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A few years ago I tried a high protein diet and ate a lot of nuts. I mail ordered several pounds of cashews from an on line supplier and ate lots of them. I had a severe reaction INSIDE and in a rather delicate area opening to the outside. The discomfort (putting it mildly) lasted for months.
It took much internet research for me to track down the cause being as my doctor was no help at all in diagnosing the cause of the problem. I'm highly allergic to poison ivy (My first case as a child caused me to make my First Communion wrapped head to toe in bandages) so once I saw what cashews were related to I knew what was happening to me.
Now that I have read this article I figure the cashews I got such a good price on via the internets probably weren't treated properly - if at all - to remove the offending oil. But even if I was sure they had been treated I don't think I would take the chance and eat them again, EVER.
So even though this was an embarrassing reaction I think I ought to pass it on so readers know that cashews can cause internal problems as well as external.
Yes, my mom has had the same reaction, and that was from regular old name-brand cashews, so I think you're very wise to avoid them entirely! She's had head-to-toe allergic reactions to poison ivy before, so she's definitely one of those people who is hyper-sensitive to that chemical.
I'm sure many people have had the same problems and never knew. I was allergic to NCR (the carbonless chemical) paper; it about drove me crazy. I handled it every day (almost every minute) at work. Couldn't make my hands heal up until I changed departments.
Thanks again for sharing your experiences; you may have really helped someone by sharing. Who would have thought?
Years ago in Panama I stood downwind from roasting cashews (a rather nasty thick smoke) and the next day was covered with a thick rash everywhere that the smoke had touched. Ended up in the emergency room. Cutting up mangoes leaves a rash like that of poison ivy as well - but I've had no problems eating them. It's worth checking out the entire family if you have a severe reaction to one member.
