No More Spirulina Ever

I've been super careful about food. So when I went down with a sorta-major allergic reaction, I was floored by my own stupidity. I've been having açaí bowls since forever. No issues.

However, that day, I didn’t order my usual ‘Pura Vida’ or 'Sao Paolo', and absentmindedly ordered a 'Big Surf', of which I've never had. I happily ate the whole thing and wondered why the açaí was blue. Then it hit me. There wasn’t any açaí in there! The ‘blue’ base was all blue spirulina blended into coconut, pineapples and bananas. Good gawwd. 

The bowl was ingested at 2.30pm. By 5pm I was feeling unwell. I thought it was indigestion, but didn't think how it could be so. Didn't bother with much dinner except for five spoonfuls of pasta. (The other three people who ate that didn't fall ill.) Nightfall was when it hit worst. I couldn't sleep. I had weird hallucinations. Skin was itchy and a mild rash appeared in patches across the body. No fever. There was nausea, and then there're the terrible runs and flatulence. OMG. I felt like I was tripping out! I was this close to getting out the EpiPen.

Washing the toilet bowl at 4.30am wasn't the best feeling. But it had to be done. It was that bad. Poor me. Popped antihistamines and lomotil. Then I crawled back to bed to get some rest before sunrise. When morning arrived, the runs subsided, but the stomach was still tender. The head hurt. I felt like I was nursing a hangover. OMG. The last time green spirulina in a smoothie did me in, and it wasn't this bad. I just had terrible runs, but didn't link it back to the spirulina. I haven't been seeking out the supplement to add into my food because... I'm just not a supplements person. So I never made the connection. Then this blue spirulina smacked me across the face and stomach. Woah.

Note to self: Spirulina, at best, is an unverified dietary supplement. People with autoimmune issues, on immunosuppressants, blood thinners or with blood clotting issues, on medication for rheumatoid arthritis, seafood allergies and a sensitive gut shouldn’t be on any form of long-term spirulina supplements. People with PKU (phenylketonuria) should definitely not take spirulina.