![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.allergicliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/04\/IMG_1176-1-224x300.jpeg\")
This\ndawned on me recently, when I was able to take a brief skiing trip \u2013 the\nclosest thing I could get to an exotic vacation these days. Although all the\nrestaurants in the Quebec ski village were only open for takeout, I felt some discomfort\nwhen exercising my now rusty food allergy management skills. These are the same\nskills I used to employ on an almost daily basis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having\nbeen cooped up in my small studio apartment in Toronto, I haven\u2019t had much\nreason to interact with people outside of my immediate family and a few close\nfriends. The casual social interactions that I used to have with service\nworkers effectively disappeared; everything I do is still almost exclusively\ncontactless, including checking out at the grocery store and even ordering food.\n(While an area in need of development, I find some of the food delivery apps\nhave improved in how they flag food allergies on online menus, although I\u2019m\nstill wary of how effectively this information is relayed to restaurant staff.)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But\non my skiing trip, aspects of normal life came rushing back, as the outside\nworld reminded me of my food allergies. I realized that I had actually managed\nto “forget” about my\nfood allergies during lockdown to a large extent. After all, food allergies are\nonly remarkable when other people can and do eat what you can\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dusting Off Food-Ordering Skills<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\nWhen\nI called the restaurants in the ski village to order food, it was a refresher\non the fact that the process can be challenging. While managing a language\nbarrier (French), I had to inform them of my food allergies. I felt the\ninevitable anxiety that comes with hoping the person taking your order<\/a> has indeed understood your food\nallergies and will inform the kitchen. It was a feeling that I hadn\u2019t felt for\nmore than a year, since I was mostly eating at home or ordering food from\nrestaurants where I used to be a regular diner. <\/p>\n\n\n\nI\nalso had to confront the issue of where to stow my auto-injector while on the\nski hill. Since I hadn\u2019t eaten away from home for many months, or gone to any\nevents that involve food, thinking about where to keep my auto-injector wasn’t\nan issue. It came rushing back that figuring out how to carry your\nauto-injector with you at the beach, while wearing a fancy outfit (with a purse\nthat is always too small!), or while playing sports can be a challenge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\nwas shocked to find I’d forgotten about this inconvenient but vital aspect of\nfood allergy management! Where was I going to keep my auto-injector while I was\nsnowboarding? In the end, I chose to keep it in my jacket pocket, but wished\nthat I had planned ahead more; it was slightly bulky and uncomfortable. It\nwouldn\u2019t have been pleasant if I had fallen on it. Using an auto-injector\ncarrying belt (or better yet, toting a compact Allerject* injector) would have\nmade more sense. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Servers May Need a Refresher<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\nAs\nmore and more people are vaccinated and a return to \u201cnormal\u201d looms large, I\nfind it important to reflect on those things we may have forgotten while we\nlived our daily lives in \u201cbubbles\u201d \u2013 social bubbles that doubled as unintended\nfood allergy bubbles. In our bubbles, everyone has known about our food\nallergies, and we’ve had high levels of control over what we eat and how it is\nprepared. Food allergies are generally a non-issue. As we emerge from these\nbubbles, many of us are having to relearn how to manage our food allergies in\nthe bigger world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.allergicliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/04\/IMG_0411-228x300.jpeg\")
Hannah Lank<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nService\nworkers without food allergies may also need a refresher on how to manage customers\nwith food allergies. As we have become somewhat rusty with our food allergy\nmanagement skills, we should expect that others probably have as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\ncan be exhausting to remind others about our food allergies and to maintain\nvigilance about our food allergy management. This involves communicating our\nallergies and asking about every dish on the menu, visually checking all food,\netc. Restaurants should be encouraged to help make the process easier \u2013 for\nexample, by clearly labeling allergens on menu. But those of us with food\nallergies must remember that, post-pandemic, it\u2019s unlikely things will have\nchanged for the better quite yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There’s\nno way around it, managing food allergies is work. It involves having\nconversations with servers, friends and family and clarifying what you cannot\neat. It involves planning and bringing your own food in situations where you\nhave concerns; it means thinking about how to carry your auto-injector on you\nin a variety of activities. It also means having the confidence in these allergy\nmanagement tools to try new things, travel, and to enjoy your life fully. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
During\nmy ski trip, I realized just how much these skills are built on practice, and\nthe confidence that comes with successful repetition. Post-pandemic, it may\nfeel a little uncomfortable navigating your return to \u201cnormal\u201d food allergy\nlife. But the better news is that these skills will return quickly. It just\ntakes a bit of patience, practice and caution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hannah Lank, who is studying law in Toronto,\nis a regular Allergic Living contributor.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n*Allerject is the Canadian equivalent\nof the Auvi-Q auto-injector in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Related\nReads:<\/strong>
\nIt’s\nHigh Time Restaurants Got Serious About Food Allergies<\/a>
\nDining\nOut With Food Allergies: Factors Key to Safe Experience<\/a>
\nVigilance\nFatigue: What Food Allergy and the Pandemic Have in Common<\/a>
\nAllergic\nLiving’s Guide: All About Using Epinephrine<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"My pandemic bubble was also a “food allergy bubble.” On the ski trip, I learned I was painfully out of practice with ordering safe food. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13830,"featured_media":1036,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_post_subheading":"On a brief ski trip, I came to a shocking realization: I had managed to largely \"forget\" my food allergies during lockdown. How to order food, where to stow my epi? It was time to get relearn these skills, and fast.","_post_shorttitle":"Why Rust Grew on My Allergy Skills","_post_transparent":false,"_post_datehidden":false,"_post_disableads":false,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21,292],"tags":[920,595,74,363,169,295,372,922,923,596,918,919],"ppma_author":[1244],"class_list":["post-1017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adult-allergies","category-managing-allergies","tag-allergy-management","tag-covid-19-food-allergy","tag-food-allergy","tag-food-allergy-dining","tag-food-allergy-management","tag-food-allergy-travel","tag-hannah-lank","tag-managing-allergies","tag-managing-food-allergies","tag-managing-food-allergy","tag-practice","tag-social-bubble"],"yoast_head":"\n
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I\nalso had to confront the issue of where to stow my auto-injector while on the\nski hill. Since I hadn\u2019t eaten away from home for many months, or gone to any\nevents that involve food, thinking about where to keep my auto-injector wasn’t\nan issue. It came rushing back that figuring out how to carry your\nauto-injector with you at the beach, while wearing a fancy outfit (with a purse\nthat is always too small!), or while playing sports can be a challenge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\nwas shocked to find I’d forgotten about this inconvenient but vital aspect of\nfood allergy management! Where was I going to keep my auto-injector while I was\nsnowboarding? In the end, I chose to keep it in my jacket pocket, but wished\nthat I had planned ahead more; it was slightly bulky and uncomfortable. It\nwouldn\u2019t have been pleasant if I had fallen on it. Using an auto-injector\ncarrying belt (or better yet, toting a compact Allerject* injector) would have\nmade more sense. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Servers May Need a Refresher<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\nAs\nmore and more people are vaccinated and a return to \u201cnormal\u201d looms large, I\nfind it important to reflect on those things we may have forgotten while we\nlived our daily lives in \u201cbubbles\u201d \u2013 social bubbles that doubled as unintended\nfood allergy bubbles. In our bubbles, everyone has known about our food\nallergies, and we’ve had high levels of control over what we eat and how it is\nprepared. Food allergies are generally a non-issue. As we emerge from these\nbubbles, many of us are having to relearn how to manage our food allergies in\nthe bigger world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hannah Lank<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nService\nworkers without food allergies may also need a refresher on how to manage customers\nwith food allergies. As we have become somewhat rusty with our food allergy\nmanagement skills, we should expect that others probably have as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\ncan be exhausting to remind others about our food allergies and to maintain\nvigilance about our food allergy management. This involves communicating our\nallergies and asking about every dish on the menu, visually checking all food,\netc. Restaurants should be encouraged to help make the process easier \u2013 for\nexample, by clearly labeling allergens on menu. But those of us with food\nallergies must remember that, post-pandemic, it\u2019s unlikely things will have\nchanged for the better quite yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There’s\nno way around it, managing food allergies is work. It involves having\nconversations with servers, friends and family and clarifying what you cannot\neat. It involves planning and bringing your own food in situations where you\nhave concerns; it means thinking about how to carry your auto-injector on you\nin a variety of activities. It also means having the confidence in these allergy\nmanagement tools to try new things, travel, and to enjoy your life fully. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
During\nmy ski trip, I realized just how much these skills are built on practice, and\nthe confidence that comes with successful repetition. Post-pandemic, it may\nfeel a little uncomfortable navigating your return to \u201cnormal\u201d food allergy\nlife. But the better news is that these skills will return quickly. It just\ntakes a bit of patience, practice and caution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hannah Lank, who is studying law in Toronto,\nis a regular Allergic Living contributor.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n*Allerject is the Canadian equivalent\nof the Auvi-Q auto-injector in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Related\nReads:<\/strong>
\nIt’s\nHigh Time Restaurants Got Serious About Food Allergies<\/a>
\nDining\nOut With Food Allergies: Factors Key to Safe Experience<\/a>
\nVigilance\nFatigue: What Food Allergy and the Pandemic Have in Common<\/a>
\nAllergic\nLiving’s Guide: All About Using Epinephrine<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"My pandemic bubble was also a “food allergy bubble.” On the ski trip, I learned I was painfully out of practice with ordering safe food. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13830,"featured_media":1036,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_post_subheading":"On a brief ski trip, I came to a shocking realization: I had managed to largely \"forget\" my food allergies during lockdown. How to order food, where to stow my epi? It was time to get relearn these skills, and fast.","_post_shorttitle":"Why Rust Grew on My Allergy Skills","_post_transparent":false,"_post_datehidden":false,"_post_disableads":false,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21,292],"tags":[920,595,74,363,169,295,372,922,923,596,918,919],"ppma_author":[1244],"class_list":["post-1017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adult-allergies","category-managing-allergies","tag-allergy-management","tag-covid-19-food-allergy","tag-food-allergy","tag-food-allergy-dining","tag-food-allergy-management","tag-food-allergy-travel","tag-hannah-lank","tag-managing-allergies","tag-managing-food-allergies","tag-managing-food-allergy","tag-practice","tag-social-bubble"],"yoast_head":"\n
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Service\nworkers without food allergies may also need a refresher on how to manage customers\nwith food allergies. As we have become somewhat rusty with our food allergy\nmanagement skills, we should expect that others probably have as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\ncan be exhausting to remind others about our food allergies and to maintain\nvigilance about our food allergy management. This involves communicating our\nallergies and asking about every dish on the menu, visually checking all food,\netc. Restaurants should be encouraged to help make the process easier \u2013 for\nexample, by clearly labeling allergens on menu. But those of us with food\nallergies must remember that, post-pandemic, it\u2019s unlikely things will have\nchanged for the better quite yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There’s\nno way around it, managing food allergies is work. It involves having\nconversations with servers, friends and family and clarifying what you cannot\neat. It involves planning and bringing your own food in situations where you\nhave concerns; it means thinking about how to carry your auto-injector on you\nin a variety of activities. It also means having the confidence in these allergy\nmanagement tools to try new things, travel, and to enjoy your life fully. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
During\nmy ski trip, I realized just how much these skills are built on practice, and\nthe confidence that comes with successful repetition. Post-pandemic, it may\nfeel a little uncomfortable navigating your return to \u201cnormal\u201d food allergy\nlife. But the better news is that these skills will return quickly. It just\ntakes a bit of patience, practice and caution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hannah Lank, who is studying law in Toronto,\nis a regular Allergic Living contributor.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n *Allerject is the Canadian equivalent\nof the Auvi-Q auto-injector in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Related\nReads:<\/strong> My pandemic bubble was also a “food allergy bubble.” On the ski trip, I learned I was painfully out of practice with ordering safe food. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13830,"featured_media":1036,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_post_subheading":"On a brief ski trip, I came to a shocking realization: I had managed to largely \"forget\" my food allergies during lockdown. How to order food, where to stow my epi? It was time to get relearn these skills, and fast.","_post_shorttitle":"Why Rust Grew on My Allergy Skills","_post_transparent":false,"_post_datehidden":false,"_post_disableads":false,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21,292],"tags":[920,595,74,363,169,295,372,922,923,596,918,919],"ppma_author":[1244],"class_list":["post-1017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adult-allergies","category-managing-allergies","tag-allergy-management","tag-covid-19-food-allergy","tag-food-allergy","tag-food-allergy-dining","tag-food-allergy-management","tag-food-allergy-travel","tag-hannah-lank","tag-managing-allergies","tag-managing-food-allergies","tag-managing-food-allergy","tag-practice","tag-social-bubble"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nIt’s\nHigh Time Restaurants Got Serious About Food Allergies<\/a>
\nDining\nOut With Food Allergies: Factors Key to Safe Experience<\/a>
\nVigilance\nFatigue: What Food Allergy and the Pandemic Have in Common<\/a>
\nAllergic\nLiving’s Guide: All About Using Epinephrine<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"