Allergies

Actually this happened before I set my foot on American soil and coincided with such great historical events as collapse of the Berlin Wall, and so-called Perestroika. Being well into my forties, all of a sudden, I started getting violent acne. They were not to be confused with those single and sporadic zits of adolescence. These always came in aching manifolds covering my forehead, chin and even neck.

At one point I panicked that it was adult chicken pox. Well, it was not me, who panicked, but a friend of mine, who came to my house and saw me in this condition. I noticed fear in her eyes, and then she left in a hurry - chicken pox in adults is known to be highly contagious.

In the early 90’s street markets in Moldova spread widely and began flourishing.  

Street vendor in Chisinau, Moldova

To explore new freedoms and for economical reasons many people started going abroad. They were bringing back exotic goods and foods.

Large and tiny self-proclaimed supermarkets popped up like mushrooms after the rain and allured us - unspoiled and enthusiastic post-Soviet consumers - with seductively colorful foreign labels.

One of the first supermarkets opened in Chisinau, Moldova

(looks pritty ordinary, but imagine you see it for the first time!)

The concept of packaged food - tasty and easy to prepare - seemed like a mandatory attribute of the worldly lifestyle. So, we eagerly tried product after product not only for the sake of new taste-bud experience but also to share blessings of modern civilization that we had been deprived of for so long. 

As I said, products were from all over the world, hence many labels we could not read even if we’d have a habit.

After we had moved to the United States my acne ordeal continued. I tried over-the-counter remedies and make-up concealers. I also made attempts to single out triggers of my condition, specifically the foods that initiated outbreaks, but it looked like almost any food could cause it.

For lack of better understanding, I succumbed to the conclusion, that in the second half of my life and for the unknown reasons (environment, you know!) I became allergic to dry fruits, chocolate, fat, salty and spicy foods, etc… I was preparing myself to live with it like so many other people nowadays, as adult acne was becoming a widely spread phenomenon.

The truth was discovered by an accident.

An old friend from Russia came to visit us. We had dinner in our house, spent hours in conversation, remembering people we knew and situations we’d been together. Later that night, after we saw him off I noticed a full grocery bag on the side table. My husband called the friend to tell him that he had left something in our house.
“Oh, no!” – was the answer - “That’s just a cake I brought you as a present and completely forgot about. Enjoy!”

I opened the bag and the box in it. Inside was the rich chocolate cake, fresh and yummy. Did I mentioned I love chocolate? And my husband is totally indifferent to it. 

I tried to negotiate his partaking of the cake.

“It is unfair” – said I - “You can have it, but you don’t care, and I should definitely avoid it, but I will eat it all, because I can not throw the good thing away!”

Then I said “You know I will break out terribly and it will be entirely your fault!”

After that I cut out a huge slice and had my private party.

Trader Joe’s chocolate cake

Nothing happened… Neither in two hours, nor the next morning... I had more cake. No acne afterward. I was excited.  Together with my husband we   recovered the cake’s box from recycling bin and carefully read the label. It was a Trader Joe’s brand. The label stated “All natural. No preservatives, no artificial flavors.”

It was a revelation. I was not mysteriously allergic to foods that were familiar and safe for me since childhood. My body simply rebelled against those things called “additives” a long list of which you may see on so many modern food labels. 

Well, additives are not food, they are chemicals. They do not add nutrition but compensate for lack of taste or freshness. In other words, they make food  manageable, like shoes or tools .

But do chemicals belong in our bodies? I mean, on a daily basis, in accumulating amounts? 

Acne is an immediate and comparatively mild reaction. But what about additives' long term impact on a person’s liver, hormonal or reproductive system? 

The fact that we do not know much yet does not mean the impact does not exist.

Eventually studies will be done and we will know. Unfortunately, for many people including me, with my one imperfect but indispensable body, it may be too late.

* * *

One might wonder: why did I spend so many words on a modest personal discovery? Could it not just be mentioned that a certain cake, brought by a friend, did not cause allergic reaction?

Well, anyone who has to deal with the condition would agree: to find out that the food is actually safe for you presents a pleasant surprise. Another reason for bringing this up in all details is - because I try to provide an honest, un-beatified narration.

Can you recognize this product? I can’t.

Since then I started reading backs of the labels and was astonished to learn that my naive belief in food being just food was totally outdated: in many cases it was much more than the front of the label declared and sometimes - entirely different.

I know quite a few intelligent people who still do not realize this.