The other day, I had a really bad reaction to soy protein. I've had a few reactions before, two of them ending up with me going to the hospital (never with anaphylaxis, though). But, for some reason, this one really scared me. Now I'm afraid to eat, and when I do, I feel sick- my throat hurts, I have trouble breathing, and I get nauseous. Then I go back to everything I ate and read the label at least three times before I'm satisfied that I didn't eat anything bad, and that it's all in my head. And, at night, I have trouble sleeping because I'm afraid that I'm going to die in my sleep. I know this is all really weird, but does anyone have any suggestions to make it stop? By the way, I'm not really sure if this is mostly for outdoor allergies or whatever, but I figured I'd try.

Hello,

You've stated that you had several allergic reactions before (not as bad as the latest reaction). Do you know if soy was the instigator for your previous reactions as well? It is understandeable that you would be scared after having such a traumatic allergic reaction; however, the good thing is that you established that the allergen culprit was soy protein. Staying away from soy products would then be the obvious best solution. If you haven't been to an allergist, you may want to consider a visit to test for your allergen sensitivities; so that you can know for certain what items to stay away from. This should help to alleviate your fears by giving you a more proactive approach; as opposed to the reactive approach that is making you fearful (through uncertainty) of another possible attack.

Allergic reactions are an indication of poor immune health. Another proactive approach towards your immune sensitivities would be to restore balance to your immune system by boosting its good health. Beta Carotene/Vitamin A boosts immune health. Green vegetables (like kale, spinach, collards, & broccoli), squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, and green/romaine lettuce are good sources of beta carotene/Vitamin A.

Hello Again Feather,

I forgot to mention another important point regarding your allergic reaction. Fear produces great stress and stress, produces cortisol (a hormone that triggers histamine reactions). Therefore, the fear compounds the problem by contributing to the allergic reaction. In other words, the fear that you have regarding another attack from an allergen can produce a negative reaction in your body as well. This is why de-stressing is going to be so important. Visiting an allergist to discover your allergens may help in that regard; as well as taking the proactive approach of addressing your immune health through good nutrition. My hope is that the information you receive on this site will empower you to feel that you are on the offensive in this fight; as opposed to the defensive (thus alleviating your fear). Once you know what your enemy is, it becomes easier to fight it. You've identified soy protein as your enemy and that gives you the upper hand in the fight.