Hey, there! :) 

I’m Anna, your friendly neighborhood food allergy warrior.

I’ve been juggling these pesky food allergies for over thirty years — talk about the spice of life, am I right? (And by spice, I mean lack of spice because not getting to eat cake at birthday parties is a real bummer.)

Let’s kick things off with the not-so-great news: when it comes to food allergies, you can’t live in a safety bubble (believe me, I’ve tried).

But here's the happy ray of sunshine peeking out from behind that cloud: you can learn how to navigate the wild wonderland of food allergies and make life much safer in this big, beautiful world — at home, school, even while grabbing a snack at the zoo!

Picture this: I was just shy of my third birthday when my parents decided to excitedly share one of their all-time favorite treats with me – a soft, squishy peanut butter sandwich. Delicious, right?! Spoiler alert: it didn’t end well. One bite in, I looked more like a tiny tomato than a kid because I was absolutely covered in an angry red rash. Worse? I was struggling to breathe.

That was the beginning of my many thrilling/terrifying food allergy escapades. The lesson I learned? Encounter peanuts, and it could be lights out forever.

For a young child, the seemingly constant fear, pressure, and responsibility eventually brought on anxiety, panic attacks, and, in my teen years, a lot of embarrassment that I couldn't chow down at the mall food court or say yes to a slice of pizza like my friends. (In college, that sense of shame eventually led to an allergic reaction so severe I ended up in a coma for three days. But that's a story for another day!)

Back in the 1980s, when dinosaurs roamed the earth (Okay, Okay, maybe it wasn't that long ago!), the internet didn’t exist, at least, not like it does now. Most families, workplaces, schools, and communities were blissfully unaware of the dangers lurking in seemingly innocent peanut butter jars, glasses of milk, or the sesame seeds topping their double-double burger with fries.

Fast forward to today: in the United States alone, 1 in 8 households are dealing with food allergies. But here’s the twist — most of the life-saving info those families need is buried in dry medical articles that hardly talk about the real stuff that happens after diagnosis, like how to tactfully convince your great uncle that food allergies aren’t a government conspiracy, send back your suspiciously incorrect order of avocado toast at brunch without feeling like a total jerk, or figuring out how to soothe the debilitating anxiety that comes with trying to be safe while living your life.

Fast forward to the present day when my fiercely independent, totally adorable daughter is diagnosed with a food allergy, too. (Hazelnuts?! Why?! When will I be able to enjoy Nutella?! In 18 years?!?!) Suddenly, it wasn't just my own life I was worried about...

You love your life, and you want to get to live it. You love your little ones and want them to experience all the good things life has to offer and be safe. The freedom to live is why I started Allergy Scout – 

First, you don’t need a food allergy diagnosis to rock the title of Allergy Warrior! Whether it’s your cousin who saves the boxes at parties so you can double check the food labels or your friend who always leaves dairy out of their mouth-watering desserts, anyone prioritizing food allergy safety is an absolute champion Allergy Warrior!

Second, loving the life of an Allergy Warrior while still having a full, fun, adventurous life isn't just a pipe dream; it’s totally doable! Every Allergy Warrior deserves a warm, welcoming place to learn, explore, and feel like they’ve got a trusty sidekick while navigating this unpredictable jungle of food allergy life.

As a full-time working parent, I get it — juggling food allergies while living life to the fullest can feel like a circus tightrope act. I mean, no one chooses stressy emergency room visits over margarita karaoke night!

One day, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a food allergy bestie to talk with, problem-solve with, share epic snack hacks, and be for real supported by?” And just like that, Navigator Coaching was born!

Now, to clarify, I’m not a medical expert (Though, after managing a food allergy for over three decades, I’d be unstoppable at food allergy trivia night!). I’m a mom, wife, daughter, best friend, Taylor Swift karaoke superstar, and your go-to Allergy Warrior!

Food allergies might not be the sweetest cherry on top of your life sundae, but that doesn’t mean you can’t sprinkle a little humor and warmth to make the ride a lot better.

I can hardly wait to hang out together during your coaching sessions, share tips, resources, and know-how, and be by your side as you turn allergy struggles into life superpowers.

Whether you need help drafting an allergy testing plan, discussing medical options, communicating with your little once about the seriousness of food safety without scaring them, or just venting about why every airplane snack has nuts, wheat, or dairy — I'm here for you.