Since my late DH was a nurseryman and plant expert, plus having a lot of his own allergies, we heard a lot about plant families over the years. One DD asked about her own allergies recently and reminded me about this little thing of plant families. Go to the Internet and type in

Honey Dews kin to rag weed

I guarantee that you will be shocked at what you should not eat if you are allergic to simply Ragweed.

I have lots of allergies, but mostly hayfever type. Ragweed is part of that, among lots of other things. I had never hear that Honey Dew were related. Interesting. I do know that most any melon causes itching in my throat, so that must be why. I always wondered.

My allergist explained that the protein in a lot of the melons and vegetables are the same as in ragweed. So if you react to ragweed you will react to these. I'm allergic to ragweed and also
all melons
cucumbers
green peppers
and many others. I can eat the vegetables cooked because the dr said the cooking destroys the protein.

Ditto, I also know that if I eat enough of the offending raw vegetable eventually I will quit itching. Something about acclimating to it so says the doc.

It's called OAS-Oral Allergy Syndrome. If you have problems with latex you will have problems with Kiwi and bananas. Watermelon and strawberries are a couple more that 'cross over'. The protein molecule in RAW fruits and veggies are close to either grass or weed pollen molecules and your body reacts accordingly. Most of the time people complain about 'needing to itch my throat from the inside' when they have this type of allergy.

Weird I have severe asthma and allergies to tons of stuff including latex and ragweed and I can eat those foods!

Not everybody reacts with OAS when they are allergic to environmental pollens. But the ones that do have a real problem.

----------------------------------------------------------
Sweetie, please read your letter over again. You might be causing some of the asthma and allergies to be worse than they would be other wise. Please try to avoid most of them. I had to watch my mother eat what she flatly said she would because she liked it and to heck with allergies, then had to take her to the hospital because of breathing problems.

------------------------
Peppers are members of the nightshade family, which also includes tomatoes, potatoes and other peppers, sweet and hot peppers (including paprika, cayenne pepper and Tabasco sauce)
eggplant, ground cherries, tomatillos and tamarillos, garden huckleberry and naranjillas, pepinos and pimentos.

Some people have strong enough immune systems that they can eat some of these, some have more weakened immune systems and are hospital bound after one meal of one of these.
Depends on the person, but it can get worse as time goes on.

One of my cousins was violently allergic to Poison Ivy, and it took some digging to find out why he was so bothered by cashews, which are kin to Poison Ivy. Didn't bother others but they did irritate his throat.

Ditto, I also know that if I eat enough of the offending raw vegetable eventually I will quit itching. Something about acclimating to it so says the doc.[/quote]
--------------------------
I've never heard that before, always that continual irritation will make the reaction worse. Just keep alert to any itching, and try to make sure it doesn't get worse.
We have hundreds of different veggies and fruits in this world, somewhere we should find some that are good for us and taste good and aren't allergy producing.