Text 8862, 46 rader
Skriven 2011-03-28 10:50:37 av Nancy Backus (1:261/1381.0)
   Kommentar till text 8809 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
Ärende: Re: human oddities 105
==============================
-=> Quoting JIM WELLER to NANCY BACKUS on 26 Mar 11  17:41:00 <=-

 NB>> I'm allergic to apples, but thankfully NOT to pears.

 JW> That's interesting as they are closely related.

I know.  I keep waiting for an allergy to pears to show up... but, of
course, keep hoping that it won't.   ;)

 JW> I also stumbled across this tidbit: "Oral allergy syndrome is an
 JW> allergic reaction some people will experience due to the birch
 JW> pollen left on the apples. Because the pollen is the main irritant,
 JW> only the raw apples, especially their skin, cause the allergic
 JW> reaction. Cooked apples do not cause these symptoms as the heat
 JW> denatures the proteins in the pollen, rendering them harmless to
 JW> those sensitive." The source was just Wikipedia, so the statement
 JW> needs further research before being taken as gospel.

Well, it is an interesting tidbit... ;)  Unfortunately for me, I get the
same reaction to apples cooked or fixed any way at all... not just raw. 
So I guess it isn't birch pollen that's the problem.. (even if Wiki is
right)   :)   

It started out as a mild sensitivity to raw apple slices that could be
ameliorated by having some sort of protein with it (such as cheese
slices)... then went into a full-blown anything-apple causes the
symptoms.  I had just about convinced myself that it was just my
imagination and not a real reaction, when I got it from a grocery store
test tasting..  There was absolutely no reason for me to have thought
there was any apple in the little sample of fruit juice (named for the
juices that were supposed to be in there)... but, upon having the
reaction within a minute or so, and returning to the station, I found
that there was indeed apple juice also listed in the ingredients.

It doesn't seem to be the pectin, as items with pectin listed don't get
the reaction (one of course never knows the source there...)

 JW> ... I think I'm allergic to governments.

Could be cause, there... ;)

ttyl        neb

... My doctor gave me two weeks to live. I hope they're in May.
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