Food Allergies

Does anyone else have food allergies? I recently found out that I'm allergic to dairy, gluten and sugar. This is a huge change to my diet and I'm kind of enjoying the challenge, especially since my health will drastically improve. I'm just looking to share ideas on meals.

Im allergic to the same!

Lots of vegetables and meat basically and various crackers rice cakes, and oats cakes are the best.

 

Hi there mfhammack,

I was just wondering.. before you found out you were alergic to dairy, gluten and sugar, what kind of alergic reactions were you getting? Did your skin break out in hives? Did you have a tummy ache? What were your symptoms?

I'm asking cuz I think I might be alergic to something similar but I'm not sure yet.

Thanks.

-Julie

Hey juliepatoutie

 

Before I was diagnosed as gluten and lactose intolerant I had major gut problems and mega bloating!!! My guts weren't working right and I was bloated and lethargic all the time. I stopped eating gluten containing foods and the bloating went away and I have more energy! I also started taking B12 supplements, 1000mcg/day, to give me that extra boost and to supplement the lack of meat that I eat.

 

Try slowly cutting out all breads, flours, and processed foods. Eating rice and lean meats all week along with vegetables should be able to tell you if you're allergic or not.

Does anyone have the same problems I do? I am anaphylactic to peanuts and tree nuts and people keep forcing them on me "because they are healthy and good for you", never mind the problems I have eating out!

Laula, thank you for your input. I can't imagine not eating breads and pasta, but I'm willing to try anything at this point.  :)

the_dragon, if you're extremely allergic to peanuts and tree nuts, why are people forcing them on you? Have you told them you're allergic? If you just explain how badly allergic you are to them, maybe they'll stop forcing you to eat it. And who are these people anyway? Are they your friends or...? 

I have the same problem eating out, so I try to look for restaurants that sell salads and I always feel so good after.

 

Hi Juliepatoutie

The well meaning people tend to be people in hospitals , after I have had an attack a number of people (nurses and doctors) have not bothered to read my notes and bring me nuts "to make me feel better" (um 'scuse me?) and the other well meaning person was a dietician who again after making me fill out a 6 page form gave me this "personal diet plan" which would have made me lose weight - but as Dr Dragon said to her losing weight by losing vital signs is not good and did she actually read the information (and in front of her boss who was monitoring her she had to admit she never does she gives everyone the same diet plan! )

A lot of salads here are coated in nut oil or have nuts included ('cos they are healthy) I have actually ended up with deep fried something rather than the healthy option in some places (grrrrr)

Hi !

Im gluten intolerant which is enough of a challenge for me. Ive had it for four years now and the only way my doctor could explain it was stress.

At first my dad and my grandma didnt understand it and still tried to feed me wheat stuff- thinking I was gng on  a fad diet. I ate it once just to show them I do get majorly bloated and IBS. My mum helped me in actually recognising that it wasnt normal and i was having eating problems.

Gluten free pasta is expensive but it helps every now again to ease the cravings of having a nice bowl of spaghetti. I basically eat a lot of Japanese - sashimi and sushi and chinese rice dishes without the curries or bean sauces when eating out. Salads are also big one. Grilled fish and steamed vegies is also awesome and reminds you that u can eat still a lot of good tasting stuff. And if ur a big meat eater than grilled steak.

 For snacks carrot,celery or cucumber sticks and fruit. Sometimes if ur after something sweet - you can add some sweetner, but I wouldnt do that too often.

Cheers

Jenna

Hi Jenna

I'm glad you mananged to find out the problem even if it took a while!

Be careful with Oriental food though as a lot of the soy sauces have wheat in them.

the Dragon

Hi Everyone!  I just joined and would love some suggestions on foods to eat.  I have many food intollerances to most raw fruits and vegetables.  These foods are so convenient but I can't eat them raw and tend to reach for unhealthy choices.  Any ideas or other people with similar problems?

Hi lovingme4me,

I just recently got an allergy test and found out I'm very allergic to the Birch Tree which means I'm allergic to any fruits that grow from a Birch tree, such as apples, apricots, peaches, pears, cherries. I was shocked. I never thought it was possible to be allergic to so many fruits, how weird! And I used to eat apples almost 4 times a week! So that explains all the itchy skin and hives I was suffering from.

Anyways, he told me that I could STILL eat those fruits as long as I put them in the microwave or cook it. I'm only allergic to it raw, so canned fruit would be ok too. :) Give that a try, it might be the same for you as well.

Let me know how that turns out. Good luck!  :)

 

 

I have an autoimmune disease, celiac disease so I cannot eat GLUTEN (WHEAT, BARLEY, RYE, OATS).  Also allergies to SOY, EGG & NAVY BEANS.  I have intolerances to DAIRY, YEAST & KIDNEY BEANS.   I found out about the celiac disease for about 5 years now, I found out about the soy & egg about 3 years ago and the rest I just found out about six months ago.  Its hard to find food I can eat because most gluten free items have soy or egg in them.  I have a hard time getting proper nutrition and have malabsorption problems at times which leads to deficiencies.  Fun times!!

i am intolerent to soy, dairy, and gluten. i only found that out after 2 years of suffering the same symptoms as u they said i had irritable bowl syndrome, then i saw a naturalpath doctor and he said try out the diet and all my symptoms stoped as long as i didn't eat wrong. i started the diet this last march and i weighed in at 155 lbs then now i am 121 and 5'5 and i can't seem to keep the wieght no matter how much food i snack on all day, any suggestions... i need some support

I don't get it. 121 lbs at 5'5 is still a healthy weight. A lot of people would do anything to lose as much weight as you did. You're very lucky. I weigh 114 at 5'3 and I still would love to lose another 8 lbs if I could. :)

 

As far as the dairy allergy goes, if it is lactose-intolerance only, you can purchase lactose enzyme pills at the grocery store or a drug store, so you really wouldn't need to make any changes to your diet in that case.  However, if it's about being casein-free: oh boy, am I sorry.  That is a huge change.

Gluten allergy: I have celiac's, so I understand that one thoroughly.  In fact, it runs in my family.  Avoid barley, oats, wheat and rye [I'm sure you already know that].  Something that a lot of people overlook is that barley is what is used to make malt, so anything that is malted has gluten in it.  Likewise, alcohol is liquid so people also forget that beer, most vodka, American schnapps, gin and scotch.  If you drink, gluten free beer can be purchased- Red Bridge is a good brand.  Most vodka is made from wheat, but you can purchase some made from corn or potatoes.  American schnapps are made from wheat and have a ton of sugar and glycerine [basically the same thing] added, with a little bit of flavoring.  Real German Schnaps are distilled from fruit and have sugar added, making them gluten-free alternatives.  Rum has no gluten, neither does tequila, whiskey [Irish and Japanese whiskey do] or sake.  Wine is not made from any gluten-containing allergens, however, some people find that it still makes them feel sick.  Gluten can be hidden in packaged foods, so read labels carefully.  Anything with a sticky, gummy or thick consistency will probably have some flour or wheat starch in it to help bind it.  Check first.  Almost all soy sauce sold in the U.S. contains wheat.  At restaurants, ask about soups and anything with a sauce on it, they will likely be thickened with flour to improve the consistency.  If you are unsure about something, ask first, and when in doubt, just don't eat it.  It's better to go hungry than to make yourself feel terrible.

Your sugar allergy: I don't know anything about this.  BUT I do know from my chemistry class that the chemical compound of Splenda differs from the chemical compound of sugar.  [This is why it is powdery and sort of chalky.]  You might ask your doctor if it is an okay alternative to sugar or if it will make you sick too.  Just a thought.

I know from experience that making the change to your diet takes effort and is a big challenge, but it really does help and it looks like you recognise that.  For me, I had gotten to the point where I felt so miserable all the time that I refused to eat for days at a time [which would make me feel better].  But when I ate again, I would immediately get sick because my family has a very strong love for carbohydrates.  My parents put me on an elimination diet, which I couldn't stand.  I snuck a bread roll after two weeks and got horribly sick, so we pinned it.  I replaced the grain in my diet with rice and corn and a TON of soy.  I'm four years out now and while on the rare occasions that I do eat something I am allergic to I feel horrid, the change has been for the better and will remain permanent.

I'm interested to hear how the shift to your new diet works out, what changes you end up having to make and what alternatives you develop.  Please let me know. =)

edit:  this was a duplicate post

suiskitz.....doctor told me the same thing about irritable bowel symdrome, well actually first the doctor told me he thought it was intestinal lymphoma, then said it was irritable bowel.  I don't have problem keeping weight on.  Its hard to buy a lot of gluten free food with the soy & dairy allergy.  Try ener-g foods they have some allergen free stuff and enjoy life makes cookies and stuff that don't have any allergens in them.  What are you eating that you can't keep the weight on?  did you just find out about these allergies?  i know its overwhelming.  I'll help if i can, I know its very difficult to deal with.

Hi everyone my name is Michelle and I just started the CCplan. I have severe food allergies and for two years my allergist could not pinpoint the cause untill we did the Alcat food testing. That is when I realized I was allergic to almost everything I was eating on a regular basis. I had constant hives for two years and gained 70 pounds from the steriods and had terrible angioedema (deep tissue swelling inside and out). I had such bad angioedema that my intestines and stomach would swell and cause severe pain. I am doing well now and since I know all the things I am allergic to, I am able to stay away from them. Every now and then I will mess up and I will get hives or my foot will swell really bad like it is going to pop. If it is really bad then my throat will start to swell closed, so I have to be very careful. I have a constant supply of prednisone on hand.

Glad to be here.

Michelle

I have the same problem as LovingMe4Me.  I've just joined and am allergic to most fruits and vegetables.  As my allergies have developed as I get older, I still remember how satisfying fresh canteloupe, bananas and carrots are.  It is so difficult to not be able to eat these things.  I am also allergic to tree nuts, and have a milder reaction to peanuts.  What do I eat while I'm dieting???  Obviously my avoidance of fruit by eating ice cream and chocolate hasn't worked out well (hahaha) and I'm desperate for new ideas.  I read diet articles and books that suggest nuts for protein and the fruits and veggies to avoid carbs, but these just aren't practical.  Please let me know if you have any ideas.

OMG Julipatoutie, I've wondered why I can eat certain fruits or veggies unless I cook them or they're canned! Makes since. April of '08, I was told that I'm allergic to Tomato, Carrots, Melons, Corn, Soybean, Peanuts, Wheat, Rice and Oats! I was shocked and discouraged. My Dr. told me that I could still eat these things but only on occasion and small amounts like a 1/2 cup. I'm going to a nutritionist next week to have a more detailed test. I was told that it's more specific and will let me know if it's brown or white rice, sweet potato/white potatoes, etc.. Thanks for sharing.

-C

Hi all!  I've been dealing with some major food and environmental allergies for a few years.  I tried allergy shots for the environmentals, but they only helped for a short time - I built no immunity over three years of shots.  Everything I ate made me sick: nausea, vomiting, loose stools, hives, itchy skin, etc.  My bf finally insisted I try something else when I started scratching myself bloody in my SLEEP!

A friend recommended I try an allergy acupuncturist.  I had been to an acupuncturist for something else, so it wasn't totally foreign to me.  At the time, I didn't realize that like doctors, acupuncturists often have specialties.  I didn't go until I heard her name from two other people, randomly in a restaurant!

I was allergic to milk and calcium, sugar, grains, garlic, vitamin C, vitamin A, caffeine, smoke, many chemicals, artificial sweeteners, corn, pine, pollen, pork, cashews, walnuts, dogs and cats (and I had both, and I was not allergic to these as a kid).  The vitamin allergies and the rest made me sick when I had potatoes, tomatoes, rice, wheat, garlic, strawberries, raspberries, walnuts, pork, cashews, MSG, Splenda, and most things closely related to these.  I got really tired of people telling me to eat rice (you know, elimination diets, cleansing, etc. using the BRAT diet).  It was a real pain in the butt to feed me, and hard to go out.  Most of these allergies just showed up in my 30s!  You can't imagine how much Benadryl I took (1-2 before EVERY meal) and how many antihistamines I was on!

This woman saved my life!  It takes one treatment per allergy, but then it's cured!  Forever!  You have to have no contact for 25 hours after the treatment so that your body can reset.  Never in my life was I able to drink milk - now I drink it almost every day.  Now I can enjoy my food without "stomach dumping," hives, itching, carrying an epi-pen, worrying if servers/cooks don't listen or lie about how the food is prepared, feeling self-conscious, and all the ugly things that go on with food allergies.

Here is the website, describing what she does.  BTW, I thought the testing method was hokey, but it really does work.  My quality of life is so much better!  I'm not totally done with my list, but every one she's done has stuck.

http://red-white.net/

By the way, if you know you are going to eat something you are sensitive to, eat something else first.  The food allergy reaction is always worse on an empty stomach!

Good luck to you all.

B