Food Allergies Amid a Pandemic

 My girlfriend and I have been in a long distance relationship for over nine months now. She lives in

Checking ingredients is always an important
first step.

Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on the outskirts of Nashville, and attends Middle Tennessee State University, where she studies Music Business and Agribusiness. I couldn't be more proud of her. Since my enrollment at UK, she's tried to make time to visit as much as possible, and so last week, we found ourselves at a Mongolian restaurant a short drive from campus. She assured me she'd been there before and that they did, in fact, have food she could eat. See, she has Celiac disease, which is a food allergy to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Therefore, she often has limited options for food, especially when we go back to my home, which is a small town in southeastern Kentucky, and because her reactions to it are often fairly severe, we're both extremely careful about where we choose to eat. 

Of course, living in the time of a pandemic tends to complicate things a bit. With many restaurants having limited menus and no dine-in option, we usually opt for the easier route of buying groceries we can be sure are gluten-free and cooking at a family member's house. But being in Lexington, several hours away from any of these locations, we were forced to eat out somewhere. This wasn't exactly an issue, and naturally we looked forward to having some time together. We donned our masks and entered the low-capacity innards of the building. In this restaurant, each customer is given a bowl, and they choose what their meal consists of in the likes of meats, vegetables, and sauces. It's a really unique set-up, and I was loving it just as much as she had assured me I would. 

But the problem is, masks complicate speaking, especially in environments that are already a little chaotic (with folks eating, TVs blaring, food sizzling as its cooked nearby). And though she tried to ensure she didn't receive any of the gluten-containing items, in the end, she failed. The rest of the time wasn't quite as pleasant as the beginning of our time together. 

And this experience made me realize how much this pandemic complicates already complicated scenarios. Food allergies are a very serious issue for a very large number of people. According to worldallergy.org, "It is generally accepted that food allergy (sic) affects approximately 2.5% of the general population, but the spread of prevalence data is wide, ranging from 1% to 10%" (Fiocchi and Fierro). While many simply have upset stomachs, like my girlfriend, some can have much more serious and life-threatening reactions. I don't personally suffer from any of these allergies, but my proximity to a loved one who does makes this issue far more grounded in reality...and quite honestly, far more frightening. 

I've never been someone who is against masks, and I don't plan on changing that stance any time soon. But it cannot be denied that, for many, masks complicate the search for safe and edible food. For example, for those who already struggle with sight issues, masks can make wearing glasses even more difficult, leading to an inability to properly read ingredient labels. Then there's the issue of finding such food to begin with, as the pandemic makes certain markets and supplies dwindle or grind to a halt.

Sometimes, it seems that ordinary struggles for many people are seemingly forgotten. And in a world ravaged by a pandemic, in a time of uncertainty and fear, sometimes it's ordinary people that need to be seen the most.