Food

Allergy

Fame! 27 CELEBRITIES LIVING WITH FOOD ALLERGIES

Updated for 2015!

Which

One

Shares

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?

Millions of people throughout North America are living with potentially life-threatening food allergies every day. But have you ever wondered if a member of your favorite sports team, or someone in a movie you just watched shared the same allergy? You’re in luck! We’ve compiled a dandy list of celebrities with different food allergies and sensitivities to take out the guess work.

We didn’t leave celeb food-allergy parents out of the mix, you’ll find them here too.

Read on, learn and enjoy!

THE ‘A’ LIST

“Food Allergy Fame”

Starring….

DANIEL BRYAN WWE SUPERSTAR

Image:  mywweuniverse.com  

The wildly popular superstar was a vegan due to health issues up until 2009, when he gave up the diet. Why? He developed a soy allergy. In an interview with the Brisbane Times he explains that “being a vegan without soy is very, very difficult”. Indeed. Does Daniel Bryan prove you can succeed no matter what your allergies are? Yes! Yes! Yes!

ZOOEY DESCHANEL ACTRESS

Zooey Deschanel’s stunning eyes aren’t all that sets her apart from the crowd. She reportedly has sensitivities to dairy, eggs and wheat. She is also sensitive to the feelings of others and has special meals delivered directly to her trailer so as not to inconvenience anyone else.

DREW BREES PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE

The New Orleans Saints starting Quarterback is known for

throwing touchdown passes and being a leader on the field. He’s also a great advocate for food

allergies as he and his wife Brittany have sensitivities to

dairy and gluten. Drew is also allergic to tree nuts. In 2012, the Brees’ joined the So Delicious®

Dairy Free Team, as well as partnering with the company

to found The Brees Dream Foundation

JENNIFER ESPOSITO ACTRESS

Jennifer Esposito has celiac disease, a condition which affects 1 in 133 Americans and 330,000 Canadians. Jennifer is doing her part to raise awareness and offer help to the celiac community by founding the Jennifer’s Way Foundation for Celiac Education and the Jennifer’s Way Bakery in New York City.

BILLY BOB THORNTON

There’ll be no milk and cookies for this

‘Bad Santa’ on Christmas Eve. The actor is reportedly

allergic to dairy, eggs and wheat!

ACTOR

Image:  episode39.it  

SERENA WILLIAMS PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE

Are you allergic to peanuts? If so, you and tennis star Serena Williams have something in common! Image courtesy of The Washington Post

KENTON DUTY ACTOR, SINGER & DANCER

Kenton is a triple threat, he can act, he can sing and he can dance. But what threatens him are his allergies to chocolate, wheat and, as a child, dairy. He is a great role model for food-allergic children and does his part to contribute to the community. He recently joined forces with FAAN on Capitol Hill to encourage US Congress to support the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act.  

HALLE BERRY ACTRESS

The former Bond girl is allergic to shellfish, specifically shrimp. While this hasn’t been officially confirmed, if she is shellfish-allergic, she certainly won’t be alone. Shellfish and Fish allergies are thought to currently affect over ½ million Canadians and 7 million Americans.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers halfback Jerome Bettis knows

that the best defense is a good offense, which is why he

advocates for Auvi-Q, The new epinephrine

auto-injector that speaks to you, introduced in January of

last year. ‘The Bus’ has recently teamed up with Food

Network’s Robin Miller and Sanofi US to provide education

about food allergies and information regarding

preventative measures to avoid anaphylaxis.

JEROME BETTIS FORMER PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE

MILEY CYRUS ACTRESS/SINGER

The former Disney star and current Queen of NSFW announced via Twitter that she has sensitivities to gluten and lactose (a sugar found in milk). The singer also had a severe allergic reaction to a medicine prescribed to her after experiencing flu-like symptoms. The reaction that occurred this past April landed her in the hospital delaying her current ‘Bangerz’ tour.

Image:  styleandsubstances.wordpress.com  

A similar situation befell Joshua Jackson. The ‘Fringe’ star was hospitalized in 2011 following an allergic reaction to nuts. Peanuts get a lot of attention but besides the fact that they aren’t actually nuts (they are in fact a legume) tree nuts can be just as life-threatening in an allergic individual.

JOSHUA JACKSON ACTOR

Image:  Superb  Wallpapers  

BUSY PHILLIPS ACTRESS

It’s a good thing for this Cougar Town co-star that the show’s main source of indulgence is wine and not soy milk. According to Living Without magazine, the former model is allergic to soy, and also has sensitivities to wheat and gluten.

Image courtesy of wallpaperzoo.com

Image: gossipandgab.com

CLAY AIKEN SINGER/SONGWRITER

The former American Idol contestant, current singer/songwriter and daddy to an

adorable little boy, is reportedly allergic to coffee,

chocolate, mint, shellfish, tree nuts and mushrooms!

Whew…

JO FROST THE ‘SUPERNANNY’

The Supernanny is super careful when

she goes on the road to travel America helping families, because of her

allergies to shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts!

She was quoted by Fox News

as saying  “Being able to be

prepared, that’s what’s really important.” Words to live by!

Image  courtesy  of  the  Daily  Mail  

TOM POTI PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE

Being from Massachusetts, the former Washington Capitals defenseman could’ve easily focused on baseball. Due to his allergies to peanuts and nuts, it’s a good thing he focused on hockey instead!

Image:  www.zimbio.com  

Suze Orman can give you some great advice on how to build a nest egg, but don’t feed her

any! The personal financial guru is allergic to eggs.

SUZE ORMAN MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER,

FINANCE GURU & TV HOST

Image:  oprah.com  

Well apparently ‘Real Men Don’t Wear Plaid’ and Steve Martin don’t eat shellfish. Poor grammar aside, no shrimp, lobster or clams at the Golden Globes after party for this guy!

STEVE MARTIN COMEDIAN/ACTOR

Image:  hollywoodchics.com  

KELIS SINGER

Her milkshake might bring all the boys to the yard, but make sure it’s peanut-free! The singer has an allergy to peanuts and was reportedly rushed to a hospital in Germany due to a reaction in 2004.

Image:  musicwalls.org  

ADRIAN PETERSON PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE

The Minnesota Vikings’ star Running Back is used to making headlines for his outstanding efforts on the field, but he’s recently made some for his efforts in raising awareness about food allergies. He gave everyone a “pretty good scare” after a severe allergic reaction to seafood (seafood gumbo to be exact, his favorite food) in 2012. ‘All Day’ is a prime example of how you can excel and achieve greatness while living with food allergies.

Well, we aren’t sure if they have food allergies or not but I told ya’ we didn’t forget good ol’ mom and dad! Corny jokes aside, food allergy parents are some of the strongest, most organized people on the planet. You have to be when you not only have to remember the soccer uniform and homework for the next day, but the epi-pens, antihistamines and allergy safe snacks/lunches too.

These celebrity parents are no different, they worry, stress out and advocate just like the rest of us.

Here are some sterling examples of food-allergy parenting at its best!

THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS…

“Parental Guidance”

Starring….

ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. HOST, ACTIVIST & LAWYER

Probably best known for being the son of former US Senator Robert ‘Bobby’ Kennedy Sr. and nephew of John F. Kennedy. What you may not know about him is that his son, Conor is severely allergic to nuts. According to the New York Post, the young man had a nasty reaction just after Christmas last year.

HOLLY ROBINSON PEETE ACTRESS

This mama is no stranger to food allergies. All FOUR of her children have

been diagnosed with them! She understands the need to be proactive

and prepared and spoke to that and other things in her interview with

POPSUGAR back in 2011. The article also touches on the sensitive issue of accomodation for food-allergic

children. Holly points out that she has never

expected other parents to accommodate her food-allergic children, but rather she always comes prepared with snacks and

Epi-Pens® wherever she goes. Good work Ms. Peete!

Image:  lipsAckalley.com  

TRACE ADKINS SINGER

The country music singer is father to a 6

year-old daughter named Brianna, who is

severely allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, dairy

and eggs. She had a near-fatal reaction at 9

months old due to licking a peanut butter

lid. Scary stuff, but since then Trace has been an

advocate for food allergies, working hard

to raise awareness.

KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN TV PERSONALITY

Kourtney’s son Mason has an allergy to peanuts, which caused a trip to the hospital in 2010, when Mason had an allergic reaction to peanut butter at 11 months old. She wrote about the incident in her blog, stating that he was a good boy the whole time and even enjoyed riding in the ambulance!

MING TSAI CHEF/TV HOST

The ‘Simply Ming’ host’s son, David was diagnosed with

several food allergies as an infant. Ming is a great advocate for the food

allergy community, he is a National Spokesperson for

FAAN and was a driving force behind the

Massachusetts law governing allergy

guidelines in restaurants. 'Living Without' magazine spoke with him in greater

detail about his family and advocacy efforts in their

Sept 2010 issue. Image  courtesy  of  CNN.com  

JULIE BOWEN ACTRESS

Julie has admitted that before she became an allergy mom, she was skeptical about the severity of food allergies and thought that some parents were overreacting. Ever since the Modern Family star learned of her son, Oliver’s life-threatening allergy to peanuts she has been an advocate for food allergies and making sure schools throughout the United States are aware of the dangers that food-allergic kids face on a daily basis. She is one of the driving forces behind the “Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis” Campaign and recently interviewed with Allergic Living magazine about the initiative and what it’s like for her as the parent of a food-allergic child. Image:  blogarAslokal.biz

BILL & HILLARY CLINTON 42ND U.S. PRESIDENT

LAWYER/FORMER U.S. SENATOR

Another presidential pop to add to the list, and his lovely wife of course. This power couple has had their troubles in the past, but are stronger than ever. As is their daughter, Chelsea who has a gluten sensitivity! Chelsea is adamant about maintaining a gluten=free lifestyle and showed it with pride at her wedding to Marc Mezvinsky, which featured a nine tier, 4 foot tall, 500 pound gluten-free cake!

GWYNETH PALTROW ACTRESS

The Iron Man 3 star came under fire last year for what people thought was an overly strict diet she was allegedly forcing upon her children. Not so, as this mom was simply accommodating her son Moses’ food allergies. Moses, now 7, has a gluten sensitivity and a dairy sensitivity.

Honorable

Mentions

THE HONOREES

CELIACS GALORE!

Susie Essman Sarah Vowell Keith Olbermann Emmy Rossum Elizabeth Hasselbeck THAT’S (PEA)NUTS! Ray Romano Alex Kopranos (Franz Ferdinand)

THE NOT-SO-COMMON

Jessica Simpson – Cheese, tomato, wheat Drew Barrymore – Coffee, garlic

THERE YOU HAVE IT! DID WE MISS ANYBODY?

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