Every Way Severe Allergies Make My Life Different | Allure 

There should be an app where you can input your allergies and scan different SKUs and it would tell you if it’s safe or not

My brother is like her. It makes me mad when people don’t take his allergies seriously.

This is so important. Please do more of these on chronic illness and disabilities

One of my very dear friends was deathly allergic to lavender. I had no idea that lavender permeates EVERYTHING in our day-to-day lives. She literally couldn't go to the grocery store and not just because of the laundry detergent aisle. Shampoo, detergent, cleaning products, scented candles, everything that is manufactured and has a scent, no matter what that scent is, uses lavender. Unfortunately, anaphylaxis eventually took her life when we were in our 30s. We need more allergy awareness. Period.

People have made a habit of dismissing allergies. Like 'oh, too bad' or 'I'm sure it's fine, you're overreacting' when really they need to be taken much more seriously. Someone's flippancy could be the cause of someone else's extreme suffering and/or death.

I can't believe anyone has to pay for epipens. That's insane. You didn't choose to have a life threatening allergy.

She definitely should go into product development for people w severe allergies

Someone should make a brand of makeup that is guaranteed top 14 allergens free

I have a severe nut allergy too and that comment about not feeling safe eating somewhere based on the reaction on staff is MASSIVE!! Some people don't realise that their reaction to me asking about allergens can be so off putting when they say things like "I think you'll be fine" it's so hard to go through with trying the food when you leave doubt about it!!

I’m allergic to fresh fruits, shellfish, cats, dogs, have seasonal allergies, and randomly break out in hives. People act like I inconvenience them all the time. Like sorry me possibly dying annoys you 🙄. Also have sensitive skin so gotta be careful with products that contain fragrance.

Food allergies are looked over. This needs more attention!

Ugh, I have a friend who has to live with horrible allergies like this. He’s always got a runny nose and he always looks miserable sitting next to a tissue box in class. If we ever go out as a group, he can’t eat anything because he might get a reaction. Honestly, if I could strangle allergies to death, I would shoot them point blank. He’s also our best trumpet in band so we must protect the brass boy. Gosh, humans have horrible flesh blobs for bodies. Sometimes I feel like I’m the luckiest person on earth, only having two allergies.

I don’t have allergies but I travel on airplanes several times a year and I was given peanuts on a flight for the first time in a couple years and it was so jarring. The entire plane stank of nuts so I can’t imagine how terrible that must be for people with allergies to be so afraid

I'm allergic to citrus and rarely anyone takes it seriously, or they often forget. We need more allergy awareness and better education. In highschool, classmates who bullied me would "test" my allergy by bringing in drinks or fruits I'm allergic to. I hope that'll never happen to anyone else 😥

The US is great for people with allergies! Here in Germany it’s horrible, even tough the law say every restaurant should have allergy signs and list everything in the food, nearly nobody does it and you just get the annoying „Yeah we dont know for sure, if you want to be safe, just don’t eat it!“ 🙄

I'm a celiac, medicine and make up labels really annoy me it should be a requirement to list the allergens. The amount of people that think it's a lifestyle choice when eating out and don't take it seriously drives me insane. I don't have such serious reactions as this and my anxiety is through then roof eating out somewhere new., I can only imagine how hard it must be for her.

Make one of mental health illnesses. I have depression, anxiety and ADHD. Two years ago I had many issues , I had panic attacks , I had suicidal thoughts, and I was put into a facility. No one should be ashamed of life issues. Now that I look back I am thankful I didn't let depression and anxiety take my life away!

She is so articulate! I think we need more people like her to help everyone else understand thanks allure bring us more people!

Thank you for telling others what your life is like. We need more to do this, as some just can't think of things other than inside their own simple view of the world. Wish we had better food labeling laws like the other countries you mentioned.

This make me soo happy, allergies need more awareness. I am deathly allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, fish shellfish, milk, and egg, and I am also allergic (not deathly) to watermelon and cantaloupe. I also have a sensitivity to red dye 40

I’m known as the Kid with Allergies at school, and everyone seems to treat it like a joke. I’ve had countless reactions at school, and the school does their best but the students are just the worst. Allergy awareness needs to happen more often.

Being allergic to food coloring is so annoying. I can’t have most pills! I can’t have most foods. And NO LIPSTICK. powder products made with oxides instead of dyes are the only things I can use but because most companies save money by underwing srtificla dyes it’s hard to find anything for me, 😭

gosh..i feel so privileged for not having any major allergies (that i know of at least)🙏🏼 there should be more awareness sourrounding this, the allergies are literally life-threatening and should be taken seriously by everyone❤️

Also I worked as a waitress for years, so when she mentioned the wait staff reactions it gave me the chills. This does happen, and I've even met people who will completely disregard what a customer has said and bring them a dish with traces of what the customer's told them they're allergic to in it, just as a test. Don't EVER be afraid to leave a restaurant, even after you've placed and order! Better to be considered rude at a place you'll likely never go again than to have a reaction.

I’m also practically allergic to everything milk, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pineapple, mango, some trees and plants

I have a severe peanut allergy, and I relate to almost everything she said. The worst for me is when people don't take me seriously because of it. I've broken down crying at restaurants before because of the stress of having my life on the line every time I eat a new food. It sucks.

I’m allergic to dairy, sesame, cashews, pistachios, dogs, and horse, and although there are not life threatening- at least I don’t think they are- it’s so hard because I can’t even go to my friends houses without having a reaction to their dog. I’ve grown out of my allergy to peanuts, wheat, and eggs, but nobody understands the struggle of allergies

Amazing woman. Makes me feel far less alone. I have nerve damage and severe balance issues, use a walker now and every outing has to be planned like a military campaign. How near is the loo, are there any stairs, can a car pull up directly outside, will I have to stand etc. Her situation is far more severe than mine but her story makes me feel far less lonely.

WONDERFUL video on awareness of people living with food allergies. Many don't understand. It's hurtful when uneducated people judge and become annoyed. It's not a lifestyle choice, it's life or death. Applaud you!

That's a great video. I grew up with a mother who is basically allergic to everything and her allergies sometimes change. We can't go to restaurants, because they never take food allergies serious and even after asking them about the ingredients or telling them to not put something in like for example salad sauce, they don't pay attention and my mother is left with an allergic outbreak

We need this awareness. My boyfriend is a lot like you. He is allergic to the same things as you, and some more! It also affects on what I can eat, what cosmetics I can wear, etc. Again. We need this awareness

I’ve dealt with life threatening food allergies my whole life. It’s something that controls every aspect of my day-to-day life. Lately it’s effected my mental health extremely. I’ve had to quit my job, I no longer travel, I’m even terrified to go into a grocery store by myself. It’s been a burden on my life and on my family and close loved ones lives as well. There needs to be more awareness. Thank you so much to allure for allowing and helping food allergy awareness. And thank you to Sarah, for having courage to share your story. You are incredible. I relate to this whole video is every way. I’m allergic to Peanuts, tree nuts and sesame seeds.

And here I am panicking everytime I go out because I have a mild lactose intolerance 😬🙄🙄

Even if you don’t have any known allergies you should always patch/swatch test everything because you never know if you could react to something

As someone allergic to Eggs, Shellfish, Soy, Wheat and Dairy, I feel the struggle! Everyday activities can be challenging and doing basic things like hanging out/eating out with friends or dating can be hard. Not being able to pinpoint the cause of random allergic reactions can also be very frustrating. You are not alone Sarah!

This girl just educated me on a lot of things. I wasn't aware that people can have allergies to so many things. This is important for people to know and be more mindful of things like this.

As a person with celiac disease and a soy allergy, I feel that struggle. Living daily life is scary. Celiac isn't immediately life threatening, but migraines and gut pain for days is horrid.

My mom is allergic to: - dairy - chicken - beef - fish - mustard - oats - rice - beans - apples - peaches - pears - bananas - soy - eggs - all legumes - oranges (all citrus) - peanuts - almonds (all nuts beside coconut) And lots of other things I’m forgetting

I cried after watching this video. I have a sever peanut and tree nut allergy, and hearing her talk about reading labels, dealing with dating anxiety, restaurants, etc. gave me so much comfort. I know my allergies are not as extensive as hers, but I relate heavily with a lot that she has to deal with. I always feel so awkward asking people to accommodate for me and having to explain things; I never want them to get annoyed/upset by me, and I don't want to come off as rude or selfish. Spreading awareness about allergies and the experiences of allergy-sufferers is the best way to make life smoother for us and those without allergies. Thank you for this spectacular video.

Very interesting. You guys should do a video on how living with an ostomy bag effects a person's every day life. It's not so bad, but most people don't seem to know that. Just a suggestion.

I just don't understand when some people act like you've done something wrong when you medically cannot eat or be in contact with something... Like, what are THEY upset about? So it's slightly inconvenient, this is someone's LIFE.

I've always been confused why people complained about other people having allergies, I don't have a severe allergies although I have seasonal allergies, I'm allergic to band-aid adhesive, dust, perfume, and those are all common allergies but even those suck so I can't even imagine having a life threatening allergy. I remember in fifth grade my class was visiting a different class and one of my friends who has a severe allergy to hazelnut asked to leave the class because he felt wierd and thought someone might've eaten like Nutella or something but our teacher basically told him to suck it up and I've always been confused by that reaction, it wouldn't have affected her day to let him go out into the hallway so he would've been comfortable

I have celiac (a gluten/wheat allergy) and I relate to this video so much. I can’t eat a lot of things and I hate going to restaurants with my friends because they always want to go to a restaurant with gluten and I can’t eat much. I also hate asking “is this gluten free?” because it adds attention on me. It’s just extremely hard living with this everyday, but this video makes me realize i’m not alone. Thank you so much for spreading awareness on allergies and how severe they can be. We need more talk about this.

Thank you for this! As a person with severe food allergies this is the first time I have felt true representation. Allergies are usually not taken seriously and I’m more often than not treated as if I’m unconvincing others. Reading through the comments and seeing that so many people are going through exactly what I’m going through helps me to feel so much less alone.

These videos are helpful to others who don’t understand, I’m anaphylactic to Dairy, eggs, peanuts, & tree-nuts, along with being allergic to strawberries, apples, shellfish, peas, sesame, soy. Along with some animals, medications, & plants. More videos need to show the everyday life!

THIS VIDEO IS SO IMPORTANT!! I am across the world in Australia but Sarah and I are twins. She is answering exactly how I would to every single question. Thank you Allure for bringing awareness to food allergies!!

All I want to say is THANK YOU! To Allure and to Sarah, for making this video. It gives me hope for my 9yo daughter that has food allergies as well, for her future. We are already doing most of the things that they listed for her now, so even if it won't be easy everyday, she will be able to handle it on her own and have a great life. It's important that more people understand the reality we face everyday and the constant worry that comes with it. Again, thank you!

They need to make an app that scans barcodes and highlights potential allergens

10:40 This is an EU law (so I'm surprised that they didn't have that in France as well), I believe and a lot of people were annoyed with them. I wasn't really but now I fully realize how useful it actually can be for people like you.

I have a life-threatening egg allergy and what's nuts is how even sometimes when I go through the whole rigamarole of telling restaurants about my allergy, talking with all the different people she listed, etc, people still don't take it seriously. I've been assured and reassured that what I ordered was egg-free only to end up in the hospital.

During an immunodeficiency walk with one of my friends, we met up one of her friends and ended up going out to lunch. We visited an Italian restaurant where I learned her friend had a long list of severe food allergies, and honestly, it was SUCH a wonderful experience. After speaking with the waiter, the chef came out and double checked for all of her allergies and actually made her something that wasn’t on the menu. The food was amazing and it was just nice to know the restaurant cared and was willing to help, it was nice to know we could all enjoy our lunch and everyone was accounted for in eating some of their delicious pasta. For anyone wondering, it was Maggianos Little Italy in Charlotte, NC, and if you ever have the chance to try their food, trust that you will not be disappointed. I can never visit another Olive Garden or Cheesecake Factory and feel the same.

I'm a server at a restaurant, and I had this insanely sweet girl and her friend come in! The moment they sat down, one of the girls handed me a card that listed all her allergies, and things we can do to make our equipment safe to use when handling her food. I thought it was AWESOME that she had one of these cards. It educates us and lets us know about her allergies. Win/win situation!

I’m allergic to eggs, dairy and nuts. I’m happy that ppl are spreading awareness. Some ppl don’t realize how serious allergies and how much it affects our lives.

A friend of mine once went into a five guys not knowing and was like.... "Uhhhhh... I have to leave" not only do the cook everything in peanut oil, but they have peanuts just... around, available for snacking

holy cow i’ve never seen allergy representation lol i have pretty bad food/outdoor allergies, they’ve gotten better as i’ve gotten older so none of them are life threatening (anymore) but it’s definitely rough. i’m so glad this video was made 💖

I felt this on a personal level. I'm allergic to a lot of different foods that could potentially kill me if I don't get medical help right away. I don't have as many allergies as the girl in this video, but my allergies definitely affect my daily life and a lot of getting used to. I've had to go to the E.R four times in the past six months because of anaphylactic reactions to food. At first, I didn't know what was wrong or why these things were happening to me at first because I didn't know that I was allergic to so many things. I was really scared. But, after my first E.R visit, I went to an allergy doctor and found out that I have 22 food allergies and allergies to medications. It was really an eye-opener for what I eat and what really goes into my food. Now, my parents are totally maniacs when we go grocery shopping and furiously check labels. Now, I can't have Nutella anymore, which I'm pissed about. I used to eat Nutella out of the jar with a spoon while watching Netflix, but I developed an allergy to it, and now it could cut off my airway and kill me so that's fun.

My mom is like this. I get so angry when people don’t understand/respect severe allergies. I didn’t get any of them, which is so crazy to me but I appreciate this video so much for people like my mom

This might sound dumb but I was diagnosed with a non-life-threatening foo allergy and I decided not to get an Epi-pen because it was 700-800 dollars and I thought it was way too expensive. One time I ate a fruit that was cut with the same knife that the food I am allergic to was cut with, and my face went numb and I wasn't hugely close to a hospital/med center. I still don't have an Epi pen.

As someone with anaphylactic reactions, I'm so glad you made this video. In today's climate, people act though food preferences are the same, and they are not 🙄... it's really hard

you go girl! keep up your strength and amazingly positive attitude. Wishing you the best and my fingers are crossed they find a cure!

I'm allergic to barley , so I definitely sympathize with the label reading. Especially since some ingredients are added in many forms and under many names. Since barley isn't a top ten allergen it can be included in "natural flavors" or "spices", so I have had to call corporate numbers after a reaction to figure out what food it was that sent me down the pain spiral.

Thank you for this!! I have food allergies (not as bad as her) but it can be so hard to explain. I also have ankylosing spondylitis (an autoimmune disease) which many do not understand. There needs to be more awareness for chronic illnesses!! Thanks Allure!!

It was great to see this video and raise awareness. I have most of the same allergies that Sarah has and numerous others, and I have had them since childhood (I’m 31 now). I feel her pain it’s a difficult life but manageable, major props to Sarah for telling her story.

i’ve never felt so understood by a video or interview before it’s amazing seeing that i’m not the only one who struggles with fear about food because of allergies

I’m so grateful for this video. Severe food allergies are real and need to be taken seriously. I also have severe food allergies. Thanks for showing awareness. ❤️❤️❤️

There needs to be more education, awareness, and most importantly - understanding - about food allergies and what goes into just day to day living with food allergies. I am allergic to both peanuts and tree nuts and had a flight attendant tell me that it was impossible for tree nut allergies to be as severe as peanut allergies and initially refused to make accommodations for both allergies on my flight. Thankfully the other flight attendants were great and made sure that almonds weren’t served and made an announcement about both allergies. If anyone thinks people with allergies are asking for accommodations just “because” - they’re nuts. Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself! There is no pack of airplane peanuts or almonds that is more important than your life!

I’m starting to tear up, this was INCREDIBLE. So true about always carrying 2 Epi’s, working with restaurants, going and not eating, having to walk out of events (I had to walk out of the room of my first class in a subject as a Freshman in college because the prof brought peanut candy). I avoid travelling and it’s so good to hear about the food allergy cards; that’s brilliant!

The part about seeing the waiters reaction and how seriously they seem to take allergies was so familliar.. I'm also v jealous of people who can walk into a bakery and just buy whatever they want, whereas I'm lucky to find anything at all Atleast the allergy-friendly options today are way better than when I was a kid, and people seem to be both more knowledgeable and understanding!

I feel you girl! Allergic to practically everything you are (except soy thankfully) + eggs & red meat. Hope this video gains traction so people can be more informed

see this is why i wish people would stop saying they’re allergic to something, simply if they don’t like it. it decreases the (can’t think of the word?) for actual food allergies.

This is the first video that relates to me having celiac disease plus chronic illnesses as a 19 year old is so refreshing cause I'm always on high alert to what is safe for me

I relate to this 1000%!! Thank you Sarah and Allure for showcasing how all areas of life are impacted by anaphylactic allergies! We need more awareness and education on this!!

I have food allergies and it’s rough. Eating out is so uncomfortable, I can’t trust establishments to know what is in their foods (and I don’t expect them to) but what is INFURIATING is when you’re very clear about an allergy and people don’t take it seriously... like bruh, I can die.

This is the reason that I always ask if anybody has food allergies when I’m bringing food to a potluck or a snack for my Girl Scout troop. I don’t want to be the cause of someone having an allergic reaction

This is so important! I too have many, many, many severe food allergies and there is still so much understanding missing. We really needed this, thank you:)

It's nice to see someone who goes through the same things I go through. I have a legume allergy and it can be really isolating and hard to explain to people

Sounds so similar to my experiences with celiac disease as well as other severe food sensitivities. Thank you for this. It feels like nobody is speaking about chronic conditions.

This is so awfully for you Please do another info on how as a standby person what we should do to help you if we ever come across someone having a reaction What to look for and how to administer Would be so helpful Thank you 😊

Great informative video. She really explained all the complexity behind allergies. I didn't know some of these things,and I and others should. I fully believe knowledge is power and more awareness and discussion needs to happen about topics like this. Kudos to her.

what a strong woman. This really opened my eyes to this topic and I have so much respect and love for her.

I’m severely allergic to gluten and the amount of times I’ve been told that it was impossible to be allergic to gluten is unbelievable!!

Thank you for sharing this 🙏 living with allergies is hard but people are learning more and more and that gives me hope ❤

Life-threatening allergies to peanuts and shellfish. Mild intolerance to poppy seeds and dairy. Cats/dogs, certain pollens, dust, and seasonal allergies to boot. My food allergies have changed a little as I've gotten older, the reaction is slower and I have to ingest more. Benadryl has been a literal lifesaver on multiple occasions and helpful most days.

This is awesome, thank you for sharing! I have many allergies (not as severe) as well as oral allergy syndrome so it’s good to see someone who deals with this as well.

Hi Sarah, coincidence my daughter is named Sarah aged 23 and she has multiple food allergies. And anaphylaxis too. Thanks for being open in explaining the difficulties of our daily life

Oh my goodness! I understand this girl. I have a SEVERE soy allergy. After chemo, my body changed, and I started having bad reactions every time I ate or put on lotion, or washed my hair (throat swelling, trouble breathing, vomiting, horrible skin reactions including itching, rashes, and feeling like I’m being pricked with needles all over my skin). Once we figured it out, I became very aware how much soy is used in EVERYTHING. I have to check everything I eat or touch. If I don’t, I’m in a bad situation that could potentially kill me. My heart goes out to you!!!

Thank you allure! Representation like this is so important and it's especially awesome to see someone talk about the psychological and social side of this disability, too!

Its so nice to see this! I don’t have food allergies but I have a lot of medication allergies and non-allergy dietary restrictions (migraine triggers, medication interactions, and IBS triggers) and I deal with a lot of the same problems. Especially eating out. I hate going to new restaurants because a lot of times I’m not taken seriously because my restrictions are strange and seemingly nonsensical (mushrooms, cumin, shellfish except shrimp, and others).

Why does she not just photograph the ingredients on all the boxes? Thats what I always do. Takes way less space and you have them all ready when needing them.

This was so interesting. keep making videos like these

As someone who has been developing food allergies over the years I'm so happy with this video. I feel like I can't do anything but you show me I can as long as I am very careful

THIS IS AN AMAZING VIDEO!!!!!! I am anaphylactic to all dairy and dairy-bi products and people never understand how difficult going through everyday life can be. Thank you for bringing awareness to how severe allergies can be.

Thank you for the video. Having multiple food allergies is very stressful. However, it makes you more conscious of what you put in and on your body. It does suck about the costs. Where I live, there is only one brand of sunflower seed butter and it’s so expensive despite living in a big city.

love how positive she is!! taking it all like a champ

Same girl... Same! Love that you're speaking about this topic! People need to understand that it affects various parts of our daily lives

I would also love to see something focusing on autoimmune disease, such as crohn's. I think people are sympathetic to the situation, but they don't fully understand how debilitating symptoms can be.

I have this not-so-severe-yet-serious-enough allergy to gluten to live a gluten-free life and when i got hired on a job and i listed that as my allergy the doctor told me i was just making it up. So yeah... That's how serious people tend to take allergies

Thank you for such a thorough and informative video on how greatly life is impacted by these severe allergies! You are such a beautiful lady!

you seem so organized, so if you have time, you should make a blog saying what products are safe, dating-with-a-severe-allergy advice, what restaurants are allergy friendly, etc!

She is so well spoken! I’ve been aware of the struggles surrounding living with allergies but to see it broken down like this is really eye opening. I think as a society we could all be more aware of what we consume in public spaces. I know I will after this!