A 30 year old UK based Nigerian woman, Bunmi Shobowale, caught a stomach bug while on holiday and suddenly developed a host of food intolerances so severe that they twice robbed her of her sight and left her temporarily paralysed.
Bunmi said her food problems have affected nearly every part of her body at one time or another in more than 20 separate episodes. Her condition initially puzzled doctors, who even tried a form of chemotherapy in an attempt to treat her.
It was only when she was tucking into one her favourite treats, a pepperoni pizza, that she realised that food was a major part of the problem.
Doctors then discovered that she had suddenly developed an intolerance to a host of foods.
Meat and fish make Ms Sobowale sick, she cannot have alcoholic drinks and bread, pasta, cakes and biscuits cause her throat to swell and makes her skin feel as if it is burning.
Milk, cheese and chocolate make her nauseous and anything sugary - except fruit - sends her straight to sleep.
Doctors still do not know exactly what caused her illness, but think her collapse is connected to a stomach bug she picked up on holiday in Mexico in 2004.
They think her disease is a very rare condition called neuromyelitis, a problem in the central nervous system that affects the optic nerves and spinal cord.
But neurologists at Sheffield’s Royal Hallamshire Hospital are baffled by the link between her nervous system and her food intolerance.
Ms Sobowale said: 'I had always been fit and healthy so the effect it had on my daily life was devastating. I couldn’t understand what was happening to me.
'I lost my sight twice, for four months and again for two weeks and I was even given a form of chemotherapy to try and cure me.
'My weight ballooned to 22 stones after having steroid treatment.
'But the only thing that has worked since I became ill was changing my diet. It means that if I go somewhere or even just get on a train I have to make sure there is somewhere I can get the right food.'
Ms Sobowale, who lives with her partner, Mark, quit her job in the marketing department of a supermarket chain, took a course in nutrition and set up a website called foodsyoucan.com in 2009.
She said: 'I was finally diagnosed in 2006 with gluten sensitivity and a range of food intolerances including wheat, gluten, soya, lactose and sugar.
'I am reminded every day how food affects my illness. Some foods aggravate the pain and eating the wrong thing can cause a relapse. I still have to see neurologists for regular check ups.'
However, despite her ordeal she said: 'I don't regret a single thing that has happened to me and instead see all this as a blessing that has brought me to where I am today.'
Source: Daily Mail UK
27 comments:
Mexico is a va-cay no no! A friend of mine kept stooling and vomiting when she was there.
did she take a flu shot? My cousin's case was not as bad but she developed all sort of allergies after flu shot about 16 years ago.
She has since recovered....scary
Neuro..gini? Oyinbo pple sha, them to like to give everytin name. This na clear case of juju, thru spiritual remote from the heart of Nigeria and na person wey know u do u. Dnt waste ur moni on drugs, na native medicine and God alone fit cure u, b4 ulcer go join o
with all d combo on that table?hmn nawa oo sorry oo :(
@ Anon 9.28pm just what i was thinking na home problem oooh , kilode na all the food you dey reject aabeg come home ooooh make dem settle the matter . but have you tried eating eba, fufu , amala , gbegiri, ila-asepo , dundu alata ?
Abi na,if u dont eat all theses delicious blessings from God to man,na death na,abeg,she don swallow someting for dat mexico,abi dem dey follow am straight from her ilesha village.
or so she says- if you look at her, she is still fat!
Anonymous jan 25 12:28pm na you get the situation well well u sabi wey tin she need. May God help us and save us from evil spiritual network
@ Anon Jan25,9:28pm.....try and be rational. Think outside the box and stop displaying ur ignorance. It's people like u that make Africans/Nigerians lack initiative. When we assume all problems are spiritual,there is lack of tendency of being objective about it and finding solution to the problem. What we end up doing is being fools/victims of deception and fraud to charlatans.
African food is a blessing
Mexico seems to be the place not to go.
@ Anon 9:20 The flu shot query is a very good one. Any kind of vaccination could have triggered this problem.
Seems like veganism is the only way out for her.
Sorry dear but with fufu, garri and amala with ewedu, ogbono, egusi, palmwine and local juice you can't have allergy. Try local dishes.
Lollll
Bush Annon...in this day and age...Haba.
She looks well fed to me...
anonymous 9.28pm ur quite the illiterate. smh
@Anon 9.28pm
I don't know what's wrong with most Africans, why are some people still thinking backwards in this jet-age! You don't have to relate all medical issues with the Spiritual! Wake up African... all your church going has not led u guys anywhere... that's why the Westerners will keep breaking grounds in discoveries and inventions my dear.
My dear, I believe in God and I also believe in Science. If it may shock u, I was born, 'buttered' and breed in a western country. But never underrate the potency of Africa jazz and pray never to experience it. Even the westerners pay for the knowledge.
I'm anon 9:28pm...........ur own prescription pass my own o.....lol
Mr\Mrs Sabi Sabi! There is a clear diff btwn a spiritualist and a herbalist. There are lots of professional and qualified herbalist now, some previously practising well qualified medical practitioners. Africa juju is real, believe it or not.............and must u be harsh in conveying ur opinion?
Try expressing ur opinion without cursing, that's what makes you a fine literate.....and less rigid too
Lorenzo...? Reminds me of those drugs we take for sore throats. If God can't help her, na ur Papa go heal her?
I don't even doubt this news. I've stopped taking Strawberries after I noticed I get blister on my lips after having it. A friend of mine stopped having their grapes after she noticed her body itches her when she eats them.
I bought apples on Dec. 24th, couldn't finish them before I travelled, came back on 8th January and still found the Apples very fresh like they were just plucked #Wonderment. God help us with whatever preservatives these Oyibo people use.
the woman should stick to amala and ewedu and leave all the canned junk food for the ajebos.LOL
I had a similar experience. I reacted negatively to different foods including mexican, korean, thai, vietnamese, western, italian, moroccan and others while studying for a grad degree. I also had arthritis, cognitive dysfunction, terrible fatigue and many other symptoms. Eventually, I had to shamefully drop out as it was thought that I was too daft and/or too allergic. I later found out the reactions were from an autoimmune disorder - lupus. Almost 2 yrs of unemployment now (before the grad school I had worked for the largest bank in Nigeria and the world's biggest professional services firm) as a result even though I'm completely healed. Many friends also faded away. I thank God that I'm alive and that it wasn't worse as I've read of someone who had same and undergoes frequent dialysis and a battery of tests; another had to be rushed to hospital for multiple organ failure. I don't want to blame juju as that looks like externalizing the issue - I should take responsibility for my actions instead of seeking to blame others.
Anon January 26, 2012 5:51 PM; yes the preservatives are what's causing all sorts of illnesses and diseases. I soak my fruits in salt and vinegar and then wash with bottled water.
I am allergic to paw, hot cooked tomatoe rice and alcoholic drinks. It started last year when I was serving in Taraba. It started from a sting on d lips at night which led to a huge swollen lips, degenerate to burning sensations on d skin. I did several tests. Though d doctore told me its an allergy intially. Imagine waking with a balloned lips and u have to teach a class in the morning. In my case, hot rice with tomatoes, alcoholic drinks, soy and paw were major triggers. Anti-histamines with steriods only make u sleep. Since I started avoiding the allergens, I have had considerable improvement. The crisis are once in a while. BTW, u only outlive ur allergies, bt if not properly tackled, it can kill
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