Food Allergies: You Do Not Have to Live Small

One minute I was enjoying my sundae. The next I was having an incredibly frightening anaphylactic reaction that left my family thinking I’d suddenly developed seizures. I was 25.

That experience marked the beginning of my unexpected, three decade-long journey with food allergies and a form of anaphylaxis that presents with an immediate drop in blood pressure followed by severe gastrointestinal distress.

The reactions continued to unfold as my body began reacting to foods I had eaten safely my entire life—beyond peanuts, also tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. The most severe reaction came soon after my initial one in 1997, when I had a life-threatening reaction to almonds that required resuscitation.

I frantically began searching for answers, help, and community, but in the late 90’s there was little support to be had. Eventually I found the MedicAlert Foundation and ordered a necklace that I kept hidden in my pocket or purse because I was afraid if someone discovered I had something medically "wrong" with me, I might lose my job or become a social outcast.

And social isolation did creep in, eventually, despite my best efforts to be discrete. Lunch meetings, office environments, family gatherings, and social events quickly became complicated. Even flying for my job became stressful and uncertain.

During that time my personal life changed dramatically, as well. Within two years I went through a divorce, left my job, remarried, and became pregnant with our third child. It was an intense chapter of my life, and many of those experiences later became part of the stories in the books I write to help people embrace change and find success and peace.

In 1999, while six months pregnant, I had another severe reaction after eating a chocolate chip cookie. It contained walnuts. We were rushed to the hospital and spent two weeks there while doctors worked to save our lives. I was terrified I would lose my baby. But we were lucky.

Over the years I have had other close calls. There have been emergency room visits, frightening reactions, and moments when a mislabeled ingredient or cross contact turned an ordinary situation into a medical scare. Anyone living with severe allergies understands this reality. Even when you are careful, risks still exist.

These moments change how you see the world. They can also change how you live.

Living Life Fully, Not Small

Food allergies became part of my daily reality almost overnight and for people who don’t have severe food allergies, it can be difficult to understand the level of vigilance allergic life requires.

Living with multiple anaphylactic allergies means navigating a world that’s not built with my safety in mind. Food meant to nourish could threaten my life at any moment. When my body reacts, there is no slow warning period, no gradual buildup – I need medical help. Immediately.

Preparation becomes a way of life.

Every meal requires awareness. Every bite requires thought. Every restaurant meal requires questions. Every social gathering requires planning. Even something as simple as grocery shopping requires attention because every single food label has to be read.

However...though food allergies may change how we approach meals, travel, and social situations, they do not have to define the limits of our lives.

We can still gather with friends, celebrate milestones, explore new places, build careers, and pursue the things that bring us joy. Living with food allergies means learning how to move through the world with both caution and confidence. It means respecting the seriousness of the condition while still choosing to participate fully in life.

Life with food allergies does not have to be defined by fear. It can be defined by awareness, resilience, and courage. It requires a mindset that balances vigilance with possibility.

Preparation is essential, but so is refusing to withdraw from the world.

It is possible to live carefully without living small.

Learning to Speak Up for Safety

One of the biggest challenges people with food allergies face is social misunderstanding.

Well-meaning friends and even family often don’t fully grasp how serious anaphylaxis can be. Many assume that a small amount won’t matter, or that removing an allergen from a dish makes it safe. In reality, microscopic amounts can trigger a reaction. That is why education and advocacy are so important.

What I want you to know is that your safety is never an inconvenience. Your life matters. Learning to speak up for your safety is not being difficult. It is being responsible for your life.

This is something I emphasize in my advocacy work.

I serve as a spokesperson for FAACT and work with the MedicAlert Foundation to promote awareness and preparedness. These organizations help educate people about the seriousness of food allergies and the importance of medical identification, epinephrine access, and informed communities.

Advocacy has also become part of my writing. Along with author Sally Huss, we wrote the children's book “A Lesson for Every Child: Learning About Food Allergies” to help young readers understand allergies in a way that feels empowering rather than frightening. Children with allergies often feel isolated or different, and education at an early age can help create safer and more compassionate communities.

Food Allergies: Losing the Fear, Keeping the Joy

If there is one message I hope you take from my story, it’s this: A life with food allergies can still be a full, joy-filled life.

But living with severe food allergies requires vigilance. And confidence.

Here are a few, simple rules that have helped me stay safe over the years while living my life fully with food allergies:

1. If you do not know exactly what is in it, do not eat it.

This rule has saved my life more than once. Sadly, this sometimes includes well-meaning friends’ cooking, homemade baked goods, or shared snacks at gatherings. Ingredients, cross contact, and preparation methods matter. Guessing is not worth the risk.

2. Always carry your medication.

Epinephrine is not optional for people with anaphylaxis. It is lifesaving. Keep it with you at all times and make sure the people around you know where it is and how to use it if necessary.

3. Read every label, every time.

Food manufacturers change ingredients and processing methods. Something that was safe yesterday may not be safe today. Label reading eventually becomes second nature when your health depends on it.

4. Ask questions without apology.

Restaurants, hosts, and food providers need to understand your allergies clearly. Asking about ingredients, preparation surfaces, and cross contact is not being difficult. It is being responsible for your safety.

5. Preparation creates freedom.

Bringing safe snacks when traveling, researching restaurants in advance, and planning ahead can remove much of the stress from social situations and travel.

6. Educate the people around you.

Family, friends, coworkers, teachers, and neighbors may not fully understand food allergies. Helping them understand the seriousness of anaphylaxis can create a safer environment for everyone.

7. Wear medical identification.

Medical identification can help first responders act quickly in an emergency. Organizations like MedicAlert have been lifesaving resources for people with severe allergies.

8. Build a support community.

Connecting with others who live with food allergies can be incredibly helpful. Organizations like FAACT provide education, advocacy, and support for families and individuals navigating this condition.

9. Do not let fear shrink your life.

Preparation and awareness allow you to travel, celebrate, build relationships, and pursue your passions. Food allergies require caution, but they do not have to eliminate joy.

10. Advocate for yourself and others.

The more we speak openly about food allergies, the safer the world becomes for everyone living with them.

When you have experienced moments where your life can change in seconds, you begin to see time, relationships, and everyday moments differently. Living with food allergies has taught me gratitude, the importance of presence, and respect for life’s fragility.

Food allergies are a part of my life, but they are not the whole story. And they do not have to be the whole story for you either.

Food allergies may shape how we live, but they do not have to limit who we become.

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I help people navigate change, redefine success, and cultivate peace by aligning who they are with how they live. Alignment isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about returning to what matters and practicing peace, one intentional moment at a time.

Alignment brings clarity. Clarity creates momentum. And momentum changes everything.

As an author I write for children and adults, exploring resilience and navigating challenges. Through what I call “The Guidebook Series”, I write about change, success, and peace and how people move through life's unexpected transitions. These books include contributions from people working to create safer and more supportive communities, including Mark Elvidge from Vermont Nut Free Chocolates and Eleanor Garrow-Holding from FAACT.

The most recent book in the series, “The Peace Guidebook: How to Cultivate Hope, Healing, and Harmony for the Good of Humankind", reflects many of the lessons that life has taught me, including those shaped by living with life-threatening allergies.

Find my books at ElizabethGuarino.com and BestEverYou.com and follow me on Instagram at elizabethguarino_official and besteveryou.

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About the Author: Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino is mom to four amazing boys and is a bestselling author, speaker, and the founder of the Best Ever You Network. She finds her peace by the ocean and loves collecting seashell gifts from the sea. She has authored numerous books for adults and children, and helps people navigate life's transitions with clarity, compassion, and purpose through her work. Elizabeth lives with life-threatening food allergies and advocates for awareness, safety, and education, working with the MedicAlert Foundation and as a spokesperson for FAACT.

Images: Courtesy of Eiliv Aceron on Pexels and Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino