Introduction to Vegan with Allergies

As this is my very first blog post, let me introduce myself. My name is Ilene and I’ve had food allergies my entire life. Before everyone knew about food allergies like they do now it seemed like I was the only one around. Occasionally I’d meet someone allergic to one or two foods but rarely did I find anyone with multiple food allergies. With a very limited diet, I did well and avoided major issues until I left for college. Then I discovered anaphylaxis. It turns out I really was as allergic to nuts as we thought. And chickpeas too – who knew you could be allergic to them?

About 3 years ago I decided to try a plant-based diet for a week to improve my overall health. The first week was magic. No food allergy issues at all. So I just kept going. It’s not always easy but then I was already used to the difficulty in eating out. I definitely cook a lot more and have even tried a few new foods.

The idea for this site came to me as I was reading posts on Facebook from people who said they’d like to try a plant-based diet but had too many food allergies. Since I have more allergies than anyone else I know I thought this might be a way for me to help others who are interested in a plant-based diet.

I hope that you find value in my site and decide to try a plant-based diet. This site is open to all with no prejudices. It’s about “progress not perfection” as Lindsay Nixon of Happy Herbivore will tell you. We are all on a journey together.