What Can I Eat?

[stacyb27]

I just received some allergy information and am at a complete loss as what I can eat. The test showed that I am allergic to milk, gluten and eggs and was told to completely eliminate those. I am also allergic to, but not as bad to corn, soybean, almond, chocolate, cheese and oat. I am also positive for yeast.

All I can think that I am able to have is meat and vegetables.

[burdee]

I just received some allergy information and am at a complete loss as what I can eat. The test showed that I am allergic to milk, gluten and eggs and was told to completely eliminate those. I am also allergic to, but not as bad to corn, soybean, almond, chocolate, cheese and oat. I am also positive for yeast.

All I can think that I am able to have is meat and vegetables.

I have ELISA (blood test) and Enterolab (stool test) diagnosed allergies to gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, cane sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. Those are all ingredients in processed foods. So I eat fruits, vegies, meats, nut milks, nut butters, gluten free grains and cereals, legumes and anything that doesn't contain my diagnosed allergies. More importantly, I COOK. I seldom buy ready to eat foods. If I do find a ready to eat product that appears free of my allergens, I carefully read the ingredients and even call the company, if I'm uncertain. There are many gluten/dairy/egg/soy free choices available. I haven't found any chocolate that doesn't contain my allergens. So I'm chocolate free as well, unless I make my own versions. However, I can buy dairy/soy free cheeses (which actually melt on pizza or nachos), margarines, milks and ice cream. I make my own mayonnaise and have made my own cheeses before I discovered Daiya (dairy/soy free cheese).

How were you diagnosed with your allergies? Did the lab or your doc recommend completely avoiding corn, soy, almond, chocolate, cheese and oat? Or were those 'low reaction' foods, which you don't need to avoid? Have you ever noticed physical reactions to any of your high reaction foods? What about your lesser allergy foods?

If you were diagnosed by blood test, the lab may advise you to consider the overall pattern of your results. So if you have high reaction foods and rather low reaction foods, you need to avoid only the high reaction foods. I had some low reaction foods in my tests, to which I never noticed physical reactions (asparagus and bean sprouts). So I continue to eat those occasionally without any adverse affect. However, I absolutely abstain from my high reaction foods, because I do have obvious, painful reactions after eating those foods.

[mushroom]

So you can eat all the nighshade family, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers. You can eat rice and other gluten free grains. You can eat rice pasta with pesto and olive oil, or with tomato sauce! (even with meat in it). You can have hemp milk with gluten free cereal and all the fruits you desire. You can eat nuts other than almonds, and seeds like pumpkin.

The trick is to focus not on what you can't eat but on what you can eat. Start making lists of those foods. Go to the supermarket and say, I can eat sweet potato and pumpkin and beans and all legumes. I could try goats cheeses and sheep cheeses (pecorino is yummy) and feta. For baking there is egg replacer; Earth Balance makes a soy-free spread. Whole Foods carries a product called Coconut Secrets which is a substitute for soy sauce so you can have stir fries. Namaste makes a baking mix without soy (or potato starch for me ) and there is also a site called YummyMummy you might want to check out.

Try to find in your heart a positive attitude. I know it is a big shock to suddenly be deprived of all those things, but it is amazing what else you can find that you have not been eating before and how amazingly good some of it is.

Be of good heart. You can do this.

[burdee]

The trick is to focus not on what you can't eat but on what you can eat. Start making lists of those foods. Go to the supermarket and say, I can eat sweet potato and pumpkin and beans and all legumes. I could try goats cheeses and sheep cheeses (pecorino is yummy) and feta. For baking there is egg replacer; Earth Balance makes a soy-free spread. Whole Foods carries a product called Coconut Secrets which is a substitute for soy sauce so you can have stir fries. Namaste makes a baking mix without soy (or potato starch for me ) and there is also a site called YummyMummy you might want to check out.

I've never seen Coconut Secrets at my local Whole Foods. I'd LOVE to have a soy free sauce. How long has that been available? Would that be in the same section as soy sauces? If not, where in Whole Foods would I find that product?

SUE

[stacyb27]

Thank you. I found this out by blood test. As far as I knew I was fine. I have been dealing with low back pain and headaches so he thought he would do the test. He only told me to stay away from sugar (for the yeast), milk, eggs and gluten. He said the low reaction foods I can have about every 4 days or so.

I went to look for different types of milk today and they all had sugar in them so I didn't get any. He also said I could have a plain organic yogurt, but again I am unsure what type since he didn't say. When I looked at them they had sugar and milk.

I will start keeping a list of foods I am okay to eat. It is tough because I am SUPER picky and will have to learn to like other foods.

[missy'smom]

I just received some allergy information and am at a complete loss as what I can eat. The test showed that I am allergic to milk, gluten and eggs and was told to completely eliminate those. I am also allergic to, but not as bad to corn, soybean, almond, chocolate, cheese and oat. I am also positive for yeast.

All I can think that I am able to have is meat and vegetables.

It looks like you could have a coconut milk beverage. So Delicious coconut milk beverage comes in unsweetened and is very neutral flavored, not strong coconut. Earthbalance make a soy-free, dairy-free "margarine". What about nuts other than almond? Almonds are out for me too but I can still have a variety of other nuts and seeds to add flavor, texture and nutrition to my meals. Sweet potatoes can satisfy a sweet craving and avacados are nice and creamy.

[burdee]

Thank you. I found this out by blood test. As far as I knew I was fine. I have been dealing with low back pain and headaches so he thought he would do the test. He only told me to stay away from sugar (for the yeast), milk, eggs and gluten. He said the low reaction foods I can have about every 4 days or so.

I went to look for different types of milk today and they all had sugar in them so I didn't get any. He also said I could have a plain organic yogurt, but again I am unsure what type since he didn't say. When I looked at them they had sugar and milk.

I will start keeping a list of foods I am okay to eat. It is tough because I am SUPER picky and will have to learn to like other foods.

Which blood test diagnosed your allergies? Did you see the lab test results? (You are entitled to see those.) I'm confused about the 'sugar for the yeast' advice. Does your doc think you have candida? If you can't have milk, you probably react to the casein protein (which blood tests use for reaction tests). That would mean no dairy products. Plain yogurt would still contain the casein protein.

My husband has no gastrointestinal reactions to his allergies. Gluten gives him back and elbow joint pain. Almonds and grapes give him migraine headaches. Dairy gives him headaches and sinus congestion. Not everyone gets gastro allergy reactions.

I suggest you list all your favorite foods and consider the tastes and textures you prefer. With dairy and gluten you can easily substitute gluten/dairy free products. With other foods you could consider which others foods have equally appealing textures and tastes as your favorite foods offer. There are soooooo many foods available, if you're open to trying new cuisines and foods. Even with 7 food restrictions, I have sooo many food choices.

[mushroom]

I've never seen Coconut Secrets at my local Whole Foods. I'd LOVE to have a soy free sauce. How long has that been available? Would that be in the same section as soy sauces? If not, where in Whole Foods would I find that product?

SUE

Sue, I have just arrived back stateside and have not been Whole Foods shopping - I read it on here from another poster and just added it to my Whole Foods list. It is possible not all stores carry it. I would ask them.

[stacyb27]

The results did show that I am positive for candida. I'm doing a candida cleanse right now.