Join a red meat allergy discussion with Dr. Erin McGintee at the Westhampton Free Library on September 14, 2017, at 7:00 p.m.

Unfortunately, this event has passed.  But the information is still relevant, so please continue reading.

Here is an excerpt from the WHB Newsletter about red meat allergy:

“DINE AND DISCUSS: ALPHA-GAL MEAT ALLERGY: Thursday, September 14 at 7:00 pm. Do you know
someone who can no longer eat meat? Allergist Erin McGintee, MD of ENT and Allergy Associates and a member of the Medical Advisory Panel of Southampton Hospital’s Tick-Borne Disease Resource Center, will lecture about the Alpha-gal meat allergy, which is caused by a bite from the Lone Star Tick. Dr. McGintee has treated over 300 East End residents for this allergy, has spoken about “A-gal” with news sources from the Associated Press to the BBC, and is considered a regional expert in the field.”

 

Red meat allergy in the news

In the Long Island Newsday, on July 30, 2017, the headline on the front page declared, “TICK BITE TRIGGERS RED-MEAT ALLERGY, LI’s East End is home to hundreds of cases.”

This wasn’t the first time this condition, also known as alpha-gal allergy, made the news. It’s been in the national news, magazines, journals, and various websites. But the prevalence and growth in our area of this tick-borne allergy is astounding.

The tick responsible for this condition is the female Lone Star tick. When the tick bites its host, its saliva injects directly into the bloodstream. Combined with an anesthetic that dulls the feeling of the bite, a type of sugar is also present that humans do not possess in their bodies.  This is known as galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, aka alpha-gal. Because our bodies don’t recognize this sugar, it’s deemed an enemy and attacked with antibodies. This same sugar is found in meat from non-primate mammals. Therefore, after a bite like this occurs, our bodies perceive this sugar as the bad guy, and we get an allergic reaction from eating meat from other mammals.

Becoming a red meat allergy victim

Victims don’t know they’ve been infected by a tick until symptoms surface. Itchy feet and hands, throat swelling, hives, nausea, and an anaphylactic reaction usually take 3-6 hours to develop. Other types of allergies manifest immediately.

Just a small bit of red meat in a meal is enough to trigger a red meat allergy response. And it could be severe enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room. Victims need to carry epi-pens or other remedies like Benadryl in case of accidental ingestion.

This phenomenon was only recently classified around 2009. In retrospect, clues were present in cancer patients taking cetuximab in 2005. Because this drug contains alpha-gal, patients, primarily from the South, were having reactions.

In the U.S., the largest concentration of this tick-related allergy is in the South, where the lone Star tick originated. Long Island has the second-highest number of cases. Particularly, the East End has taken the brunt. As stated in Newsday, Dr. Erin McGintee, an allergist in Southampton, NY, has had nearly 400 cases since her first case in 2010.

Other ticks in various global locations, including Sweden, Australia, and Northern Spain, have also caused this new red meat allergy.

The consequences of a red meat allergy diagnosis

Once infected, you can’t consume the meat of mammalian animals, including cows, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, and deer. Therefore, it will be more difficult to eat out. Many restaurants or dishes made by friends or family may have meat-based ingredients you are unaware of. So you must ask and double-check to be certain.

Grocery stores oftentimes have meat ingredients in food products where you might not think you’d find them. So scrutinizing the ingredient labels will be an important part of your routine. And before ordering at restaurants, it is important to tell them that you have an allergy so that they make certain not to serve you anything that would trigger an allergic response.

Coping with the red meat allergy

The bright side is that an abundant source of recipes and helpful advice is now found in vegan and plant-based communities and websites. They are easily accessible to everyone who wants a vegan/plant-based diet.

Determining meat-based ingredients is key to knowing what’s in a food source. For example, one such meat-derived product is gelatin. That eliminates Jell-O, marshmallows, gummy bears, and Starbursts. But check out these vegan versions: Dandies marshmallows, Bakol vegan jel desserts, Surf Sweets gummy candies.

Additionally, refined sugar is often processed through the bones of cattle. So use organic or raw sugar instead.

And don’t even get me going on the nausea I experienced after learning how castoreum is produced to make a vanilla substitute/natural flavoring. Sit down if you don’t know this one. Okay, I warned you. It’s from the anal secretions of beavers. WHY? JUST WHY?? But hey, it’s okay. The FDA says it’s safe! (sarcasm intended).

The same goes for those crushed-up red bugs in many red candies known as carmine, cochineal, or carminic acid. Who created these atrocious “foods” and thought it was a good idea? Seriously, no, thank you! But I digress.

Here’s a comprehensive list of animal-derived ingredients that may have unassuming names, so scroll through this helpful guide.

The Good News and the other Good News!

The first bit of good news is that you can find abundant sources to help you with a new way to eat that won’t produce a red meat allergy reaction, right here on this site! And there are plenty of other vegan websites out there as well.

The other good news is that you will probably be eating more healthfully, mindfully, and, as a by-product, more cruelty-free! It’s a win for you, the animals, and the planet. So, what’s not to love about that?

It seems overwhelming at first. We’ve got you.

The Hamptons Vegan is your source for meat-free ingredient recipes. We offer familiar, comfort foods and recommendations for substitutions. Other great resources are onegreenplanet.org, peta.org, vegnews.com, and forksoverknives.com.  Or try the vegan recipes on allrecipes.com to find more ways to create delicious food. Also, Pinterest has a wealth of vegan/plant-based recipes to peruse. Use “vegan” in the search bar for more choices. Consequently, you CAN manage the red meat allergy and live well on a plant-based diet.

While at the grocery store, look for meat alternatives in the refrigerated area, produce section, or the frozen foods aisle. Field Roast, Gardein, Tofurky, Sweet Earth, etc., make excellent substitutions to try. They make alternatives for burgers, hot dogs, bacon, meatloaf, meatballs, sausages, and ground beef, to name a few. Also, there are faux beef soup broth cubes, fake beef jerky, beef-like gravies, and so much more. The number of vegan/plant-based items is constantly growing and getting tastier. And if you don’t like the flavor of something this week, try again soon because there are always new and improved versions coming out.

You can do it!

The bottom line is that change is not always easy, but you are not alone. There is more than one reason we, as individuals, choose to eat a vegan/plant-based diet. But, if the result is the same- to eat no meat- we can help each other along the way! With advice, recipes, helpful encouragement, and a little Hampton-Vegan love!

We’re here if you need us. And we hope those affected by this tick-borne red meat allergy affliction will find solace and guidance on our pages. We’d love to help with tips and tricks for a smooth transition.

Be well!

P.S. You could start with our Believe it! Beef Stew,

our extra sloppy for ya’s sloppy joes

Or, skip the faux meats and try our glorious grilled veggie sandwich.  You’ll never miss the meat!

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