The Pumpkin Spice Hunger Games

     It's officially fall! Don't you just love it? The air gets crisper, the leaves start changing, days get shorter, and literally nothing is left untouched from the pumpkin spice fairy. I love fall, in fact it's my favorite season of them all. But that pumpkin spice fairy... she's a terrible terrible thing. I am extremely allergic to cinnamon. It was one of my first allergies. It's a hard spice to steer clear of normally but this time of year... it's everywhere. Trying to survive from September 1st- January 31st is like a full on Hunger Games except I'm the only player. It's great. Here's how to survive!
Know Your Opponent
      Well, I know mine is cinnamon. Originally, I would only react to cinnamon if I ingested it. Touching it and smelling it didn't bother me, I would only react if I ate something that had it in it. Cross contamination was fine at the beginning also. Now, I react to cinnamon in all forms. Ingesting it is still deadly for me, cross contamination has proven to be iffy so I avoid it as much as I possibly can, and the smell of cinnamon triggers an almost immediate migraine. Often times "pumpkin spice" is a mixture of some artificial pumpkin flavor or scent and cinnamon. Which means anything pumpkin spice is automatically the enemy and therefor must die.
Know Your Opponent's Hiding Spots 
     Pumpkin spice has gotten really crafty at hiding over the last few years. But I'm good at hide and seek and I've started to figure out where it likes to lurk. One example of it's crafty concealment was the other day I was out shopping. I felt fine and was just minding my own business. All of a sudden I caught a waft. So I walked away from where I was standing but the smell of cinnamon got stronger. I was near the bread so I moved to the produce section to wait for my mom. But the smell of cinnamon was worse! I could not figure out where it was coming from. I moved over to the flowers (stupid mistake I know) but the smell only got stronger! Now I was pissed. I had been exposed to the scent for to long and the headache started to set in. Just then I looked down at the Halloween themed flower arrangements and there it was. A decorative broomstick... that was cinnamon scented. WHO DOES THAT?! I know to look out for cinnamon scented pine cones. But I have never once seen a scented broomstick. There's a first time for everything I guess.
Bring A Gun To The Knife Fight 
     Let me set the stage for you. It's early in the fall season, fall decorations are 40% off at Hobby Lobby and you have a free Tuesday afternoon to go spend all of the money on these great deals. The only thing standing in between you and a cart full of Halloween spirit and delight is the fact that you know the entire store and probably half the parking lot will smell of pumpkin spice. That's when you, the smartest of them all, pull out your secret weapon. Benadryl. Yes... I pregamed for Hobby Lobby. I took 50mg of Benadryl before we left. I did still get a splitting headache while we were in Hobby Lobby, but as soon as we left and I was able to suck in the fresh air, the headache began to dissipate. I had won the battle and was able to fully enjoy the Halloween delight. Unfortunately; because I'm #broke I didn't buy any of the fall decorations but that's besides the point.

And that my friends, is how you become the victor of the Pumpkin Spice Hunger Games of 2017. Please stay tuned for Part 2: The Cinnamon Hunger Games Christmas Edition. Have no fear though; all will return to normal on January 1st at the conclusion of what I have officially dubbed Cinnamon Season. What is your MCAD kryptonite? Let me know in the comments below!
"Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you He will not fail you or forsake you." -Deuteronomy 31:6

With Love,
Elizabeth <3