Mediaplanet sat down with Canadian singer and actress Jessica Lowndes, who opened up about her allergies to all nuts, spirulina, and tuna and shared her advice for others living with food allergies.
Can you tell us about your experience with food allergies?
Food allergies have been a factor in my professional and personal life for a long time, but I’ve learned how to navigate through them the best way I can.
How have your allergies affected your life and career as an actress and singer?
I often prepare in advance in case allergy-friendly food isn’t available. I tend to bring my own snacks with me to the set or in the studio. I also keep my EpiPen nearby at all times and educate whoever I’m with on how to use it properly in the worst-case scenario.
Managing food allergies alongside a busy lifestyle can be challenging. How do you ensure safety is top priority?
With preparation and research. Finding allergy-friendly options local to the city where I’m filming has been helpful — also, knowing what kinds of snacks I can have that most grocery stores would carry. Over the course of working on my directorial debut Elemental, I had a survival bag of allergy-friendly snacks to help keep my energy up throughout the shoot!
What are your go-to tips for navigating restaurant dining with food allergies?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Most restaurants are very accommodating when you explain your medical situation with food allergies.
Do you have any advice for readers who may be learning to live with a food allergy?
Don’t let them stop you! Don’t let them limit your vision and dreams. With the right support and by being proactive, you can be unstoppable. My visual album Elemental was a lot of hard work, time, and energy, and I poured a ton of love into it. I’m incredibly proud of the finished product, and I hope you love it as much as I do.
