The Beauty of Lamb Stew...

For the past 1&1/2 years, I have been getting allergy needles every couple of months. I was lucky enough to find a treatment for my worsening allergies, which were making my daily life difficult and dangerous, as they resulted in some serious asthma attacks.

I go to the Environmental Clinic in Fall River, same as my sister and my Mom (we're a family united in our allergies!). The needles themselves aren't really painful... but the four-day period around them are! This treatment, called EPD (enzyme potentiated desensitization) originated in England, and in fact that's where the clinic gets the syrum flown in from. A mix of low dose allergens are combined with an enzyme that goes around in your body, hunting and destroying mis-coded T-cells, which make you react to things your body has decided you're allergic too. Then, new T-cells grow in their place. Result: less reactions and a more normal life. Yayyyyy!!!! Right?

Here's the downside-- because the treatment makes you super sensitive while your new T-cells are growing, there is a 4-day critical period where you CAN'T do a lot of things like: be around pets (dander), read new books or magazines (because of the ink), exchange bodily fluids with your partner (you might be come sentitized to them), excercise, sunbathe, have a sauna or hot bath (it will raise your body temperature too much), garden (digging up dirt releases mold spores), do any housework or laundry (not that it's fun, but you have to get it all done beforehand), be in an office around printers or fax machines (yay! 2 sick days from work), or go shopping (too many smells in malls, etc), use toothpaste (hello baking soda!), use deodorant (hello baking soda again!), use shampoo or conditioner (hello icky smelling vegetable soap!).

But there is one thing you CAN do: eat lamb stew.

Because that's basically the only thing you're allowed to eat for 4 days. That, and bottled water. That's right, lamb stew for breakfast, lamb stew for lunch... you get the picture!

There's a good reason for it, it has to do with the enzymes in food and how sensitive you are during this time. Eating regular food might result in your becoming sensitive to foods that you weren't before. Which would be a pain. Of course you're also allowed to eat carrots, lettuce and celery. Makes for a nice salad, but no dressing of course!

Lamb stew is actually quite nice in moderation. The first bowl is quite tasty. So is the second. But on Day 4, that breakfast bowl of lamb stew is looking very unappetizing. At least it's only 4 days. And at least it's something you're allowed to do during the EPD treatment.

So, thank you, lamb stew. I really couldn't do this without you...