I Live Off Oats & Baby Formula To Survive | BORN DIFFERENT

IMAGINE only eating two foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner every single day - that is the case for 25-year-old Caroline, who survives on a diet of just oats and baby formula. At the age of two, she had her first anaphylactic reaction to crackers and was rushed to hospital - but this was just the beginning of a long line of severe allergic reactions that would eventually result in a diagnosis of mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). As Caroline told truly: "It is basically an allergic disease in which the patient can have serious allergic reactions to a whole host of things. For me, my biggest triggers are food, pets and pollen." Caroline's most recent anaphylaxis at the age of 19 reduced her list of safe foods to the oats and baby formula combination she now lives on day-in, day-out. She admits that she used to get "so bored of just eating these two foods" but when she took to TikTok to post light-hearted videos explaining her condition, the response surprised her. Suddenly, she was receiving suggestions of recipes she should try - and this enabled her to expand her repertoire and fall back in love with eating again. However, she has also been questioned and mocked online, with people accusing her of faking her condition - adding to the long list of hurdles Caroline already faces in her everyday life. Something as simple as leaving the house or socialising with friends requires intricate planning and precautions to be in place - but particularly with the support of her mom, Julie (who she calls her "emotional support human") she has been able to face the restrictions placed on her head on. As Julie told truly: "I'm so proud of Caroline, the way that she has handled the last several years, her determination to be happy and stay happy." And with that positivity, Caroline is determined to continue raising awareness for MCAS, but also to encourage people "to be grateful for what they do have... Finding the silver linings, finding the good stuff in life!"