Episode 95: loving food while living with food allergies with janine flannery
I’m back with a guest today, my neighbor, colleague and friend Janine Flannery who is the founder of The Allergy Aspect, which creates awareness and advocacy for people living with food allergies and EOE (a rare esophageal disease associated with food allergies).
Janine shares what it was like when her infant son was diagnosed with multiple anaphylactic food allergies and how it transformed her life. She went from working full time in brand management to being home, working through his diagnosis and preparing almost all of his food for the last 15 years.
As the mom of a teenager with food allergies, there is SO much to consider around nutrition, social life, schedules and more.
And beyond this, the impact to Janine personally has been significant. She dives into how her son’s allergies impacted the way she was eating and her own relationship with food.
One of the most amazing things I learned was how Janine and the rest of their family have been able to keep food in their house that their son is allergic to, so that they can get what they need nutritionally and for pleasure.
Whether or not food allergies directly impact your life, we all know someone who lives with a food allergy and I am grateful to have the opportunity to create awareness around this so we can all be more educated and compassionate.
Check out episodes 116 and 119 for more resources and support with body image and self care.