I was quite concerned when Amy mentioned that she may have found meat in her vegetarian entree at an Indian restaurant. If you have a meat allergy - you need to inform the server. I do know work in the food industry, but I am a vegetarian (by choice) and I will tell you, vegetarian food is not always vegetarian in a restaurant - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/25-things-chefs-never-tell-you.html - suggests vegetarian is open to interpretation. I choose to not eat meat, anyone who cannot eat meat due to this Alpha gal allergy, or PKU, or any other medical condition need to be very clear and very careful when eating at restaurants (exception being vegetarian restaurants).
I would rather eat at home - making my own food, knowing exactly what is going into my meal - than eat at restaurants. Some are good about accommodating vegetarians and actually I find Indian restaurants to have the most choices and have true vegetarian dishes because some Indians are vegetarians for religious reasons. If you have a meat allergy - be careful. I have at various restaurants, been served some less than truly vegetarian dishes, i.e. fajita vegetables with a piece of chicken, home fries cooked in the same location as bacon and therefore had bacon, and various soups with chicken broth. And probably more which I was not aware of.
This is a shout out to restaurants to have more vegetarian options and to ensure that they are actually vegetarian. For those who cannot consume meat and those who chose to not consume meat.

I am now a 100% official Amy Pearl fan! She's amazing! It must have been a great time interviewing her. I fully support her spin-off podcast!

Human babies ARE mammals, silly. Do not eat. Lol. Totally worth sticking around through the credits.

How dos a doctor sound so proud of dismissing his patient's problems as made up? That's disgusting.

I feel you!

Like the other commenters, I must implore the powers that be to give Amy her own show! She is a wonderful storyteller and has a unique and terrific voice. We need Pearl of Wisdom the Podcast now!!

Amy, You are the best. Hope they give you a podcast.

Just wanted to say that Amy was HILARIOUS on this episode. Amy--time to get your own show.

Thanks so much for this episode! Mystery solved! I first experienced a severe red meat allergy in 1990, when I was living near Charlottesville, VA, and experiencing tick bites on a regular basis. I never imagined that there was a connection and guessed, instead, that my reaction had something to do with the hormones or antibiotics fed to cattle. I've had my share of people who have questioned the reality of this allergy (as if hives, stomach upset, and shortness of breath were all a psychological reaction). I haven't been able to eat red meat for the last 26 years--don't miss it anymore except for hot dogs! (like Amy). Thanks again for solving this long-standing mystery in my life.

Thank you from an Alpha gal victim of almost 3 yrs. Enjoyed informative podcast.

To Anna from Oklahoma: Sounds like it would be worth your time to get the Alpha Gal blood test. Even if you have had hives only once after your tick bite, your story still concerns me (a mom with a kid who has severe food allergies). Allergic reactions can be inconsistent, but almost always get worse with each exposure to the allergen. Anaphylaxis is serious, and worth preventing!

Mark Ostrander from NY NY I was wondering the same thing...if Amy's dog developed a food allergy as well since it was probably bitten by the same ticks. That also made me think of a This American Life episode where Ira Glass described his dog's crazy diet where he had to keep switching kinds of meat because the dog would develop an allergy over time. related? or totally something else?

So, did Amy's dog get meat allergies as well?

Amazing facts, But what amazes me the most is THE MORAL SUPERIORITY this lady feels over the rest of us just because she doesn't consume mammal's meat! (chicken and fish she ates, mind you.)
Is she for real?,Do diabetic feel morally superior because they can't eat sugar, lactose intolerance patiences ...oh, come on! how ridiculous can we get?

I just want to comment on the amazingness of Amy Pearl. She was so unexpectedly funny in her delivery. The story was very informative but her voice had so much character! SO FUNNY.

I enjoyed the show, especially Amy! As a frugivore, I think of meat more like an addiction, and I don't agree that we've adapted to eat it. Personally, I don't think much of ticks, either.

Why is this reaction only beginning to occur now? Is it something in the meat, or something that changed in the ticks, or their environment, or in humans? Also does it affect dogs? Loved this episode!

Amy Pearl for President... she at least needs her own Podcast or at the very least a reoccurring guest on Radiolab.

I have Lyme Disease and it actually caused the opposite reaction for me: I can't eat any plant foods. All I can eat without pain is meat.

Everyone should be vigilant against ticks.
Lyme disease is spreading westward and
extreme red meat allergy with it. Since I've
got the allergy, (l have had it for 12 years, just
one bite and it's full on food poisoning for
minimum of eight hours) I eat a lot of seafood,
chicken and turkey. However, beware, smoked
turkey gets same result as redmeat. It's all pretty
weird but I get the same reaction from a gin & tonic.
Is alpha gal found in quinine?
Great show! Thanks for getting the word out!

I loved this one. So funny.

A husband and wife I know developed the meat allergy before anyone knew the cause (what made their situation especially puzzling was that the husband's mother got it too). They're outdoor enthusiasts so the tick explanation made perfect sense. The wife was semi-vegetarian already, but it was hard on the husband who, like Amy, embraces all kinds of foods.

Here to agree with everyone that Amy Pearl is great, she's hilarious and I would definitely listen to her more. Love from England!

Please please get Amy Pearl her own Podcast. She is a comedic storytelling genius.

Amy Pearl was just a delight to listen to. She should really work in radio - she's got the voice and personality for it. I'd listen to her!

Great job again Radiolab. Thoroughly enjoyed the episode, and learned something new in the process.

Is there a copy of the map online anywhere that you can point me to?

Wow! So this fall, I was diagnosed with Lyme's. I live in WA state, so completely rare around here. When Amy describes the sensation of feeling panicky, lightheaded, and that she felt she was going to pass out - I could relate. While I don't have the meat allergy, I had felt this way OFTEN and it was SO HARD to describe that sensation to anyone. My doctor didn't know what to make of it, but that panicky feeling is SO REAL. I also had hives all over my body, insomnia, muscle/joint aches, pains, spasms and headaches. I'm through a round of antibiotics and feeling somewhat better and see a specialist soon. Just wanted to tell Amy (if she's reading) thanks for sharing your story. Even though mine doesn't line up 100%, components of it do and it made me feel not so alone today. I especially appreciated her use of humor for what can be such a lonely and scary illness.

This is classic Radiolab, with a really good structure and interesting twists and turns. Great job!

Amy, you're a delight to listen to. You say out loud so many thoughts that go through my head. It's refreshing to hear it.

I've seen two patients for this very thing, the alpha gal allergy. Strange but its real. At least here in the middle of Missouri.

I'm not alone! I developed an alpha gal allergy from a tick bite in 2014. My case seems to be a little less severe, and it's only really triggered by beef. Great episode—it's nice to see my freakish plight getting attention...

I was going to change the podcast until I heard Amy. She has an amazing personality. It was a wonderful podcast. Thank you.

Possible.....

Meat has changed due to changes in cattle feeding practices.

Could be allergic to meat. Absolutely.

All I can say is that Amy and the doctor were possibly the most entertaining and engaging people I've ever listened to in a podcast! When she said she had a Luger's credit card, I was hooked. Jad, if you can get her in another show - DO IT!

Podcast gold!

I can relate to Amy's desire to both eat meat and at the same time be vegetarian. I too would love to give up eating meat, but at the same time love eating it. On a related note, I was wondering if you might be able to tell Amy about a technique that uses acupuncture to permanently eliminate any allergy called NAET. This might be a topic for an interesting follow-up segment or show. The technique was developed by an Indian doctor named Nambudripad and I personally have used it to eliminate many allergies in myself including a sever allergy to bee stings and an allergy to tomatoes that was producing pain in the joints of my fingers. I came to find out after that last one that there is a pretty well-documented known causality between nightshade plants and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

I was fascinated by this...not only because I have had the same experience but with chicken over the past several years and the doctors can't seem to figure out what is causing it. After a lifetime of eating, cooking, and loving chicken, I stopped eating it a year ago and haven't had a symptom since. But the other fascinating this is that my name is ALSO Amy Pearl. Huh.

Loved this episode. As far as the ending goes, I don't think that there's anything wrong with Amy claiming that the allergy has helped her realize that red meat is really not a necessary part of our diet, and eating it might have some moral implications. I eat red meat, but I don't drink alcohol, because I'm allergic to it. When I was younger, this was a real bummer, but now that I'm older, I realize that it has probably kept me out of a lot of trouble!

I would totally hang out with Amy. She had me laughing out loud. Great episode. Damn those ticks.

I am a long time listener and always love hearing a new Radiolab episode until................ the end of this episode.
Amy mentioned eating meat as taking up "resources" and claimed she could claim "moral superiority" now that she doesn't eat red meat.
I know it wouldn't really fit with the rest of the episode to have a rebutal for that comment, but I felt like including it in the episode without any other comments, Robert was agreeing with her.

That was disturbing to me as I consider Radiolab to be a program that values scientific facts and enjoying debunking popularly held myths. So to hear Robert agreeing with Amy on that point, wow!

There are no vegan systems in nature. Grazing animals serve an extremely important function in their natural eco-system which is grasslands/savannahs. Mismanagement by humans has led to dessertification of most of the earth's savannah, but many farmers and ecologists have demonstrated that the only way to reverse the effects of desertification is through holistically grazed livestock. By purchasing this type of meat, the consumer is contributing to healthy grasslands which results in more carbon being stored in the soil and not in the atmosphere. Buying beef from grain fed cows in fed lots, that doesn't have a positive environmental impact, but supporting regenative agriculture could be one of the easiest ways to fight climate change.
Anyone interested in the subject, check out Allan Savory's inspiring ted talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/allan_savory_how_to_green_the_world_s_deserts_and_reverse_climate_change?language=en

Amy needs her own show. I would subscribe in a heartbeat. Thanks for the adventure and introspection.

Loved this episode! Amy is awesome!

A foodie friend was diagnosed with this allergy last year, so I could spot where y'all were going early on. He probably picked up his tick while working his organic pepper farm. It's an interesting story, and y'all told it well told. I think Robert Krulwich and Joel Achenbach (of the Washington Post) are the best science reporters today. Thanks.

I really enjoyed this story! Amy shared her experience in such an engaging way.

Great program and very interesting story. The thing that came up for me immediately was how the immune system was reprogrammed to go after the Alpha-Gal via the tick spit. Perhaps there might be a way to harness this reaction positively, similar to the way the HIV virus is being used to program the immune system to target cancer. Might there be a way to use whatever it is in the tick spit to program the immune system to fight an illness or condition that the immune system ignores?

Like everyone else, I came here to beg Amy Pearl for more. Where have you been hiding her, WNYC, and what do we need to do to get more of her on-point delivery, hilarity and charm?

Love Amy. Get a podcast.

Thank you for this story! There is nothing more satisfying than hearing Robert and Jad tell me I'm not a freak of nature! I developed an allergy to pork, peas, and carrots at age 25. I was sick for almost a year, had every test under the sun, lost 30 lbs, and then finally as a last ditch effort my doctor recommended an allergy test. Lo and behold, I'm allergic to the typical English dinner. It was fascinating to hear Amy's story... I was hoping it would align with my own and I would get some answers, but alas, I can enjoy a hamburger with no problems so I don't think I'm a victim of the Lonestar Tick. Listening to the doctor in the beginning basically say she was insane made me grimace, I have to admit. It just goes to show how little we truly know about our own bodies and physiological reactions.

This is a fascinating episode. My sister in law always claimed that she was allergic to lamb and I never really believed her until she ate lamb infront of me and then broke into hives within the evening. However, she eats beef and nothing of the sort happens. How is that?

This story was so fascinating, but I have to say Amy Pearl's story telling, delivery and side bar comments are hilarious. Her concern about her possible need to survive in the woods had me cracking up. She is an engaging personality!

I loved this story... especially because just a few months ago I went hiking in southwest Virginia with my husband and my dog, and we came upon a lone star tick nest. We only realized this after a few seconds when we noticed tons of tiny little black dots around our ankles and socks. We had been walking through tall grass and they had totally invaded both us and our dog. A few days later after we thought everything was in the clear, I found one on my side and pulled it off. Only after hearing this podcast am I remembering that later that week I had a bunch of hives on me and had no idea why. That said I've had red meat since and have been fine. Who knows?! What a crazy story Amy has!

Thanks for putting this show together Radiolab. Amy, if you're reading these, you are a natural radio personality and sound like someone I'd want to kick it with - thanks for sharing your story so eloquently with just the right amount of self-deprecation and hilarity.

I really enjoyed Amy's storytelling--very funny but informative as well. I immediately looked for more stories from her, but I couldn't find any. Can we get her more airtime please?

Amy's ideas are intriguing to me and I would like to subscribe to her newsletter. I don't know what would be the best format for her, but get he in front of microphone telling anecdotes or providing commentary on a topic. Like Mystery Science Theater 3000 but audio.

Amy's tick story gave me chills. Summer 2016 while hiking in Europe...forests, orchards, countryside...I saw a tick on my arm, so I yanked it out, no big deal. A couple weeks later I felt horrible. Weird random painful joint and muscle aches roaming all over my body, headaches, really foggy headed as if my brain shut off, and insomnia. On facebook I asked friends what they think this is. One friend asked me if I was bitten by a tick. It turned out I got Lyme Disease, which I learned is very serious and often misdiagnosed. If left untreated, it can ruin one's health for life. I got treated in time and am now fine. No more Lyme. Who knew some stupid little tick could be so insidious?

Loved this episode! Amy is so funny, and I enjoyed her story. Thanks!

I could listen to Amy talk about anything for hours. Please start your own podcast, Amy.

Amy is hilarious while still being able to tell an on-point story. Give that woman a podcast. I'd tune in for sure! Loved this episode.

I first read about this tickborne meat allergy back in 2012 when I was working as a forest researcher and was constantly paranoid that I'd acquired some new illness (Google Powassan virus). So as soon as Amy mentioned that she had foraged for ramps, I figured it out.

For years I've half-joked that it's only a matter of time before some radical vegetarian group weaponizes lone star ticks. Of course there's the ethical dilemma of using insects to save animals, but I think they would ultimately find the utilitarian argument compelling enough.

I work alone with plants, so I have lots of quiet time to overthink absurd hypotheticals. Fortunately, podcasts calm the mind. Thanks Radiolab.

Very good report. I loved Amy's jovial account of this very serious problem. Unfortunately there are still many doctor out there who are not aware of this problem. For those interested, there is an allergy injection treatment that will reverse this effect. Although we need higher numbers and are still researching. Preliminary studies show 60% of people can go back to eating meat within a year.

This episode was enjoyable and humorous for the first 30 minutes, but I was disappointed to hear at the end of it a lot of misinformation about meat production and the supposed "factory farming". Time and again we hear the claim that "meat takes a lot of resources", but the truth is meat protects our natural environment. I grew up in the city listening to the propaganda and claims about animal agriculture and in my 20's was able to get to know actual ranchers and farmers. I married into the business and now get to see every day that beef is one of the greatest resources for keeping natural grasslands natural. Yes, our ranch uses 25 acres to raise one calf and that 25 acres remains natural grasslands that produce O2 and keep the land preserved. When I look out at the miles of land that surrounds us I feel morally satisfied that we are doing what is right to protect the environment. It is so frustrating to hear this false narrative about meat ruining the environment. People need to know the truth that eating beef is one of the best ways to preserve the natural environment and protect our native grasslands. If you don't believe me, then I challenge you to go find a local rancher in your area and see for yourself the vast amount of the environment that beef production protects.

Very interesting. I have a similar situation. I was born and raised in Mexico. I moved to California 20 years ago. About 10 years ago I became allergic to pork, but only if I eat it in Mexico. It's a good feeling knowing that it's not "that weird" to develope an allergy at 40.

Amy is delightful! I applaud her sense of humor in the face of a situation that could make others feel depressed.