A Day in the Life With Alpha-Gal Syndrome

Life with Alpha Gal Syndrome.

It’s definitely an adventure of figuring out what your body can tolerate and what it can’t. You eat nothing without thoroughly reading the labels. Actually, you don’t even do anything without reading the labels, because all kinds of things can cause allergic reactions; shampoo, deodorant, medicine, etc.

When you have Alpha-Gal Syndrome, you get a Master’s degree in decoding labels. You become a label detective. 

Your whole lifestyle is impacted when you get an Alpha-Gal diagnosis. Everything revolves around avoiding certain allergens.

But you know what? It’s still a good life.

Today, I’ve decided to share a regular example of what my day looks like. A day in the life with Alpha-Gal Syndrome isn’t quite so bad as it sounds.

Early morning routine

My morning routine with Alpha-Gal begins with my thyroid meds in a vegan tablet form. Then off to the shower, where my soaps and shampoos have been scoured for hidden mammalian ingredients that could trigger an allergic reaction. I use Suave vegan shampoo and conditioner for my hair and Dr. Bronner’s bar soap for my body. I also have some Frontier vegan body oils that I use on occasion. Even my shower scrubby is vegan!

My towels and clothing have been washed in Alpha-Gal safe laundry detergent too. We use Arm & Hammer™.

Breakfast

Next, it’s on to breakfast. For me it’s usually a coffee frappe, homemade of course. I’ve tried many creams and nut milks, but always, always read the ingredients for mammal products. Also be on the lookout for the ever-annoying carrageenan that can also produce an allergic response. (I HATE that stuff). 

I make my frappe with cocoa powder, coconut milk powder, sweet leaf liquid stevia, almond extract, and instant coffee. Add ice and water to the fill line, then zoom, zoom on my little blender! It’s easy and yummy. Sometimes I add some marine collagen or a vegan protein powder. Alpha-Gal friendly powders are definitely hard to find, and I’ve wasted no few dollars trying new things only to realize they had unnamed vegan ingredients that do not agree with my Alpha-Gal allergy. Trying new things can be scary, so head over to my blog on grocery shopping for advice on adding in new foods.

Home is definitely your safest place to escape the allergens related to Alpha-Gal Syndrome. I keep my fridge and pantry stocked with safe foods: Bread, jam, protein bars, nuts, fruit, vegetables and even a little duck bacon or duck sausage. Breakfast should be pretty easy with your go-to items, but if you’re out and about, sometimes it’s just easier to skip it than find food that does not cause a flare-up. 

Work & Lunch

After breakfast, it’s off to the local school where I teach, with my little lunch box loaded down with yummy Alpha-Gal friendly vegan snacks. Some of my go-to meat snacks are Hormel turkey pepperoni and sriracha chicken bars. My lunch is usually a homemade turkey sandwich with all safe ingredients (no mayo!) or a salad with berries, chicken, some safe crunchy thing I’ve discovered in the grocery store, and my dairy-free, allergen-free dressing. Hidden Valley® is making a yummy dairy free ranch now.  

As for snack time at work…well, I can’t have anything anyone else brings to share unless its a fruit or veggie tray. What a sad day when you have to turn down those divine chocolate-glazed donuts! But don’t do it. You will pay an ugly price! 

I just keep a drawer at work full of all my safe snacks: nuts, dried fruit, popcorn, vegan chips, or maybe some peanut butter and almond butter I can eat by the spoon or use as a dip. For a downloadable list of my favorite snacks that are safe for me to eat, just fill out the form below and I’ll send it to you right away!

Every once in a while I get a very pleasant surprise and some of my co-workers bring some new safe chip flavor or fruit and nut bar. Those are the best of days! 

Dinner Eating Out

Sometimes, when I tire of snacks and meals I make, I do go out to eat. But eating out can definitely be a pain!

There are a limited number of options, and I do get tired of chicken. With that being said, I am able to eat out safely at several places in my town. Chick-fil-A is a good safe place, especially for extra sensitive people with Alpha-Gal Syndrome who react to even the smell of mammal meat cooking. I’ve also had good luck at Panera Bread, Olive Garden, Red Robbin, and even Moe’s. Moe’s is good because you can watch to be sure they don’t add something you are allergic to.  

Other than eating out, my main treat is a fountain drink. I LOVE Diet Mountain Dew from a mini mart, poured over crushed ice. I know it seems crazy to be excited over something so small, but when your choices are limited, being able to treat yourself to something simple is a blessing. I also can drink the sugar-free vitamin water, sugar-free Monster energy drinks, and Body Armour Lyte. 

You may be wondering, why sugar-free? Well, Alpha-Gal Syndrome can make sugar off limits to us because often the cheaper sugars (white sugars) are processed through bone char. So I don’t drink anything with sugar unless it’s organic sugar. 

Evening

Well, the day is almost over. I’ve managed breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner out. Now it’s time to relax before bed. If I need allergy medicine, this is when I take it, since it makes me sleepy. I have to be careful, because Alpha-Gal allergens can be in medicine too. Again, READ the labels. Often the children’s dye-free liquids are best. I take children’s liquid Xyzal, liquid Claritin, or liquid Benadryl. 

I also use liquid supplements, but you have to be mindful of any gelatin products. If you take melatonin gummies, be sure they are gelatin-free. Sometimes I also take liquid vitamin D and liquid iron supplements. My body just does best with liquids, but there are usually non-liquid vegan forms available as well.

If I can do it, you can too

I hope this gives you some insight into life with Alpha-Gal syndrome. We become skilled and expert label readers, and we appraise every food that comes our way. I’ve had years of experience, and I still mess up occasionally. But if I can do this, you can do this too! 

It’s not always easy, but life with Alpha Gal does get better. Just hang in there. Better days are ahead.