A woman has had to adapt her diet to consist of only 13 foods due to a condition that has resulted in her having over 100 different allergies.
Anyone dealing with a food allergy understands the constant challenge of scrutinizing packets and menus to ensure the food is ‘safe’, but 21-year-old Jenna Gestetner has more to worry about than most.
Jenna, who hails from Los Angeles, California, has faced health issues since her childhood. She shared with Fox News Digital that she was often labeled as ‘sensitive’.
“I had sensitive skin, a sensitive stomach and got sick/injured easily,” she said. “When I was about 12, things started getting worse.”
As Jenna grew older, she noticed that symptoms such as pain, nausea, fatigue, and dizziness would intensify when she consumed certain foods, prompting her to eliminate specific items from her diet.
“When I was 18, I was down to eating less than 15 foods [and] I knew I needed answers for my physical health but also my mental health,” she recounted.
In her quest for answers, Jenna sought medical advice and was eventually diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), a condition characterized by ‘repeated episodes of the symptoms of anaphylaxis – allergic symptoms such as hives, swelling, low blood pressure, difficulty breathing and severe diarrhea’, as described by the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.
Her diagnosis led her to identify 13 foods that she can consume without typically experiencing a reaction: white fish, turkey, green beans, zucchini, cucumber, lime, dates, grapes, raspberries, pears, chia seeds, water lily seeds, and olive oil.
Major foods that Jenna has to avoid include rice, pasta, bread, red meat, chicken, lettuce, and apples.
Consequently, Jenna adheres to a consistent meal plan in her daily life to maintain her health, typically having turkey and chia seed pudding for breakfast, protein with vegetables for lunch and dinner, and fruit or water lily seeds for snacks.
She shares videos of her creating different recipes online at @jennaxhealth, and she can dine out at restaurants if she takes certain precautions, such as reviewing the menu to ensure there are suitable options.
“I then have to contact the restaurant to make sure they can make it in a way that works with what I can eat,” Jenna explained. “Even then, eating out causes me a lot of anxiety because even small amounts of other foods could cause me to have a reaction.”
The most crucial aspect Jenna must consider is her calorie intake, ensuring she consumes enough and gets as many essential nutrients as possible from the 13 foods.
By sharing her journey online, Jenna mentioned she has received a ‘very positive response’ from individuals in similar situations who feel ‘validated and motivated to keep moving forward and to also see their challenges in a positive light’.