By Karen Blue
Meat Allergies in general, are fairly uncommon. However reactions can range from anaphylactic to digestive issues.
Avoiding certain meats may be more complicated if you are extremely sensitive, for instance, even certified vegan products can be made on the same line as meat and milk products. People who avoid meat, for religious reasons, often have certification measures that are more restrictive.
For Jews not eating pork is the most observed kosher practice. Muslims consider eating products derived from pork violation of their dietary laws as well. Muslims mark products that comply with their dietary laws as Halaal meaning “lawful” or “permissible”. The foods that meet Jewish dietary laws have Kosher labeling. Both are “pork free” with almost no cross contamination issues with pork.
Jewish people who observe dietary laws do not mix milk and meat. If you are also allergic to milk, be aware that in Jewish law, a food product may be considered pareve, if it contains a very small amount of milk. Food marked parve could potentially have enough milk protein in it to cause a reaction in a milk-allergic person.
Most halaal gelatin is made from beef not pork so it can not be considered vegetarian.
Hidden Pork usually in the form of gelatin includes marshmallows, candies, ice cream, jello, vaccines. There are vegan and Halaal variations of marshmallows, jello and other foods. Making Vegan marshmallow or gelatin is difficult to make, and also hard to find.
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Ugh, I am sick and tired of people telling me they don’t believe me or that I’m just “being picky”.
I have been allergic to milk all my life. We (my mom and me) didn’t realize that it extended to other foods as well. My entire childhood and teen years were spent with a severely extended and sore belly. I wasn’t able to ever sleep on my stomach or wear any clothes that pushed on my stomach. I always felt bad, and begged off way more than one outting claiming I just didn’t feel good – but I wasn’t flu sick. I never owned a pair of jeans during this time. Luckily this was the 70s and 80s or I would have never gotten away with wearing cotton pants and long sweaters. Anyway, at the age of 21-22 I went on a diet. During the first two weeks of the diet you weren’t allowed to have any sort of dairy or meat. OMG! not only did I loose the distended gut but I felt so wonderful for the first time in my life! I actually went out and bought a pair of jeans. After the first two weeks, I had a hot dog. Immediately got sick, like food poisoning which lasted for 3 days with the cramping and again the bloated belly. Thought it was just bad food. Tried it again…nope, body rejected that too, violently..with another 3 days in pain. After a few trips to the emergency room and subsequent tests, a GI Dr diagnosed me with severe IBS and an arthritic and spastic colon. My insides literally sieze for days, and then start spasming. Interesting to me though that the other IBS trigger foods don’t bother me.
Since that moment (15 years ago) I stopped eating beef all together. Slowly I removed all forms of beef and cow produced foods from my diet. No chocolates or cakes for this girl….
My reaction when I do get exposed to it accidently is the same as food poisoning and lasts for 3 days before my body feels normal again and I then add that food to my list of don’ts. I’m now reading everything for any type of cow product and having to ask my friends and family “what’s in that?”. This includes medication. Did you know there is milk in Claritin? I didn’t either until I got sick. I’m now starting to get sick with mayo and most breads (have to either not eat any bread or only those that weren’t made with milk of which are few and far between).
It’s just nice to know you’re not alone sometimes. Thank you guys for sharing your stories. Best wishes to all.
S&T
And thank-you for sharing your story! I’m sure it will help others get to the roots of their problems.
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