but still eating the same fruits, I was having the same issues.

I changed up the way I was eating and would make eggs each morning. Go figure, the same stomach pain occurred. It was immobilizing and frustrating. Being a 20 year-old, why was I in so much pain?!

After doing a bit of research, I had anything from appendicitis to cancer. << More the reason to never research symptoms via Google.

It appeared when I avoided certain foods I was just fine so I opted not to seek professional advice. Let's face it, I didn't want to be tested and poked and prodded only to find no answer. Perhaps I didn't have much faith in medical advice based on past experiences.

Then one day I started my day with a plain old banana. I thought I was going to die, or that my insides were going to explode, or that someone was twisting my organs like they were wringing out a towel. I laid in fetal position for hours researching banana reactions. Then I remembered when A proposed and we celebrated with guacamole, like one does after getting engaged. I felt the same pain.

Everything was adding up and that is when I knew I suffered from a Latex-type allergy or intolerance - Latex-Fruit Syndrome. Bananas, avocados, eggs, etc were all causing the same pain with different severities.

There are a ton of latex cross-reactive foods, these are just a few: banana, avocado, kiwi, mango, papaya, mushrooms, mustard, bamboo shoot, apricot, eggs, and many, many more.  *I am not a medical professional or dietician. If you feel you suffer from similar symptoms, seek professional advice.*

This brings me to Instagram. Because I cannot eat two of the most photographed food items, banana and avocado, I despise browsing through Instagram - my favorite social media outlet. Everyone is eating avocado toast with a side of oatmeal topped with bananas. Or a smoothie bowl made with bananas, topped with bananas. Or 'nice cream' made with blended bananas. See, it's impossible to scroll through all my friends without some sort of envy.

This makes me think about all those individuals that choose to follow a particular diet either because they need to for their health or just because they want to. I want to be more sensitive to other's views on food and share well rounded meals and recipes. Some people choose to eat vegan, some choose to eat gluten-free, and others HAVE to eat that way. My only hope is that you too can see how food creates certain emotions for someone else and their first response might not be, 'Oh, that looks so GOOD!'
Click to tweet: Become more sensitive with the types of food photos you post on social media. See why.
Do you know anyone that has a latex allergy or suffers from Latex-Fruit Syndrome?
Have you ever had an allergic reaction to a particular type of food?
What are your favorite photos to see on Instagram? What don't you like seeing on Instagram?

15 comments:

  1. I also have latex fruit syndrome. However, mine is a bit different. I mainly get OAS (Oral Allergy Syndrome), hay fever, and an asthma attack. The last time I had strawberries I had to use my nebulizer every 4 hours for 2 days, along with benadryl every 6 hours. My OAS rashes usually last about a week. Sometimes it's from eating food that did not contain any latex fruit but was cross contaminated (usually with avocado at a Mexican restaurant).

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  2. I also suffer from latex food allergy. Avocado is what clued me in! I also have problems with anything in the squash family but I can eat bananas! It's all so confusing and new to me. How did you change your diet and include enough fruits while handling this allergy? Any input would be amazing!

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  3. I have loved eating eggs and bananas since I was a kid, but I started noticing when I was around 13 that I had a bad stomach ache after every time I ate eggs, a couple years later I noticed the same thing with bananas.
    Thank you for sharing this, I now know what to look into.

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  4. I have this!!! Kiwi is what clued me in. Almost the same story as you. Thought it was dairy. Now realizing a ton of foods are triggering this syndrome & trying to figure out what I can and cannot eat. It’s like going through a loss. All my favorite foods are now out. Just when I come to terns with one, another is out the window. Strawerries is the new one. It’s really hard to believe. Have known about my latex allergy for years, this is new though. Thank you so much for sharing this. PLEASE include latex cross reactive free recipes. They are impossible to find!

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    1. Yes, have you found any? I am literally down to lettuces, kale, blueberries, raspberries, mushrooms, onions, garlic, sweet potato, cabbage and legumes. It is so hard to eat well and healthy, well boring more than hard! I didn't know about the eggs, hoping I stay non-reactive to them!!!

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  5. This is pretty much exactly how I found out. I had a banana smoothie and was in the fetal position for hours too. A few days later I had eggs for breakfast and the same thing happened. I spent the time in bed clutching my stomach and reading up about the connection only to read that avocado does the same thing. Sure enough I could think back to all of the times I had experienced the same pain after eating any of these foods.

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  6. I've had this for decades but it was never diagnosed by a doctor because I've never met one yet that has ever heard of it. My daughter figured it out. It started with banana and then green pepper. Since then I have a huge laundry list of foods I can't eat. In addition to the ones I just mentioned I can't eat avocado, pineapple, all citrus, jalapeno, peach, cantaloupe, nectarine, almonds, tomatoes, chickpeas and there are probably a few I've forgotten. Because of this, I won't eat kiwi or any melons at all because I'm just afraid to. I've gained forty pounds because I eat all the "wrong" things. Eating these cause the most unbelievable, agonizing stomach pain imaginable. If I eat any of these foods accidentally and get sick I have to make myself throw up to get rid of it. Otherwise, it goes on for four or five hours. I have found that chewing mint leaves or drinking mint tea helps. I feel bad for anyone with this condition. It's truly awful.

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  7. OMG! I have not been able to eat bananas for years because I suddenly started having the very same reaction to them when I ate them. I had no idea up til now that it was from my latex allergy! Some of the foods listed give me no problems. Some make my mouth and throat itch. But, bananas give me severe stomach cramps and pain. I have avoided them for years. I used to be able to eat them with no problem Then,one day I suddenly could not eat them anymore. The last time I tried was several years ago. I can however eat dried bananas. weird.

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  8. Avocados and bananas are the only 2 that affect me so far. The pain level in my stomach is unbearable and invariably results in vomiting, generally after at least a full hour of suffering. It's awful!! This only began when I was over 40 yrs old. Had eaten both all my life without issues before.

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  9. I have the allergy as well. It took many bouts of gall-bladder like attacks to figure out eggs and avocadoes are not for me, and a recent surgery to discover latex is also a problem. It appears to be a mild allergy though as I can eat a cookie that has an egg or two in the batter, or one or two bites of eggs as long as it's with something else. Avocado is a total no-go. Latex is fine as long as it's not in constant contact with my skin. Benadryl helps with the attacks when they happen.

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    1. Exact same with me, except latex that I know of. Began after birth of first child and never went away. I’m 57 now. So sad, I loved both.

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  10. Have never heard about latex with eggs but egg whites can be high in histamine and avocado is very high in histamine. I am latex, histamine and benzoate sensitive. Many of the latex foods are also high in histamine so you may be having a reaction from latex and histamine.
    As a side note, I am also having issues with clothing as the man-made fabrics are derived from Bamboo (latex). I itch constantly and even though I buy cotton underwear the elastic is causing me to break out in sores on my backside.

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  11. banana, avocado, potato, tomato, kiwi, chestnut, walnut, passion fruit, pear, grapefruit, mushroom, bell pepper, mango, pineapple, celery, cantaloupe, apple, papaya, almond, buckwheat, fig, lettuce, peach, orange, peanut, strawberry, pepper, mustard, watermelon, bamboo shoot, carrot, coconut, apricot, loquat, peppermint, soybean, cherry, nectarine.

    All these foods contain latex protein that may cause allergy or intolerance.

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  12. I have never been formally diagnosed but I know I have the same allergy. I feel like I am going to die the pain is so severe if I eat the wrong fruit or vegetable. My list is growing. I'm wondering if I should be eating a certain diet or should try and figure out the fruits and veges I'm mildly allergic to before it gets worse. It's difficult and takes time to figure out the latest fruit or vege that's bothering me. I'm wondering what other impacts this has on our bodies!

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  13. I just found out Dragon Fruit caused a reaction for me last night. I have a latex allergy. Bananas - make me sick to my stomach - bad. Avocado is the WORST. I loved it but it hated me. Walnuts, hazelnuts, chestnuts, strawberries, kiwi, - so far that’s my list but it is growing. Seems like my allergy is worsening as I get older. It sucks. I just had eggs with two cut up mushrooms, orange small pepper and spinach. Something - I don’t think it is the egg, but something is making me itch from that. Is anyone else sick to death of all the avocado oil in EVERYTHING? Lotion - shampoo-chapstick, etc... I’ve had to go through all my supplies and throw out anything with avocado oil as it causes severe itching and rash. Restaurants use avocado oil or put avocado on everything as that is the latest trend. I’ve had to be very vigilant about products. It’s crazy.

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Thank you for all of your support. I appreciate you for taking the time to read my content and leaving comments or feedback.