When I was a kid, I developed an allergy to peanut butter - something I loved to eat by the spoonful. While others ate it, mixing clumps with strawberry jam and putting it between two slices of bread, I stood by drooling; then, with a sense of defeat, I went to stick my head in my Easy Bake Oven. To me, there was nothing worse than being five years old and having a peanut allergy; it‘s the equivalent to having a wine allergy when you’re over 21.
Lucky for me, I’m not allergic to wine. I’ve self-tested with hundreds of bottles and I can confidently declare that I would definitely know by now. Definitely. But, many others aren’t that lucky; some people have wine allergies, an allergy that hinders their ability to savor one of life‘s greatest pleasures. This allergy leaves people with an empty wine glass, an empty wine cellar, and a unyielding impulse to look up to the sky and scream, “Make me allergic to dairy, make me allergic to cats, make me allergic to my siblings, but please don’t take away my Cabernet.”
While no one wants a wine allergy, those who have one are forced to take it seriously. This is particularly true if they are allergic to sulfites, compounds often used as a means to preserve wine by helping it to avoid oxidation and spoilage. Unfortunately for those with allergies, sulfites are added to a vast majority of wines. Because of this, checking the label doesn’t just become a matter of hoping to find the best tasting wine, it also become a matter between being well and being ill.
When someone who is allergic to sulfites drinks wine containing this compound, they run the risk of experiencing an allergic reaction - an allergic reaction to wine makes a wine hangover look like a walk in the park. Some people may experience sneezing, or hives, while others may have difficulty breathing and need emergency medical attention. Sulfites can also cause anaphylaxis, the most severe of allergic reactions. During this kind of reaction, a person’s blood pressure dangerously drops and their bronchial tubes narrow, making it increasingly harder for them to breathe. If left untreated, this can lead to death in a matter of minutes. For these reasons, many people with sulfite allergies avoid wine altogether: not even the greatest wine in the world is worth compromising health.
Article comments
1 - John Ng
I, too, am deeply touched when I hear and see people who must put up with whatever kind of hand that God has dealt them. That is why I feel that I must reply to these articles concerning people's allergies. Even if they fall upon deaf ears... so be it! About 3 years ago, a technique was invented that allowed children and adults to be relieved of all allergy symptoms, permanently! I know that this sounds too good to be true... but it is. I, myself, have witnessed countless number of people who have walked through our door with allergies of all sorts coming in. From food to environmental to chemical to molds to dust... the list goes on and on. Even those suffering from anaphylactic reactions. That's right, let me repeat this, even those suffering from anaphylactic reactions have come through our door.
There is a way to deal with allergies and I must admit that I too, was once an unbeliever in any form of allergy symptom removal. There is a way to test for the allergies through applied kinesiology and there is a way to remove the allergy symptoms through a new technique called electro-acupuncture, which has no penetration of the skin. This technique has only been licenced for use over the last three years. It is a device that you put against the skin and various acupuncture points located throughout the body. Results are guaranteed and 80% of the clients have their allergy symptoms removed on their first visit, permanently! I strongly encourage you to visit our website No Sugar Please for further information.
2 - Holly Givens
Just to clarify, no matter where they are produced, food and beverage products sold as organic in the United States must meet or exceed requirements for organic production detailed in the US National Orgnaic Program (www.ams.usda.gov/nop). The specific definition of organic production may vary somewhat from country to country, but organic products sold in the US must follow US law.
Holly Givens
Public Affairs Advisor
Organic Trade Association