27-year-old woman has lived without fruits and vegetables for 20 years - here's why

People today experience various types of fear , but have you ever heard of a fear of eating ? This condition affects individuals who struggle with certain food varieties, leading to specific symptoms. One such case is that of a woman who has avoided fruits and vegetables for over two decades.
Chloe Raisbeck, a 27-year-old woman from Solihull in the West Midlands, has gone without consuming a single green fruit or vegetable for more than two decades. The extreme dietary limitation is the result of a rare condition known as Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS), which renders even a single bite of some foods life-threatening. Chloe was diagnosed with OAS at the age of seven, and it has resulted in her developing a profound phobia of consuming certain foods, 15 fruits, vegetables, and nuts being among them.



27-year-old woman diagnosed with fear of eating (OAS)


Chloe first experienced the nightmare of OAS with peaches in May 2004 when she was seven years old. After consuming a single bite of peach at school, Chloe ended up with a swollen mouth and scratchy throat. Chloe is convinced that the school nurse waved off her symptoms as she went to the nurse's office.

Conditions, nonetheless, exacerbated after she consumed an apple in the same week, and her symptoms further progressed, i.e., mouth bumps and sore throat. When her condition had aggravated, Chloe's mother, Trisha, was told by Chloe and went ahead to have a checkup from the doctor. Chloe was found to have an allergy to a variety of fruits such as apples, peaches, nectarines, plums, and cherries after she underwent a blood test. The reactions later escalated to foods such as kiwi and almonds, and hence she was visited by an allergist to further investigate this.

According to the reports, she was diagnosed in January 2005 with OAS in Solihull Hospital. The diagnosis, while giving her some reassurance, was not without a lot of fear. Her allergist told her that even minimal exposure to some fruits might cause anaphylactic shock, which was fatal. The danger was most dreaded by a child of seven years. Chloe remembers receiving an EpiPen and antihistamines but, as a child, did not understand the medical equipment or what it implied.




Chloe progressive symptoms of allergy


Prior to being diagnosed, Chloe never had an issue eating fruit and vegetables. However, once she took the first bite of peach, her eating habit changed in a completely different way. Her allergies gradually transformed into a full list of foods, especially the ones usually suggested in an ideal diet—fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Chloe now shuns all from the "five-a-day" family, including popular foods such as bananas, kiwis, carrots, and bell peppers.

Consequently, Chloe had a dreadful food phobia and began consuming multivitamin tablets instead of food to sustain herself. She also carries an EpiPen everywhere she goes, in the event that she inadvertently ingests something that will trigger an allergy.




Chloe changed diet plan

Every time she consumes something, there is always a risk of an allergic reaction. With every intake of any of her "five-a-day" vegetables or fruit, she experiences side effects like puffy lips, sore throat, and lumps on her lips. Although these are certainly not hazardous by any means, her concern about anaphylactic reaction is something more than a daily worry.

Chloe's limited diet mainly consists of bland, beige-colored foods like pasta, rice, fish, meat, and milk. Parties and gatherings can be especially difficult as Chloe will have to bring her own food to a party so she won't unintentionally put herself at risk. She is also apprehensive about letting someone else prepare food for her because she does not want people to know how worse her condition is and therefore it would not be a safe environment. Coping Strategies and Precautions




What is Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS)


Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) is an affliction suffered by around 2% of the UK population and is most usually associated with hay fever. This takes place when a body's immune system responds to proteins in food, fruits, vegetables, or nuts that cross-react to proteins identified in pollen. Allergic assaults experienced by oneself while consuming such foods lead one to these attacks.




Impact on social life and relationships


Chloe's state has impacted her social life and relationships quite significantly. While eating out or purchasing foods from the store, she will spend enormous amounts of time reading food labels and checking ingredients to guard herself. The state has been so embedded into her daily life that it has become a phobia, something that dictates her choices and transactions on a daily basis.

Even during her most conservative periods, Chloe has requested that her boyfriend brush his teeth after meals to which she is allergic, so as not to trigger any reactions from accidental contact such as kissing.



Chloe optimistic nature despite of the progressive conditions


Though the years of avoidance and fear were intense, Chloe has cause to be optimistic. For the first time in her life, she started slowly introducing foods that she had avoided. She only recently started eating raspberries, a food that she had avoided for over 20 years, cautiously.

While Chloe acknowledges that her allergies are likely to remain a lifelong challenge, she is optimistic that she will continue to expand her diet over the next few years. "I’m trying to reintroduce stuff that I’ve been so scared of eating," she said. She remains hopeful that, with time, she can have a more varied diet and continue to explore new foods, but for now, she is taking it slow—one bite at a time.



Also Read | Women perform kirtan on Delhi Metro, security intervenes, sparking social media buzz with - ‘Delhi Metro mein aapka swagat hai!’ | Watch