Topic: Eliminating Allergies in Diet----my little journal
Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
Alright...you all might laugh, but I'm putting this here because anywhere else, and I would loose it! Seriously, I loose papers, and this laptop is new and I'm so computer illiterate that I will put things on a computer then not be able to find them again.
I figure if it mildly entertains anyone, great. Feel free to comment if you'd like.
I changed the name of "Allergy Elimination Diet" to an action verb....Eliminating Allergies. Sounds more goal-oriented to me. Ha. I prefer that name. It's my diet, so I'll name it, thank you!
Who knows if I will actually follow this. But I'm gonna try. I'm gonna try not to follow too many rules, and just go with my intuition.
I think eliminating ALL that off the bat would be too hard, so I think I'm gonna just eliminate the most COMMON, MAJOR allergens for a month, and see what happens.
I'm debating about nightshades. I should probably just eliminate them. Sigh.
Okay, so I'm thinking.....no corn, no wheat, no soy. No dairy or eggs. No nightshades. So that's potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, bell and hot peppers, and chiles. Right?
On one diet, it was saying just fish and lamb could be consumed in the first month for meats. I like fish and shellfish, so I think I'm okay with that.
I'm thinking I'll keep citrus and everything else for now. I'm on the fence about onions and garlic. How allergenic are those?
Anyways, I'm gonna brainstorm some yummy things I can eat. Feel free to shout out if something in here looks allergenic (a common allergen that people normally avoid in these elimination diets)
-spinach with coconut oil and sesame seeds
-oysters with lemon juice
-rice pasta with veggies and olive oil
-butternut squash with coconut oil and cinnamon
-rice bread, dipped in olive oil and dried herbs
-coconut milk over salmon, with basil
-coconut milk soup with white or brown rice, ginger, basil, and some squash chunks
-banana, warmed, with toasted coconut flakes
-mussels, steamed with onion, olive oil, fish stock, and fresh herbs, with rice bread toasted
-pesto of walnuts, parsley, basil and olive oil, with rice pasta
-oatmeal with stevia, cinnamon, blueberries, and coconut oil
-clams in fish broth with lemon zest and dried herbs over rice pasta
-grapefruit baked with cinnamon
-Fuji apples with homemade almond butter
-Sandwich of toasted rice bread, brushed with olive oil, with grilled vegetables and basil leaves
-brown rice drizzled with sesame oil, with broccoli, cabbage, sesame seeds, and some coconut oil
Yes, I came up with those on my own. Phew. We'll see if it actually happens. Right now, I'm putting it off.
Oh, I also need to decide if I'm gonna cut out coffee. Is coffee allergenic? If so, can I keep tea?
I am thinking that if I don't drink anything with caffeine, I'll feel horrrible. Haha. I guess I gotta makes sure the teas are gluten free.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
| IP: Logged |
Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
Okay, thinking of more:
-lamb smeared in a mint/stevia/coconut oil paste, with a side of brown rice with coconut oil and sea salt
-ground lamb/dried herb/rice bread meat balls, simmered in lamb stock (if I can find it or make it) over rice pasta, with olive oil/coconut oil drizzle, and frozen spinach
(note that my coconut oil is Refined so it doesn't taste like coconut!!!!!)
-beets with stevia and toasted almonds
-fresh carrot juice daily
-orange juice for a sweet fix
-berry smoothies with coconut oil, orange juice, and chlorella
-purred soups with homemade vegetable broth, with an herb/olive oil drizzle and toasted rice bread (brushed with olive oil) to dip
-look for pre-made soups in a box that will work
-brown rice and lamb stew chunks, marinated in lime juice, olive oil and herbs, with lime squeezed on top and an oil drizzle. Garnished with toasted almonds (or not).
Can I eat beans?
-if so, hummus on lamb sandwich
-Great Northern bean salads with olive oil, cumin?, parsley, and lemon juice and chopped veggies
-green peas with sea salt and olive/coconut oil
-steamed broccoli and bamboo shoots (Frozen or canned?) with rice noodles tossed/pan toasted in sesame oil, topped with sesame seeds
-to the banana and coconut combo, add stevia.
BREAKFASTS:
-strong organic coffee with rice milk and stevia drops
-carrot juice
-gluten free pancakes with coconut oil and maple syrup? (or prepackaged GF waffles?) (use GF baking mix if can eat other grains besides rice)
Find out if the free range beef is okay, and rabbit
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
| IP: Logged |
Dekrator48
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18239
posted
In my experience beans are fine, maple syrup is ok unless it causes a yeast problem.
I don't drink coffee, only decaf tea so I don't know about that.
It is possible to be sensitive to any food. I found I was sensitive to pineapple for instance, but it seemed to cause only itching.
Sugar and corn syrup/high fructose corn syrup on the other hand are like poison to me......lots of pain 1+ days after eating it.
Have you tried quinoa? It is a whole grain that gives you some variety.
If you get to the point that you are adding chicken to your diet, I like arborio rice sauteed in olive oil until golden brown, then add a box of organic low sodium chicken broth (no dextrose) and simmer until liquid absorbed.
Then you can add any veggies you like.
If you are avoiding sugar, then be careful to read the labels on gluten free mixes, soups etc. Most of them contain sugar/dextrose.
It sounds like you are making a very good list of things to include!
I think you can do this!!!
Think of it as a gourmet diet...that is what your menu sounds like!
Good luck!!!
-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
For me, maple syrup is very very tough. I actually stay away from sugar 100% of the time, unless its fructose (from fruit). I know some people are on the fence about fruit too, but personally I can't cut it out of my diet. I'd be cutting out too many calories.
I do great with beans!!! I eat 3 cups of beans a day, every day.
I do terribly with onions and garlic, but that's only because of my terrible GI and bladder issues. I hear though that often times garlic is much easier for people to handle than onions. So maybe see if you can eat happily without onions, and keep the garlic for flavor? Then if you miss onions too much you can add them back in maybe?
I'm extremely sensitive to oranges, but I do okay with lemons. Go figure!
Coffee...ugh. Messes up my adrenals pretty bad.
I'm SOOO proud of you for doing this, I can't even convey how proud Do you have a plan in place for "cravings" and those moments that you want to cheat? In the beginning, I had a hard time getting through that...and I realized that I'd never get the benefit from the diet if I even consumed a crumb of gluten...so I tried to set up a plan for when I felt a strong desire to "cheat". Do you have a favorite allergen free snack food? I remember you talked about your love for cheese and I'm wondering if you have something to replace it...
Also, I'd love to find you some product/recipe suggestions...so can you give us an idea of your "favorites" or things that you're really going to miss? If we set you up with a diet that's actually appealing to you and resembles a little normalcy, maybe you'll be super motivated to stick it out and see the benefits!
Let me know what I can look for! Posts: 710 | From West Coast | Registered: May 2008
| IP: Logged |
-Brown Rice Porridge (I make a much more simple version of this with less natural sugars in it every day...but this sounds delicious!):http://glutenfreehope.blogspot.com/2009/02/leftover-brown-rice-porridge.html
posted
Oh, I also wanted to mention that I would kind of try to steer yourself away from the oatmeal if you can, and maybe try out the Quinoa or brown rice hot cereals...or cream of buckwheat...because oats are quite iffy. Ask DisturbedMe what happened to her when she ate oats. I'm sure she's love to tell you all about it. Haha..
So maybe the brown rice porridge recipe or Dekrators's Quinoa suggestion instead?
More Recipes (let me know if I'm annoying you with the recipes, or if I'm totally off base with your taste):
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Yes, people can be allergic to garlic or onions. Anything can cause an allergy.
Actually, for a true elimination diet, it would be very basic with certain veggies, brown rice and alternating proteins. Then, after a week or two, one thing at a time would be added. Just one.
Beets with stevia ? Beets are very sweet all on their own. I think stevia would ruin them. Fennel in beets is very nice, maybe with some thyme, too.
As for coffee, Dr. B says "no caffeine" - very clear about that.
But GREEN TEA, is balanced with theonine (or is it threonine) so that works out okay. Still, you can get organic decaf green tea and that would be less likely to be stimulating - which is bad for our adrenals.
Explore the whole world of beans (legumes). Lentils, etc.
As for some of the things, you might be careful about glycemic index. Be sure to balance. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Keebler, I think Hoosiers is calling her new diet "Eliminating Allergies" instead of an actual "Elimination Diet", because she doesn't want to go that extreme.
I second Keebler's suggestion on exploring the bean world At this point Keebler, I bet you could start your own cookbook! You're a wealth of ideas and knowledge.
Hoosiers, how is the diet progressing? Did you dive in?
Posts: 710 | From West Coast | Registered: May 2008
| IP: Logged |
Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
LL,
I looked at a couple of those links, and I LOVE them! Especially that one girl in Michigan's blog. Thanks!
Not starting yet....I have hit a patch of depression, so I figured now is not a good time to start.
I think what I'm going to do is master a few breakfasts, a few lunches, a few snacks, a few dinners, and a few desserts, BEFORE starting everything really strict, so I don't need to figure out how to cook these things WHILE hungry and irritable from the restrictions.
I figure if I do it that way, I'll better set myself up for success.
Also, Easter is coming up, and my family is doing a big brunch thing, so I may wait until after that to limit temptation and odds of cheating.
Keebler,
Those are great suggestions! You are probably right about the beets. Thanks!!!
And not sure why I excluded beans. Must be because I don't eat them much now.
I haven't quite decided yet if I'm going to do a strict elmination diet or if I'm just going to restrict the most common allergens (as opposed to everything under the sun),
and leave things like lemon to reduce the odds of failure.
But I am leaning towards the really strict version in Dr. S's book.....but we'll see. I'm going to wait until my depression gets better before deciding.
I can tell it's just a rough few days.
Thanks for listening and helping, everyone! I REALLY appreciate it!
I have a couple more questions, but I'll probably ask them tomorrow...need to go.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Do you have a plan in place for "cravings" and those moments that you want to cheat? In the beginning, I had a hard time getting through that...and I realized that I'd never get the benefit from the diet if I even consumed a crumb of gluten...so I tried to set up a plan for when I felt a strong desire to "cheat". Do you have a favorite allergen free snack food? I remember you talked about your love for cheese and I'm wondering if you have something to replace it...
Printer-friendly view of this topic