Even if you don’t enjoy food as much as we do, you still need it to survive. That said, the peculiar case of one American teenager’s allergic reaction to food makes us shed a tear.
Alex Visker is allergic to all kinds of food, specifically the proteins they may contain. As a result, he has been sick for most of his life, suffering from such symptoms as constant nausea, stomach pain, headaches, bone and muscle pain, drops in blood pressure, chest pain, hives, fatigue, and stomach convulsions.
As if that wasn’t enough pain and suffering, he also frequently went into anaphylaxis (acute allergic reaction to an antigen) for no apparent reason, making him reliant on epi-pens.
In an interview with People magazine, said:
“I’m hungry and I want food all the time, but I know it’s not worth it. It’s not worth my life. I feel lucky to be alive.”
So, if Alex is unable to eat any food, how does his body get the nutrients it needs to function? Well, he depends on an elemental diet, specifically an EleCare formula consumed through a permanent feeding tube. Taking his medication and avoiding the other factors that trigger reactions apparently make him feel better than he has for years.
Regarding the temptation to eat, he told People:
“I can’t even put something in my mouth just to taste it, and that’s hard because I remember what food tastes like. The sight of food and the smell of food – especially something I used to love – can make me crave it. But I don’t want to feel miserable.”
In case you still find this case hard to believe, food allergy is real and is an immune system response to a food that the body mistakenly believes is harmful. Once the immune system decides that a particular food is harmful, it creates specific antibodies to fight the food item, thus causing the ailments experienced by Alex.
Like sucks, but the American teen is getting by:
“I’m just grateful to wake up each morning and know that I’m alive and feeling better. Everything in our society revolves around food, but I’ve learned to live with it. I remember what it tastes like. And that will have to be enough.”
Makes you appreciate you taste buds that much more, doesn’t it? As a foodie, becoming allergic to food would be a nightmare come true.
