Mango WARNING

You know that moment when you give advice to do something, only to realize it may be harmful? Said and done that. Did you know that mangos are in the same family as poison ivy, poison oak, and sumac? Yeah, me neither. 

Did you know the peel has a chemical called urushiol? Yeah, me neither. This is the same thing that runs in the oak and ivy. So, yeah. Had that happen. I have a rash. ON MY FACE. A rash...like poison ivy. Did you know that would happen? I don't know. I didn't.

Of course I didn't. I thought fruits were in FRUIT families. Like a family tree, fruit family tree. All the fruit in ONE family. 

Nope. 

Not at all.

I'm really allergic to poison ivy. Like, I'm the cool kid who gets it AT LEAST once a summer (last summer it was three times) and it takes FOREVER to heal. To think I get the same reaction from mangos is...humbling.

I'm in this odd place that I want to eat more mango (with the skin) because I know it is so good for me. I BOUGHT SIX MANGOS. I HAVE SIX MANGOS IN MY FRIDGE. SIX. 

But, with this allergy, you can take the peel off and eat the inside. Usually. Unless the oil from the skin transfers to the inside. At least, I sure hope so. I haven't had that happen when I just eat the inside...

Anyways, there's your warning. My thought when I found out the plant family mango was a part of was the following: what kind of a sick joke is that? 

I believe in a Creator who made everything. I believe He has purpose in everything. I also think that He made humor and mangos the way they are so He can get a kick out of us. I believe He makes jokes to make me laugh. 

And I believe mangos are still wonderful. 

Don't believe me? Here.

Peace (and eat the mango skin if you can).

Sid

Side story - two years ago, I went to work at kamp (K-7 Kanakuk. WUDDUP). When I got to kamp, I developed a really weird rash on my face. Like, all over my lips, and a weird line all the way to my eat on one side and halfway through my cheek on the other. I went to the nurse DAILY and my campers thought I was crazy. I mean, really, how weird is it to see your kounselor with a rash? They think you're crazy. We treated it like poison ivy, but I couldn't figure out when I had eaten poison ivy (I don't do that...). IT WAS THE MANGO. Mango skin. Too much mango...maybe the oil of the skin in a mango that I had eaten. Mango. Mango. Mango.

But, it does make me feel better that I didn't eat poison ivy. Or get close enough with my face to get it on my LIPS to my EAR. 

Awkward.