Profile: Author John Grisham’s Allergy Mystery
On how the allergy affects day-to-day life.
“There are times when you think, boy, I’d love to have a big old steak or cheeseburger or a side of ribs or even, you know, a Bolognese pasta sauce or something like that. But you say, well, it’s not worth it.
Renee is a very healthy cook, and I’ve never had a problem with cholesterol, nor does she, or blood pressure. But it’s a whole lot lower now [laughs], cholesterol. There’s no real drawback. I could easily be a vegetarian. But my wife is also a wonderful cook. We spend a lot of time in the kitchen; we open a bottle of wine every evening about 6 and start thinking about what can we cook, or we go out. But we do eat a lot of chicken. A LOT of chicken.
[Outdoors,] we’re much more careful now. We hike all the time, through the trails. We’re much more careful with the [tick repellant] spray and spray the dogs.”
On trying to explain a tick-related allergy.
“When the article [about red-meat allergy] came out in Allergic Living magazine, I couldn’t wait to run copies and send them to all the skeptics in my life. ‘There you go, take it.’ Because the article’s perfect: this guy’s a doctor at UVA [Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills], and suddenly he’s breaking out in hives, and it’s linked to a tick, and you can’t eat red meat.
I said, ‘There it is, now get off my back.’” [Laughs]
On the worst part of his allergy.
“I guess the worst part is just having an allergy and wondering, you know, where it came from. I hope they figure this all out. I hope – maybe you can take a pill for it someday, or get some immunity …. I’ve always told [my allergist], any time you think I need to go do something – I’ll subject myself to any kind of test. If I can help out, I’m happy to. Thus this interview.”
Sidebar: The Doctor’s Check-Up
Allergic Living asked New York allergist Dr. Paul Ehrlich* to grade John Grisham’s allergy approach.
Top Marks: We like to say, “a good history solves the mystery.” Thanks to a master of the art for validating this point with his methodical record-keeping and observations.
Caution ahead: I’d worry that some chef may add beef or veal stock to liven up a vegetarian recipe or a braised chicken. Cross-contamination accidents do happen, and Mr. Grisham needs to be ready.
Medication use: It’s interesting that he uses Allegra – it’s slow-acting. With food allergies, most allergists recommend Benadryl. Given the severity of some of his reactions, always carrying epinephrine would be an excellent precaution.
See also: Allergic Living’s article on red meat allergy.
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*Dr. Paul Ehrlich is president of the New York Allergy & Asthma Society, a fellow of the AAAAI and the author of Asthma Allergies Children: A Parent’s Guide.
kristyreal
It’s unfortunate that the most unusual feature of Mr. Grisham’s red meat allergy went unmentioned. He is actually having a delayed allergic reaction to the SUGAR MOLECULES in red meat. This is the first widely documented allergy that is not triggered by a protein. This fact is very important to corn allergy sufferers simply because our allergists still want to insist that we can’t possibly be reacting to cornstarch or other derivatives that are thought to contain no corn protein. Even now that this tick bite induced sugar molecule allergy is well-known, most allergists still refuse to treat corn allergy sufferers based on our reaction experiences and instead cling to the old notion that without a protein, there can be no reaction. This antiquated notion has permeated the food manufacturing industry so well that companies often hide behind the “no corn protein present” party line when questioned about corn derivatives. This bit of misinformation is also the driving force that prevents many people from getting a correct diagnosis when corn allergy is involved. What is a person to do when the allergist designs a food challenge in which both the placebo and the challenge capsules contain corn derivatives? Obviously, his only recourse is to label the reactions as psychosomatic because his patient reacted to both…..
Gwen Smith
Kristy, Thanks for the comment. FYI, the link to Allergic Living’s full article on red meat allergy is provided.
It includes the para, “But Platts-Mills suspects that tiny fat globules coated in the offending sugar travel from the small intestine into the bloodstream though the lymphatic duct hours after the patient eats that juicy steak. In the bloodstream, they meet up with the antibody that triggers the reaction.”
The tick bite is involved in the antibody production and is essential to the red meat response. So I’m not quite sure how you’re relating this to corn as an allergen…
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Dana
This is an excellent article with unusual information about tick bites triggering the later in life onset of a red meat allergy. Mr. Grisham’s experiences show us that at any age, we are vulnerable to (severe) allergic reactions due to newly identified variables. I am relieved to know that his allergy and trigger were identified (vs. being dismissed), and moreso, that Mr. Grisham’s wife recognized the importance of keeping an EpiPen on-hand. Great article, thanks!
Anna
I have Sulfites allgery, i realized when i woke uo in the middle or the night inchy ears in side mouth, hot, I realied that everytime i ate beef this happen, I EAT ORGANIC still have to watch out for organic foods to, cornstarch and soy is out, no processed food at all.