A California woman with an interesting condition is limited to eating just 13 foods on her personal menu.
Jenna Gestetner is a 21-year-old from Los Angeles, California who was diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) at a young age.
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, MCAS is known as “a condition in which a patient experiences repeated episodes of anaphylaxis, an allergic reaction that includes hives, swelling, low blood pressure, difficulty breathing and severe diarrhea.”
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Gestetner told Fox News Digital that he has suffered from seemingly random health issues his entire life.
“I was always labeled as ‘sensitive’ – I had sensitive skin, sensitive stomach, and I was prone to getting sick and injured,” she says, “and then around the age of 12, it started to get worse.”
Jenna Gestetner, pictured, said she has to be very careful when dining out. (Jenna Gestner)
Gestetner said she noticed that her symptoms, including pain, nausea, fatigue and dizziness, were made worse by eating certain foods.
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“The more you eat certain foods, the worse your symptoms become,” she says.
The University of Southern California student said her favorite snacks include a variety of fruits. (Jenna Gestner)
Gestetner said her symptoms improved when she eliminated certain foods.
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She added: “When I was 18, I was eating less than 15 different foods. [and] I knew I needed answers not only about my physical health, but also my mental health.”
After years of confusion, Gestetner was finally diagnosed with MCAS and can now safely eat only 13 foods.
Gestetner underwent numerous tests to find out which foods triggered her allergic reactions, and now she only eats 13 different foods. (Jenna Gestner)
“The 13 foods I can eat are white fish, turkey, green beans, zucchini, cucumber, lime, dates, grapes, raspberries, pears, chia seeds, lily seeds and olive oil,” she said.
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The University of Southern California student said the two main challenges he experiences while living with MCAS are eating out and making sure there’s no cross-contamination.
“Most restaurants don’t have the dishes I can eat, so when I want to eat out I usually have to check the menus of several places before I find one that has something on the menu that I can eat,” she said.
Gestetner usually eats protein and vegetables for lunch and dinner. (Jenna Gestner)
She added, “I then have to contact the restaurant to see if they can prepare a meal based on what I can eat. Even then, eating out makes me very anxious because even small amounts of other foods could cause an allergic reaction.”
Gestetner says she tends to eat the same things each day: turkey and chia seed pudding for breakfast, vegetables and protein for lunch and dinner, and fruit or lily seeds as a snack.
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“For me it’s important to eat enough calories and to have a balanced diet with all the different foods I can eat to get as many essential nutrients as possible,” she said.
A woman said she was allergic to 100 foods, but only 13 were left on her approved food list. (Jenna Gestner)
The main foods Gestetner said he had to avoid included rice, pasta, bread, crackers, red meat, chicken, lettuce, apples, lemons and distinctive seasonings.
Now she creates content for social media and shares her own experiences with the disease.
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“I love creating content and spreading positivity, using edible foods and trying different recipes,” she said.
She added, “I have received very positive responses from people who say that their efforts have been recognised, it motivates them to keep going and also makes them see their challenges in a positive light.”
