Do Your Food Allergies Make You Feel Like a Burden, Embarrassed, or Guilty?

Food allergies should not be a source of embarrassment. They should not make you feel guilty. And they should never make you feel like a burden. Ever. But sadly, the opposite is true in a lot of cases, be it with children or adults with food allergies.

To avoid uncomfortable situations, many food-allergic individuals opt for a "safe compromise." There cannot be anything more dangerous than this. When dealing with food allergies, there is no such thing as a safe compromise. Especially, when you can end up with life-threatening anaphylaxis, even with minor exposure.

We understand that things can get tough at times, but it’s important to be strict about your choices and let others with you know about it too. This is your health. You didn’t choose this, but you need to take it seriously. Children can be helped by their teachers and parents to handle any teasing and bullying that may happen at school.

Until a cure is found for food allergies, all we can do is educate ourselves as well as the people around us about how serious food allergies are. Urge schools, workplaces, camps, churches, daycare centers, and even medical professionals to come together and educate everyone.

If you don’t know where to start, we can help you plan a Red Sneaker Day at your school, work or community center to help raise awareness. We will provide all the materials you’ll need. You can learn more at redsneakers.org/rsfo-days-program and if you have questions, please email info@redsneakers.org.