Very important update!!!

I decided that being allergic to peanuts and tree nuts wasn’t enough, so I decided to add something else to the mix! Just kidding, in all reality, this totally sucks, but about a month or two ago, I found out that I had developed OAS, or oral allergy syndrome. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s an allergic reaction in the mouth following eating raw fruits or vegetables. The mouth reacts to the trace amounts of pollen found in raw fruits and vegetables, and it gets itchy, scratchy, and swells up.

As you can see from that graphic, oral allergy syndrome can often change with the seasons. Since it’s a pollen reaction, it can go hand in hand with seasonal allergies. However, my allergist says OAS is year-round most of the time. He also says it’s different for everyone. From what I’ve learned so far, oral allergy syndrome can be as mild as an itchy throat when someone eats strawberries to as extreme as a swelling mouth when eating any foods or vegetables. In very extreme cases, certain instances of OAS can also accelerate to anaphylaxis, but my allergist says most of the time it’s just an itchy/swelling sensation whenever one eats foods with traces of pollen.

I have to admit, adding another allergy to the list always makes me kind of sad. As if I didn’t already have a bunch of things I have to avoid. Fruits and veggies have always been kind of a safe haven for me.  Luckily, this is actually not as bad as it could be. As I said, only raw fruits and vegetables make someone react. If one were to cook the fruits, then in most cases they would be totally fine to eat. Also, I only react when eating certain fruits and vegetables. So far I’ve found that I react to blueberries, strawberries, and apples, but I can eat bananas, watermelons, grapes, and tomatoes. My mom has started a chart.  Haha.

Of course, like I said, OAS is different for everyone. If you find you have the symptoms, I strongly recommend talking to your allergist and finding a plan that’s appropriate for you. From what I heard, every case of this is unique, so my situation could be completely different from yours. I’ll be sure to post updates as I find new things that I can and can’t eat with my OAS, as well as anything new I learn about my new condition.

Until next time!

Gary

All right. It’s finally time to reveal my favorite restaurant from my last Disney trip! It’s a really nice restaurant on Boardwalk called Tratorio al Forno. At night it’s an Italian restaurant, but in the morning, it serves an amazing breakfast! The breakfast is exactly what my favorite meal in Disney is.

It’s a fantastic character meal, with Ariel, Prince Eric, Rapunzel, and Flynn Rider. My mom really really loves Rapunzel, so I think she was the most excited by this breakfast. She brought a frying pan to the breakfast and had Rapunzel and Flynn Rider sign it. She still has it somewhere now. She refuses to let anyone use it, it’s like one of her most treasured possessions.

As for the food, I admit I was a little disappointed at first, because I couldn’t have the bread, and the pastries on the menu weren’t safe. Luckily, I had a fantastic chef, who talked my family and I through the food on the menu and which things were safe or not safe. She was super nice, and then after I had picked something on the menu, she made me a double portion because I couldn’t have some things on the menu.

Not only did the chef generously give me extra food, but it was by far the best food I have had at Disney that trip. I ordered the steak and potatoes, with eggs on the side, and it was fantastic. The potatoes and eggs were amazing, and the steak was the best thing that I had that trip. It was seasoned fantastically. Honestly I loved it.

Here’s me with my double steak, potatoes, and eggs. Honestly this meal was so so so so so delicious and filling. The entire place in general was amazing too. I really liked being able to take pictures with Rapunzel and the others. The whole thing was a definite twenty out of ten.

That’s about it for my “Dining in Disney” collection of posts. I hope you guys have enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I love taking trips to Disney, not just because it’s Disney and the best place ever, but because all of the restaurants are super allergy accommodating. I’ve always said that the best place for someone with an allergy is Disney. It feels great that I can enjoy what I love to eat at the most magical place on Earth.

Until next time!

Gary