When most people prepare for a trip there's a bit of packing involved, some preparation for activities, and maybe some thought as to special dining options. Unfortunately, I'm not like most people, and travelling isn't as simple... especially since I'm going on a cruise. Why? Well, I have an intolerance to beef and corn syrup (I know it sounds nuts, but my body can't tolerate it at all) and an allergy to a spice used in Italian food, pretty sure it's parsley, but not 100%.
Before I continue, let me first explain the difference between an allergy and an intolerance. A food allergy is extremely dangerous and can cause a person to go into anaphylactic shock (which can cause death.) Symptoms start almost immediately after the food has been ingested and can vary depending on the amount of intake. Some symptoms include having trouble breathing, itchy eyes, runny nose, and hives. A food intolerance on the other hand is a non life threatening digestive reaction when your body is unable to digest a certain food properly. Symptoms can include cramps, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. When I ingest a food I can't tolerate usually I'm down and out for three hours. Allergies are scarier than intolerances, but both suck.
So, whenever I prepare for a trip or even just a meal, I have to know exactly what's in the food I'm eating, and I have to be prepared. (I used to have just Benedryl on me, but now I'll have an EpiPen too.) This trip is making me a bit nervous though because I'm not bringing food with me, I'll be on a boat, and I have no idea what's in any of the food. Any restaurant I've been to before, I've done extensive research on all the recipes and ingredients before even walking into the place, so the fact that I can't prepare in this way for this experience is quite intimidating. When I get on the boat, I'll have to talk to the servers and chefs everywhere I eat and trust them on what I can/can't consume.... and have an EpiPen and Benedryl with me just in case.
It sounds like Disney does a great job accommodating allergies, but I'll find out first hand soon. If you're going on a Disney Cruise and have food allergies, you may want to check out these resources:
Tips for Cruise Travel with Severe Food Allergies
Dining on a Disney Cruise with food allergies
Allergy Free Dining on Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise food allergy Guest Review
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| My body reacts to almost everything with the exception of egg, pork, apple, and like three others. |
Before I continue, let me first explain the difference between an allergy and an intolerance. A food allergy is extremely dangerous and can cause a person to go into anaphylactic shock (which can cause death.) Symptoms start almost immediately after the food has been ingested and can vary depending on the amount of intake. Some symptoms include having trouble breathing, itchy eyes, runny nose, and hives. A food intolerance on the other hand is a non life threatening digestive reaction when your body is unable to digest a certain food properly. Symptoms can include cramps, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. When I ingest a food I can't tolerate usually I'm down and out for three hours. Allergies are scarier than intolerances, but both suck.
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| My EpiPen... what I'll need to use if I consume parsley. |
So, whenever I prepare for a trip or even just a meal, I have to know exactly what's in the food I'm eating, and I have to be prepared. (I used to have just Benedryl on me, but now I'll have an EpiPen too.) This trip is making me a bit nervous though because I'm not bringing food with me, I'll be on a boat, and I have no idea what's in any of the food. Any restaurant I've been to before, I've done extensive research on all the recipes and ingredients before even walking into the place, so the fact that I can't prepare in this way for this experience is quite intimidating. When I get on the boat, I'll have to talk to the servers and chefs everywhere I eat and trust them on what I can/can't consume.... and have an EpiPen and Benedryl with me just in case.
It sounds like Disney does a great job accommodating allergies, but I'll find out first hand soon. If you're going on a Disney Cruise and have food allergies, you may want to check out these resources:
Tips for Cruise Travel with Severe Food Allergies
Dining on a Disney Cruise with food allergies
Allergy Free Dining on Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise food allergy Guest Review
I enjoyed reading about your experiences on your Disney cruise.
ReplyDeleteI've actually put together a short ebook on the topic of cruising with special diets, and thought you might be interested. You can check it out at http://www.cruisespecialdiet.com. Would love to get your feedback on it!