I love my allergist in Huntsville. We may have mostly solved my problems. I told him that the best whole grain wheat around makes me itch, makes my ears hurt, and my sinuses have problems. However, a nice white, fluffy slice of Wonder Bread would have caused me few problems. I explained the nasty effect of the chocolate muffin made with rice flour. I might take a cooked potato and add chocolate to it.
No, I don't eat Wonder Bread. However, little buns on various fast food do not bother me like healthful whole wheat. I will cut back on anything with wheat in it and never touch whole wheat again.
1--Ghee--When I explained what it was, butter without the proteins, he said that protein is what I am allergic to in mammal products. Ghee it is.
2--Gums--xanthum, carrageenan, gellan, and others. These are added to products for creamy smoothness. I ate a small soft-serve ice cream at Burger King on Friday as an experiment. I thought I was going to die! On Saturday, I ate a nasty coconut yogurt with weird things in it. Both had gums, ice cream and yogurt. So, I will read labels even more closely from now on. I did not go out and buy it!
3--Dutch processed chocolate, processed with alkali--I have terrible acid reflux when I eat this kind of chocolate. Last time, he had no idea what this was, He also did not know that Dutch processed chocolate left little of the good for you stuff in chocolate.
I brought up these three points. He did not know if gums cause an allergic reaction, I think they do.
When I drank milk on Sunday with oats, I waited for the reaction. There was none. Then, I baked the chocolate chocolate chip muffins and drank milk. No reaction to the milk. Reflux from the chocolate processed with alkali. Monday, I tried True Moo Chocolate milk. Pain and reflux followed. The chocolate is processed with alkali, or Dutched.
Sunday, I ate ten Nestles chocolate chips and had no reflux. These chocolate chips are natural chocolate. Ten each day is my limit. They cause me no distress.
I usually buy 32 ounces of yogurt that is only milk and live cultures. I bought a Chobani Plain single serve yogurt that I will try tomorrow. I throw about 1/8 cup of blueberries in about 1/3 cup plain yogurt. So, the cup will last three days. Look at the plain yogurt containers and see how few things are added. You will be shocked.
Everyday, I eat a bit of yogurt with maybe 20 frozen blueberries, a half cup of applesauce with about half a cup of cottage cheese, ten pistachio nuts, and ten chocolate chips. These are spread out during the day for little snacks.
He agreed to test me for cantaloupe and coconut and wanted to add pineapple to the test. It will be two weeks before I know. I really really hate cantaloupe. Mama loved it and said, "I cannot believe I raised a child who does not like cantaloupe." I was over 35 the last time she mentioned this. Now, I will know if I am allergic to cantaloupe or not.
I certainly don't presume to think my health issues are so exciting that you are dying to hear all this! But, I have learned so much, especially that things I said I must be allergic to, I AM! If your child refuses to eat something, maybe it is an allergy. Maybe I just hate cantaloupe. If you are having acid reflux, maybe it is an allergy like my allergy to whole wheat. Do not take meds for reflux that have metals as they are causing dementia according to medical sites. Read the bottles, folks!
The reason I have spent the last ten days mostly in bed with a low-grade temp is that the uti continues. Yes, got a new scrip.
In the meantime, I will not be overdoing the dairy consumption as I love to do! Wheat is going away except for the kind that is white and not healthy for us. And, there will be little of that.
There is a recipe I am going to try for buns/bread that has no wheat. Pumpkin pie will be without a crust. If I put a crust under any pie, I will just scrape the filling out.
My plans are all doctor-approved.
I have still maintained the 10 pound weight loss.
Your turn
Do you have reflux? Take medicine for it? Does your child have reflux? Eosinophils grow in the esophagus and will turn to cancer. If I had gone to a doctor before this all got so painful, I would have saved lots of problems.
The tinnitus returned. It is my friend, just white noise.
Since I have not slept since 1 pm on Monday, and it is now 9:30 pm on Tuesday, I am going to try to go to sleep.
Lettuce always made me sick when I was a child, but my parents forced me to eat it. Or, at least they thought they did. I became an expert at hiding my salad in my skirts, napkins, etc. I also spent hours sitting at the table by myself, with my salad remaining on the plate because I would not eat it, and I wouldn't be excused until I did.
ReplyDeleteI learned several years ago that while I am not technically allergic to lettuce, I do have an intolerance. These days I know to avoid them. When I mentioned this to my mother a few years ago, she casually remarked, "You know, you never really liked salads."
What makes me angry these days is that I was expected to eat my salad; my brother, who didn't like tomatoes or squash (no allergy or intolerance) was never served those items.
nomad,
DeleteI guess parents do the best they can, but I would sure not like it when the brother got away with not eating certain things or even being served those items. I wish I could tell my mother I am actually allergic to green peas and mammal meat, two things she had a hard time getting me to eat. I sort of hope I am allergic to melons, since I don't like any of them! Watermelons are different.
When my son was 10 and my daughter was 8, I just got so tired of hearing that they did not like what I made for dinner or picked it apart. I told them to pick out one food they dislike the most, and I would NEVER expect them to eat it again. My son (10)chose cheese and my daughter (8) chose tomatoes. Since both inherited my allergies, these choices make sense. The youngest daughter (3) said, "What about me? Don't I get to choose a food I don't like?"
In one of a parent's rare moments of brilliance and inspiration, I told her that she was too little to choose, that I always knew when children were growing up because they like more foods all the time.
She ate food without complaint from then on, never complaining at all about any food. Actually, I don't remember her complaining as much as the older two did about food I served. As it turned out, their favorite food, zucchini casserole had cheese and tomato! So, I had to make one corner cheese-free and one corner tomato-free. But, it was worth it not to have complaints!
I guess I was lucky. My mom was a great cook and I ate pretty much everything except liver and tripe. I don't recall disliking any other foods or being forced to eat foods I didn't like. As an adult, my only known issue is lactose intolerance. We drink Lactaid fat free milk at our house as all 3 of us have the same issues with any other kind of cow milk. My daughter is a very picky eater, but she's getting better.
ReplyDeleteLorraine,
DeleteMy mother was a great cook--no problem with what she cooked or how she cooked! I do love liver and onions. Yes, that is strange. I would say my children were not picky after the age of three. And, after allowing them to not eat one food, it seems I had no problems. Well, I hear they learned to hide green beans instead of eating them. I wonder if I should drink Lactaid.
Linda - a chocolate treat I used to make, before giving up all animal products, was 1/2 cup plain yoghurt (milk and cultures) and 1 tablespoon Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - it is not Dutched. Mixed well, refrigerated for 30-60 min and I had my chocolate fix. It was delicious.
ReplyDeleteSorry I didn't know about the credit card required for the free 10 day trial of FMTV. I'm going to do the free trial and then 1 month for $7.99 as my birthday present to me next month. That should give me enough time, every afternoon, for one movie for one month, then I'll cancel.
Bellen,
DeleteI am going to have to try the yogurt with cocoa. Several days ago, I was looking and have three canisters of cocoa.
That's okay about the trial. That is a great birthday present and a bargain. When is your birthday?
Oct 20th and I'll be 70, too. It's the new 50 :)
DeleteBellen,
DeleteThat was nasty. I must have done something wrong.
No food allergies that I know of- I eat about everything but black licorice although I'm not a fan of yogurt or pudding. I do buy the probiotic yogurt and eat it daily and I like good desserts but only homemade or ice cream yum. I can easily keep cupcakes or cookies frozen and they never tempt me, but ice cream calls my name. I'm making some Thai coconut soup soon and then I'm off to visit clients for the rest of the afternoon hoping it doesn't rain the entire time I am out.
ReplyDeleteNan,
DeleteI understand the "calls my name" of ice cream. Bellen's yogurt and cocoa suggestion is something I am going to try. Have a good afternoon and maybe it won't rain on you.
I'm so glad that you are getting it under control. It has made a huge difference in my life.
ReplyDeleteSonya Ann,
DeleteThanks. If I had only known sooner, my life would have been easier!
My sister went to a specialist earlier this year after pain and discomfort for years. She was diagnosed with 'leaky gut syndrome'. Turns out she is allergic to corn in all forms including corn syrup, eggs (probably because corn is in the feed), melons, flax, and all sorts of other foods. She has a hard time finding food to buy since there are lots of gluten-free choices but not corn free. But at least she is feeling much better knowing what to avoid. I hope you figure your dietary needs out soon so that you can be pain free.
ReplyDeleteDaizy,
DeleteI wondered about leaky gut syndrome. I also have wondered about a corn allergy. I'm glad she got some relief. I have just known all along that I was not just sickly or picky eater.
Since I have not eaten whole wheat in almost two weeks, I feel better. However, we are heading into my worst allergy month--October. Hopefully, I will continue to improve. Thank you!
I am very allergic to things like honey and filberts (hazelnuts), cantalope, and honeydew melons too. I used to take regular trips to the ER as a child when my throat swelled closed and my eyes swelled shut and I would have hives all over. They would give me an epi shot and lots of benadryl - 100mgs. That was when benadryl was a prescription drug. Finally mom figured out what was causing it and life got a little easier. Still a label reader. A lot of people who have hay fever allergies are allergic to melons. Even if it just makes you feel yucky you probably have a sensitivity to it which I think can turn into an intolerance as time goes by. Good that you are testing things out and thinking things through. My friend has severe Celiacs and can tell if she gets something that is cross contaminated. That day or the next she is in agony. Keep figuring it out. Take care.
ReplyDelete.*My DIL is allergic to xanthaum gum. She cant eat anything that has it. She can eat garr gum, maybe spelled wrong. She has lots ofallergies including wheat, eggs, sugar, beef, any fruit with pits. Hard to eat but she has figured it out. She uses a lot of rice flour. Barbara
ReplyDelete