Youdah

I recently tested positive to wheat, soy, dairy, and egg allergies.  This came as quite a surprise since I am not aware of any adverse effects after eating these things, or is it I dont realize some of the effects.  I have been a Type 1 diabetic for 28 yrs.  I follow a 1200-1400 calorie meal, which consists of a lot of fruits, veggies, salmon, chicken, low-fat, high fiber foods.  I dont even know where to begin with changing my diet to rid of all these allergens or if it is completely necessary.  I would appreciate some directions.

It takes a time of adjustment.  Not only with your eating habits, but how you think about food.  Start looking for recipes that sound good to you, and make a shopping list.  In time, you'll find that your new "diet" is something you enjoy.  It doesn't need to be a deprivation, but it can be an exploration of foods and recipes you haven't tried before.  

It sounds like you are already close to a healthy diet, already eating things that you can tolerate.  So with a little more adjustment, you will do fine.

If you've always eaten glutens that you shouldn't be eating, you may not ever have noticed the reactions, because you "always" feel the same.  You don't have anything to compare it to.  Once you've gone gluten-free for awhile, you may begin to notice how it was affecting you.

Everyone is a little different, though.  You may not notice anything dramatic that is different.  BUT, a big difference for your body is that it won't be in a "high alert" immune reaction all the time, trying to deal with things it can't use, or things it interprets as bad for you.  

Try a total abstinence of the things your doctor has shown you.  This is the only way you can figure out if you can tolerate them in small quantities.  But first, you have to try to go totally gluten-free so you have a "baseline" of how you do without it.

There are lots of good folks on this forum, WAY more knowledgeable than me on this subject.  I'm sure if you take the time to read some of the past discussions, you'll get some good ideas and directions.

Hang in there.  You aren't alone with this challenge.

My husband was looking up safe alcohol for me to drink. He prefers beer which is made with wheat if i understand correctly. Anyway, he read that any distilled liquor is safe, even if made with a gluten containing grain. Does anyone know if this is true. What do you drink without any ill effects? Also how do you find out if a drink is distilled or not? I am thinking beer is still unsafe but i dont mind that. yuck

I would check the ingredients.  I've also heard that the gluten molecules are too large to "get through" the distillation process.  But, I don't buy it (no pun intended).  I've had gluten reactions with grain made alcohols, esp. vodkas.  So, I stick to those vodkas made with potato instead of wheat which are usually high-end Polish vodkas.  Wines are usually OK for me, and some wine coolers.  I've never heard of a beer that isn't made with gluten, otherwise it wouldn't be beer?  If I were you, I'd check the websites and ingredients and don't depend on something made with gluten to NOT give you a reaction.  Of course, if you are one of those, like me, who knows within an hour when I've had anything with gluten in it, because I get sick, then you can always "taste test" it, and find out the "hard way" which ones you can tolerate.  My experiences with gluten demand that I stay as far away from the stuff as I possibly can...don't even like to walk down aisles in the grocery store with lots of gluten products...but that may be going overboard a little?  I think you get my point, though.    Good luck!

VanCamp's may possibly have changed their formula since this thread was begun in 2004. But, everywhere I'd seen on the internet, VanCamp's Pork and Beans in tomato sauce is gluten-free. Well, I don't think so. Possibly gluten is now being put in the "natural flavorings?" Anyway, I've had one heck of a gluten reaction after eating this yesterday. I'm still having problems today, like I always do for 24-48 hours after getting glutened.

Everything else I ate was all fresh whole foods, so there is no doubt what did it. The VanCamp's Pork and Beans.

I sure wish these manufacturer's would put on their labels when they've changed a formula, or put the allergy warnings like they should. It would have saved me two days of pure He$$.

I was impressed with Kraft when I called them. That page on their website clearly showing what their ingredients mean, just put KRAFT at the top of my shopping list. Thanks for the link!

Thanks for that link!

I have a list that I take to the grocery store of additives and problems with ingredients. I love new lists!