Over 30 years ago my allergy specialist advised me not to eat bananas when the chrysanthemums are in bloom. Apparently they are in the same plant family, and my slight allergy to chrysanthemums could be multiplied several times over if I ate bananas while the chrysanthemum flowers are in bloom. Because I was not a banana eater I forgot about the warning until two days ago when my doctor’s words came back to me loudly and clearly.
We have chrysanthemums blooming on our front porch and on our back deck. My allergies have been out of control, causing a stuffy nose, headaches, a cough, plugged ears, and an on-again-off-again ache in my right ear. And I have been eating a banana with my breakfast cereal every day since the end of April. I spent 5 days in the hospital in April, and when I came home I had to transition slowly from a liquid diet back to a regular diet. At first, bananas were the only fruit I was allowed to eat, and I have continued to enjoy them every morning since then.
The day before yesterday, my doctor’s 30-year-old warning popped into my head. “Don’t eat bananas when the chrysanthemums are in bloom!” I am enjoying the chrysanthemums that are blooming. I have stopped eating bananas, and I feel somewhat better. I hope I will continue to improve.
Unexpected in common hours 
Intriguing title. I’m allergic to bananas so I guess I had better not add chrysanthemums to my garden.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I guess not! Who would have known? Wonder how many other things are in related plant families and cause allergies?
LikeLike
After my son had a poison sumac exposure and I gave him a sandwich with cashew butter, I learned that is not a good combination.
LikeLike
This is so interesting! My neighbor’s son can’t eat apples in the spring when the oak trees are “blooming”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bananas and Chrysanthemums are definitely not in the same “plant family”, lol! Bananas are in the Musaceae family and Mums in the Asteraceae family. As different as cows are to chickens or in this as daisies are to bananas.
It must be some kind of interaction between something in banana fruit and Chrysanthemum flower pollen. I guess ordinarily harmless bananas and Chrysanthemum pollen, together are potent enough to elicit a histamine surge in anyone unlucky enough to have allergies.
Glad you felt better. Intriguing title, sounds like the title of a novel.
I just planted some lovely dark red Chrysanthemums, I will be sure to avoid bananas just in case.
LikeLike
It was my allergy specialist who told me they are in the same plant family. LOL Anyway, I do have an allergic reaction if I eat bananas when Mums are in bloom.
LikeLike