oral allergy syndrome

I have never met anyone with the same problem and I have spent most of my life thinking it's all in my head, especially as the physical reactions don't count as true allergic reactions, just mild to severe discomfort.

But recently I discovered it has a name, which is pollen food allergy syndrome.

In a nutshell, pun intended, my immune system misidentifies the proteins in raw fruit, vegetables and nuts, with the very similar protein structure of various pollens, triggering a physical reaction.

My immune system rings false alarm bells, launching an attack against what it mistakes for invading pollens, a cellular battle that rages each time I optimistically pop a blackberry into my mouth.