An indispensable guide for living a full life with food allergies--from an Allergic Girl who lives it
How did you become “Allergic Girl”? How did you decide to devote your life to advocating for food allergies? I’ve always been an allergic girl. I’ve had food allergies since birth and I developed environmental allergies and asthma in early childhood. I’m also a social worker and writer. My work as a food allergy advocate--“Allergic Girl”--combines my commitment to helping people with personal food allergy experience and professional expertise as a social worker and writer. Living with food allergies can be challenging--even scary. It can and should also be joyful. Reliable, clear information, and support make the difference. Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well With Food Allergies offers advice and experience designed to help people with food allergies. What was your inspiration for writing this book? In 2006, I started a blog--Please Don’t Pass the Nuts--to talk about living with food allergies; share my experience and connect with other people; and share what I’ve learned about dining out, traveling, dating and working with food allergies. The response has been incredible and gratifying. Describe your relationship with food? How has it evolved? I love food! Always have. I think our relationship to food is as important as our relationship to friends and loved ones. I spend a chapter of the book discussing how the food allergic community can develop a safe and healthy relationship with food. When I was a child, birthday parties were minefields; at playdates, I was always refusing well intentioned but dangerous snacks. As a young adult, I chose to become a vegetarian, which fostered new pathways, new discoveries about food and what it can do for you in a positive way. As an omnivore adult, I’ve devoted my professional career to understanding food allergies and developing successful practical techniques to help people with food allergies. I’ve used these experiences and expertise to write Allergic Girl. I know how complex the relationship with food can be when you have food allergies. I also know, with the right steps and the right support, how enjoyable food can be. That’s some of what Allergic Girl is about. Is this book only for people with food allergies? Whether you have food allergies, know someone who has food allergies or just want to understand more about living with food allergies, this book is for you. Allergic Girl offers practical advice and expertise about how to understand food allergies, navigate the risks, communicate your needs and lead your best life. If you have food allergies, a big part of living a safe, effective and joyous life is understanding your needs and building supportive relationships. If you know someone with food allergies, a big part of being supportive is understanding what food allergies are and how you can help. Allergic Girl offers insights into what it is like to have food allergies and what kinds of support you can offer. What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone recently diagnosed with a food allergy? My first piece of advice is to take your food allergies seriously. What does this mean? • See a board-certified allergist • Fill your prescriptions and always carry them with you • Ask a lot of questions of your doctor/allergist • Read as much material as you can from reputable sources • Be patient with yourself There will be mistakes. Start where you are right now and do your best.
Millions of Americans concerned about adverse reactions to food are seeking the advice of medical professionals and receiving a diagnosis of food allergies. Allergic Girl Sloane Miller, a leading authority on food allergies, has been allergic since childhood. She now lives a full, enjoyable life full of dining out, dating, attending work functions, and traveling. With tested strategies and practical solutions to everyday food allergy concerns, Allergic Girl shows how readers can enjoy their lives too. Informed by personal narratives laced with humor and valuable insights, Allergic Girl is a breakthrough lifestyle guide for food-allergic adults, their families, and loved ones. In Allergic Girl, you will discover:
- How to find the best allergist and get a correct diagnosis
- How to create positive relationships with family, friends, and food
- How to build a safe environment wherever you are
- Real-world scenarios scripted from the author's life as well her work with clients and other leaders in the field
Enjoy your food-allergic life to the fullest. Let Allergic Girl show you how.
Q&A with Author Sloane Miller
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